Staten Island lies in the southwestern part of New York City, covering a 59-square mile island. The island has a varied topography, including the highest point on the Atlantic coast south of Maine (Todt Hill), state parks and several different beaches. Consider getting there by taking the famous and historic Staten Island ferry.
Staten Island Children's Museum is at the Snug Harbor Cultural Center on the northern part of the island. Exhibits include Bugs and Other Insects, where children can pretend to be a spider or create their own insect, and Great Explorations, where children can explore the rain forest, climb into a cave, go sledding on arctic tundra or visit the bottom of the ocean. Other exhibits include Portia's Playhouse, a theater complete with stage and costumes, and Sea of Boats, an outdoor play space that teaches children about sea-faring activity including fishing, radar and Morse code. The museum also offers special events and temporary exhibitions.
Historic Richmond Town, on Clarke Avenue near the center of Staten Island, is a museum and historical village. The town has preserved original houses and artifacts from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries and dozens of buildings and exhibits to explore, including courthouses, authentic family homes, a tavern, general store, carpenter's shop and even an outhouse. Guides in period costumes staff many of the exhibits. The Town also holds different special or seasonal events as well as children's book groups.
The Staten Island Zoo is on the northern part Staten Island on Broadway. Founded in 1933, the zoo has a distinctively child-friendly, educational focus. Its themed areas include African savannah, home to meercats and bush babies, a tropical forest that includes bats and sloths, a reptile wing, a petting zoo and an aquarium. Prairie dogs, red panda and foxes also live at the zoo. Check the zoo's website for feeding times and to find out about special events.
On the southwestern part of Staten Island, Clay Pit Ponds State Park occupies 260 acres. The historic clay ponds provided the raw material for bricks used in the construction of New York City. Now a nature reserve, the area is a natural habitat with plenty of activities for children, including nature trails, birdwatching, horse riding and picnicking. You'll also find an interpretative center and museum, which provide information on the area's history, including that of the Lenape Native Americans, Free Blacks and Europeans who settled on the island at different times.
