Page 261 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New York City

F AR THER AFIELD  259

1975. With an 83-acre (34-ha) home of the
leafy campus, the center has photographer
28 remaining buildings, that Alice Austen, who
range from grand Greek Revival- was born in 1866
style halls to sophisticated and who lived in
Italianate structures. The oldest this house for
is the beautiful, restored most of her life.
Main Hall (Building C), which Clear Comfort, former home of photographer Alice Austen She documented
functions as the Visitor Center. life on the island,
The adjacent Newhouse Center butterflies and a charming in Manhattan, and also
for Contemporary Art antique rose garden. The on trips to other parts of the
showcases local artists. tranquil Chinese Scholar’s country and on her travels
Other buildings house the Garden, with its goldfish to Europe. She lost all
award-winning Staten Island ponds, pagoda-roofed halls, her money in the stock
Children’s Museum, and the and bamboo groves, was market crash of 1929,
Noble Maritime Collection, built in 1999 by artists from and her poverty forced
which features prints and Suzhou, China. her into a public poorhouse
paintings created by the at the age of 84.
nautical painter John Noble One year later, her
(1913–83); visitors can view his s Alice photographic talent was
houseboat studio as well. The Austen House finally recognized by Life
Staten Island Museum relocated magazine, which published
to this complex in 2016 – the 2 Hylan Blvd. Tel (718) 816-4506. an article about her, earning
museum has a major exhibition @ S 51 from ferry to Hylan Blvd. her enough money to enter
on Staten Island history, Open 11am–5pm Tue–Sun; grounds: a nursing home. She left
spanning three centuries. to dusk. Closed Jan, Feb, public hols. 3,500 negatives dating
Most of the Snug Harbor & Donation 7 limited. 8 = from 1880 to 1930.
∑ aliceausten.org
grounds belong to the Staten Today, the Friends
Island Botanical Garden. This small cottage, built around of Alice Austen House
Attractions here include an 1690, has the delightful name mounts exhibitions of
exhibit designed to attract of Clear Comfort. It was the her best work.
modernized, much to the
chagrin of local residents,
who fear that its character
will be lost. How ever, the
board walk still yields lovely
ocean views, and the Cyclone
rollercoaster has been
designated an official city
landmark. The Mermaid
Parade in June is a major
annual event.
Entrance to the New York Aquarium, Coney Island
d Coney Island Island, which was at that time
purely untamed Atlantic
q Stillwell Ave (D, F, N, Q), W 8th St
(F, Q). New York Aquarium Surf Ave coastline. By the 1920s, Coney
and W 8th St. Tel (718) 265-FISH. Island was billing itself as the
Open 10am–5pm daily (to 5:30pm Sat, “World’s Largest Playground,”
Sun, & hols). (Jun–Aug: to 6pm Mon– with three huge fairgrounds
Fri & 7pm Sat, Sun & hols; Nov–Mar: to providing hair-raising rides. The
4:30pm daily). & last adm: 45 mins subway arrived in 1920, and
before closing. - ∑ nyaquarium. the 1921 board walk ensured
com Coney Island Museum 1208 Surf Coney Island’s popularity
Ave, near W 12th St. Tel (718) 372-5159. throughout the Depression.
Open noon–6pm Sat, 2–6pm Sun A major attraction is the
(mid-Jun–Aug: noon–6pm Wed–Sat, New York Aquarium, with
2–6pm Sun). & ∑ coneyisland.com over 350 species. The Coney
Island Museum has memor-
In the mid-1800s, Brooklyn abilia, souvenirs, and relics of
poet Walt Whitman composed old rides. Coney Island is The iconic Cyclone rollercoaster at the
many of his works on Coney in the process of being Coney Island amusement park

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