If you live in Staten Island or plan to visit, you may choose to plan a call on one of its great institutions – notably the Staten Island Zoo and the Staten Island Museum.
It is equally important as you visit them to know what their admissions policies are in terms of free admission – our focus here at this website, which is the very core of the Free Admission Initiative, the focus of which is to educate all New Yorkers on their rights to free admission to The Metropolitan Museum of Art [Met Museum or the Museum] as well as 12 other institutions on park land.
While the Metropolitan Museum exists rent-free on city park land and in City-owned buildings, so might 12 other important museums or organizations, each with a stated admissions policy. Find a “card” to carry with you to always know where New Yorkers are entitled to free admission at “action card” on this website!.
Here is what we know about Staten Island and are sharing with you now.
Staten Island Institute of Arts and Sciences [Staten Island Museum] … borough of Staten Island
Chapter 526 of the Laws of 1905, an Act to incorporate the Staten Island Association of Arts and Sciences and to provide for the care and housing of its museum and library by the city of New York, states the following in Section 8:
The museum, collection and library of the said Staten Island association of arts and sciences shall be open and free to the public at all reasonable times … [emphasis added]
The current admissions policy as stated on the Staten Island Museum website is a Suggested Admission of $8 for adults.
Staten Island Zoological Society [Staten Island Zoo] … borough of Staten Island
FA research only uncovered the date of incorporation and the SI Zoo’s opening; i.e., July 24, 1934 and July 10, 1936, respectively. Expecting free admission provisions to exist, they should be identified, published and enforced.
The SI Zoo’s current admissions policy published on its website requires a payment of $10 from adults [15-59]; $7 for seniors [60 and over]; $6 from children [3-14]. Free admission after 2:00 pm on Wednesdays.
So what do you do when you visit? One is what you can do right now! Check out the petition that FA (Free Admission) launched recently! [FA’s petition can be found on this link:
https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/288/649/848/] Many New Yorkers are commenting and supporting our rights across this great city of ours! Please sign as it urges NY AG Letitia James to enforce Ch. 476 of the Laws right of 1893, which required the Met Museum to be free of all charge to New Yorkers.
Sometime ago, FA corresponded with AG James’ office to urge her to enforce the NYS law. She did not respond.
FA looks to all New Yorkers to insist that “the people’s lawyer” act on our behalf and require the Met Museum, and many of 12 other City-funded park institutions, to abide by the provisions of contracts or NYS laws requiring free admission to New Yorkers [and especially our schools] in reciprocity for some form of economic forgiveness.
FA’s petition can be found on this link:
https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/288/649/848/
We thank you who live and visit Staten Island in summer and otherwise, too!