| State: | New York |
|---|---|
| Address: | 420 Tompkins Ave., Staten Island, NY 10305, USA |
| Postal code: | 10305 |
| Phone: | (718) 442-1608 |
| Website: | http://www.garibaldimeuccimuseum.com/ |
| Monday: | Closed |
|---|---|
| Tuesday: | Closed |
| Wednesday: | 1:00 – 5:00 PM |
| Thursday: | 1:00 – 5:00 PM |
| Friday: | 1:00 – 5:00 PM |
| Saturday: | 1:00 – 5:00 PM |
| Sunday: | Closed |
Brief visit to the museum triggered my interest to both people. It is known that Antonio Meucci was involved with “Young Italy” organization founded by Giuseppe Mazzini, and even arrested for that in 1834. At the same time period Giuseppe Garibaldi was known to be impressed by Mazzini’s republican ideas. These facts could shed light on why Meucci has shared the house with general when he had to flee Italy after failed Roman republic of 1849.
Museum’s size is very modest, basically 3 rooms, but history behind the house and artifacts displayed here make for very worthwhile visit. Easy weekend street parking next to to museum, you also have an option to park at the shopping center across the street.
One of the "secrets" of Staten Island, this historic house was home to Italian liberator Giuseppe Garibaldi (1807-1882) from 1851 to 1853 and also to his friend Antonio Meucci (1808-1889), one of the inventors of the telephone. A lovely Campanile-like tower was recently added to the property. Not far from the Alice Austen House, another major attraction in Staten Island. The building itself used to be covered by a major canopy (or pantheon), which can still be seen in old pictures of the place and which was taken down in the 1950s due to termite damage. On a prior visit I attended a lecture on the women painters Artemisia Gentileschi and Elisabetta Sirani by Dr. Snjezana Smodlaka on the occasion of women's month which was excellent. On today's visit we got a nice lecture on the remarkable lifes of Antonio Meucci and Giuseppe Garibaldi. In the back of the property you can still see the cauldron which was used by Meucci and Garibaldi to produce candles.
This museum is a hidden gem. Anyone with an interest in Italy will enjoy it thoroughly. The curator, Bill Castello, has a passion for the subject matter and was enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge. 100% recommended.
Grateful to experience some history on the island.
A nice old house with three rooms with artifacts, pictures, maps. On the website, they sell 45-minute guided tours at a modest $10, but in fact there are no tours, so you just walk around by yourself