Historic Richmond Town: Staten Island’s Living Museum

At Historic Richmond Town you'll travel back in time to New York's colonial era. It's one of the recommended museums in New York if you love history.

It's one of the Staten Island attractions worth visiting if you're traveling to New York with kids or if American history interests you (and if it does, take the chance to go to Philadelphia from NYC too!).

Historic Richmond Town is a historic complex dedicated to preserving and interpreting the culture and history of the last 350 years.

It includes the oldest farm in New York City along with other historic sites, among them one of the oldest original houses in the United States.

What to do at Historic Richmond Town

As the largest and oldest cultural institution on Staten Island, Historic Richmond Town holds more than 100,000 objects, photographs and collections spanning different periods of American history.

Several of its buildings still have their original structures, the oldest dating back to the 17th century. These buildings house the museum's various galleries.

Throughout the complex you'll come across costumed guides demonstrating everyday colonial activities.

Textile workshops, print shops, blacksmith forges, farms and other period buildings let you experience what life was like for those tenacious settlers.

Besides the visit to the history museum, admission to Richmond Town also includes daily programs.

Among them, talks and trade demonstrations about 19th century life and the culture of the Native Americans originally from Staten Island.

Here are the other programs at the Richmond Town museum:

• Tavern Talk (Guyon Tavern)
• Lenape Life (Native Encampment)
• Fashion, Function and Freedom (Stephens-Black House)
• Meet the Voorlezer (Voorlezer's House)
• Weavers and Fishermen (Basketmaker's House)
• A Thorough Cleaning (Kruser-Finley House)

The backdrop to Historic Richmond Town is the woods and wetlands of Staten Island, barely touched since the 17th century. As you can see, it's an immersive experience that educates and inspires.

Fourth of July celebration at Historic Richmond Town

The historic village of Richmond hosts several events throughout the year. One of the most popular is the Fourth of July celebration, American Independence Day.

If you want to do more than just watch the Fourth of July fireworks in New York, visiting Historic Richmond Town is a great family plan!

Over Independence Day weekend they put on special programming and events to celebrate New York City's history.

For example, costumed actors and living historians portraying soldiers, artisans and America's founding fathers.

And of course there will be fireworks, but the kind they set off in the 19th century.

How to get to Historic Richmond Town on Staten Island

To get to Historic Richmond Town from Manhattan on New York public transportation, follow these steps:

⛴️ Take the free Staten Island Ferry: head to the ferry terminal on Whitehall Street (very close to the departure point for visiting the Statue of Liberty at Battery Park).

The ride takes about 25 minutes and offers panoramic views of the Statue of Liberty and the Lower Manhattan skyline.

🚌 Once you reach the St. George Terminal on Staten Island, head to the bus stop and take the S74 or S78 bus toward Richmond Road.

🚏 Get off at the Clarke Avenue stop. From there you can walk to the entrance of Historic Richmond Town.

How much does admission to Historic Richmond Town cost?

Ages 12 and up US$ 11

Ages 6 to 11 US$ 6

Under 5 free.

Historic Richmond Town hours

From May through August the museum is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11 am to 4 pm.

From January through April it runs Friday to Sunday, noon to 5 pm.

Plan to arrive before 3 pm so you have time to see the whole historic village.

These hours can change, so I recommend checking the museum's official page before you go.