National Lighthouse Museum facts for kids
The National Lighthouse Museum is a special place in St. George, Staten Island, New York City, USA. It is a museum that teaches us all about the history of lighthouses. It also shares stories about the brave people who used to work as lighthouse keepers. This museum first opened its doors in 2015. You can find it inside what used to be the Foundry Building. This building was once part of the United States Lighthouse Service General Depot. Later, it became the Staten Island Coast Guard Station.
Contents
Why Lighthouses Need Saving
Lighthouses have a long and important history. They helped ships find their way safely for hundreds of years. But today, new technology like GPS (Global Positioning Systems) and Solar panels means lighthouses are not used as much. Because of this, many old lighthouses are no longer needed. Their beautiful locations often attract people who want to build new things there.
For example, the Shinnecock Light on Long Island became unsafe in the 1940s. Even though local people wanted to save it, the lighthouse was torn down. A golf course was built in its place. Something similar almost happened to the famous Fire Island Light in the 1990s. It was also planned for destruction. But the local community stepped in and saved it! The Fire Island Light Preservation Society worked hard to protect this important building.
These stories showed many people that lighthouses needed to be saved. The efforts to rescue the Fire Island Light and other lighthouses inspired a new group. This group was called the American Lighthouse Coordinating Committee. Their goal was to find a place for a big national museum. This museum would keep the history of lighthouses alive for future generations.
Finding a Home for the Museum
In 1998, the American Lighthouse Coordinating Committee asked groups across the country for ideas. They wanted to find the best spot for a National Lighthouse Center and Museum. Seventeen different groups sent in their proposals. After looking at all the ideas, they chose the old St. George Coast Guard Station. This site was already a special place listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was also a city landmark.
A Historic Location
The site was chosen for many reasons. It has a lot of history. It was once the New York Marine Hospital. It was also involved in the Staten Island Quarantine War. Plus, it is in a very busy harbor. Millions of people pass by it every year on the Staten Island Ferry. This made it a perfect spot for a national museum.
Many important leaders supported the idea. New York Governor George Pataki and New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani helped. So did Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari. They provided over $7 million to start fixing up the old buildings.
Challenges and Opening
The museum officially received its charter on November 9, 2001. This charter came from the New York State Board of Regents. However, the museum faced challenges in raising money. By 2000, they had only collected a small part of the money they needed. Because of this, the opening was delayed.
The museum board was even dissolved in 2009. Officials said that fundraising was slow, partly due to the September 11 attacks in 2001. The cost of the project also grew. The New York City Economic Development Corporation (EDC) spent $8 million to make the buildings safe. In 2013, a kind person named John Catsimatidis donated $105,000. The museum board was then brought back together. The EDC agreed to rent the foundry building to the museum for just $1 a year. Finally, the museum opened in 2015 inside the old foundry building.
What the Museum Does
The National Lighthouse Museum has several important goals:
- To create a history museum about lighthouses on Staten Island.
- To collect and keep items related to the history of lighthouses across the United States.
- To study and share information about how American lighthouses worked.
- To build a collection of old items and materials about American lighthouses.
- To encourage more research into the history of American lighthouses.
- To be a place where people can ask questions and get help with lighthouse history.
- To celebrate lighthouse history through fun programs, books, movies, and events.
- To support other lighthouse museums and groups.
- To work with other organizations to achieve these goals.
