Garden New York Chinese Scholars Garden at Snug Harbor in United States

Garden

The New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden (NYCSG) is one of two authentic classical outdoor Chinese gardens built in the United States.

The garden is a compilation of different gardens in China. It is based on Ming Dynasty gardens (1368-1644 AD). All the architectural components of the garden were fabricated in Suzhou, China, including roof and floor tiles, columns and beams, doors and windows, bridges and paving materials.

The garden features magnificent rocks resembling mountains that inspired the poetry and paintings of Confucian, Buddhist, and Taoist monks, as well as other scholars. Visitors can explore eight pavilions, a bamboo forest path, waterfalls, a Koi-filled pond, Chinese calligraphy, and a variety of Ghongshi scholar’s rocks including a 15-foot formation that towers over the central courtyard. A team of 40 Chinese artists and craftspeople spent a year in China creating the Garden’s components and another six months in Staten Island as craftsmen-in-residence at Snug Harbor to complete the construction.
Fun facts about the New York Chinese Scholar’s Garden:

• No nails or glue were used in the garden’s construction. Rather, the wooden elements are joined together through a sophisticated mortise-and-tenon system characteristic of traditional Chinese construction.

• Bridges and paths frequently zigzag, providing visitors with ever-changing vantages to experience the garden. Chinese philosophers also believed that zigzagging paths would throw off evil spirits.

• The mosaic on the upper pavilion incorporates broken pieces of rice bowls, representing China, and broken beer bottles, representing America. The craftspeople wanted to incorporate both materials as a symbol of harmony and unity between the two nations.
Admission to the garden is $5 for adults, $4 for seniors (65+) and students
and free for children 5 and under, $5 for adults
$4 for seniors (65+) and students and active military
Staten Island residents have free entry on the first Saturday of each month.

How to get to garden New York Chinese Scholars Garden at Snug Harbor

By car

By car from New Jersey:

From the Goethals Bridge: Take 278 East or take the Outerbridge Crossing to 440 North, following signs to the Verrazano Bridge/278 East. Get off 278 East at the exit marked Richmond Road/Clove Road. (Do not take the Richmond Avenue exit). Take the service road to the first light, make a left, and follow Clove Road to Richmond Terrace. Make a right on Richmond Terrace and follow it until you come to Snug Harbor, which is on the right and marked by a black cast iron fence and magnificent pillared buildings at Snug Harbor Road. Turn right and you will see the entrance gate on your left-hand side. Follow the signs for parking.

From the Bayonne Bridge:

Take the first exit (Richmond Terrace). Make a right at the top of the exit ramp onto Richmond Terrace. The Terrace snakes around a bit, following the shore of the Kill Van Kull river. Go about 3 – 4 miles, you will see Snug Harbor on the Right. It is just past the Getty gas station and a little restaurant on the left called Blue.

By car from Brooklyn, Queens, and Long Island:

Take the lower level of Verrazano Narrows Bridge; stay on the right, and exit at Bay Street. Take the Bay Street exit service road to Bay Street. Make a left and follow Bay Street past the Staten Island Ferry Terminal, where Bay Street becomes Richmond Terrace. Follow Richmond Terrace about one mile to Tysen Street. Make a left on Tysen Street, and then the next right on Fillmore Street, and enter the parking lot immediately to the left of the gated entrance. Parking will be right after the gate on the left-hand side.

Brooklyn Battery Tunnel:

To BQE West. Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to SI Expwy (I-278). Get off at Clove/Richmond Road exit (#13). At third intersection, bear right onto Clove Road. Continue to Bement Ave. (will see a cemetery), turn right onto Bement. Continue to Richmond Terrace. Make a right onto Richmond Terrace to Snug Harbor. Make a quick right at the Snug Harbor sign and then a quick left through the brick gatehouse.

By bus

Take subway to lower Manhattan, via the 1 train to South Ferry or the 4/5 train to Bowling Green or the R train to Whitehall. Exit and walk south to blue neon Staten Island terminal to take FREE ferry. After landing in Staten Island take the S40 bus at Gate D to travel along Richmond Terrace, less than a 10-minute ride. Let the bus driver know that you want to get off at Snug Harbor.

By train

There is no nearby station of the Staten Island Rapid Transit railway. Staten Island has no rail connection to the NYC subway system

By ferry

On foot

The garden is located at the southwest corner of the Sailor's Snug Harbor campus, near the Healing Garden and the Connie Gretz Secret Garden, with the entrance at Cottage E right across Cottage Row from Harbor Eats and the Carl Grillo Glass House.