Most New yorkers see Staten Island from the deck of a ferry or from a car speeding towards the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge. This series is an invitation to hear historian Mike Wallace speak about the least known borough’s storied past and to experience it close-up, in the company of knowledgeable MAS tour leaders and local experts.

In 1958, Staten Island was the destination of the first Municipal Art Society bus tour. MAS has been back, not only on tours, but as co-sponsor of the international competition Fresh Kills: Landscape to Landfill. Now, participants will see the island as few have.

Visit Greek Revival-style temples that once housed aged sailors, and a stone-studded shrine built by working men. Tour the evocative site of the unsuccessful peace conference that took place on September 11, 1776, and the September 11 Memorial that conveys both loss and transcendence. Take in a spectacular view of New York Harbor from above Battery Weed, and explore the nooks and crannies of one of America’s great forts. Visit the first county seat, now Historic Richmond Town. Tour churches with notable stained glass by Tiffany and Maitland Armstrong, and see outstanding examples of 18th-century stone carvings. View the farmhouse where F.L. Olmsted began his career and the beachfront site of Dorothy Day’s first cottage, where she found her calling. Walk on quiet beaches where breaking waves are the loudest sound.

Experience a Staten Island you didn’t know existed!

For a complete schedule of Staten Island:Beyond the Boat & the Bridge tours, click here.