Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art
The Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art is located on Lighthouse Hill in Staten Island New York. The Museum is housed in two fieldstone buildings designed to resemble a Himalayan monastery.
History of the Museum
The museum was built between 1945 and 1947 with the patronage of Jacqueline Klauber (maiden name: Edna Koblentz), wife of Harry Klauber. She was an actress and Asian art dealer known professionally by the name Jacques Marchais. Although she never visited Tibet, she became fascinated with Tibetan art and culture in the 1930s and spent the rest of her life collecting Tibetan art and artifacts which finally led to the founding and building of the museum in the 1940s.
The Collection
The museum has a collection of over 1,200 pieces of primarily Tibetan Buddhist art dating from the 15th to the 20th century, including metal sculptures, thangkas, ritual objects, and historical photographs. The collection includes depictions of Shakyamuni Buddha, arhats, and other lamas; meditational deities or yidams; and buddhas and bodhisattvas.
A visit from the Dalai Lama
In 1991 Tenzin Gyatso the 14th Dalai Lama visited the museum when he is reported having stated: "There is a real danger of the disappearance of the unique Tibetan culture. So at such a time, this kind of work is very, very useful, very helpful....I feel that I see part of a Tibetan antique collection, ancient Tibetan things."
Architecture
The distinctive site is built in the style of a hillside Tibetan monastery and includes grounds with terraced gardens, a lotus pond and views of New York Bay. The museum has a calendar of year-round activities. The gift shop at the museum features items handmade by Tibetan artisans.
Recent Events
Tea Pots and Butter Tubs: Tibetan Vessels Exhibit at Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art
On September 27, 2006, rare and historic containers from the Jacques Marchais Museum of Tibetan Art's collection will be exhibited to highlight the food and drink of traditional Tibetan culture.
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