Initially built in the 1800s as a home for retired sailors, Snug Harbor Cultural Center & Botanical Garden is said to be the largest ongoing adaptive reuse project in America. The 23 historical buildings, nine botanical gardens and 10 acres of wetlands—set on an 83-acre campus—are the elements of a regional arts center where history, architecture, visual art, theater, dance, music and environmental science provide dynamic experiences for all ages. The venue, a Smithsonian affiliate, is home to the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art, the Noble Maritime Collection, Staten Island Children's Museum, the arts school Art Lab and the Staten Island Museum. Function rooms in 28 historic buildings can be used for small or large conferences.