Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum

PLANETARIUM: THE VANDERBILT'S CHARLES AND HELEN REICHERT PLANETARIUM OPENED ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC IN 1971. THE PLANETARIUM ENHANCED MUSEUM OFFERINGS AND NOW OFFERS CUTTING-EDGE PROGRAMMING IN THE MOST TECHNOLOGICALLY ADVANCED THEATER OF ITS KIND ON LONG ISLAND. WE SERVE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICTS, OUR COMMUNITY, AND OUT-OF-TOWN VISITORS. THE PLANETARIUM HAS DIVERSE PROGRAMMING THAT INCLUDES FULLDOME FILMS, LIVE STAR TALKS, LASER SHOWS, CONCERTS, AND SPECIAL EVENTS. THE PLANETARIUM IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS A VENUE FOR CORPORATE EVENTS AND OTHER ENGAGEMENTS. IN 2013, THE PLANETARIUM AND ITS WILLIAM AND MOLLIE ROGERS THEATER WITH A 60-FOOT DOME UNDERWENT A $4-MILLION DOLLAR RENOVATION INCLUDING 147 OVERSIZED COMFORT SEATS, A POWERFUL 5.1 SURROUND SOUND SYSTEM, AND ONE OF THE FINEST STAR PROJECTOR AND FULLDOME VIDEO PROJECTION SYSTEMS IN THE WORLD. THE THEATER'S HYBRID GEMINISTAR III SYSTEM CAN SHOW AN INCREDIBLY REALISTIC STARRY SKY THAT SEAMLESSLY CROSS-FADES WITH THE FULLDOME VIDEO SYSTEM TO LIFT AUDIENCES OFF EARTH AND HAVE THEM TRAVEL ANYWHERE IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE! AUDIENCES CAN VISIT PLANETS, MOONS, STARS, EXOPLANETS, BLACK HOLES, STELLAR NURSERIES, GALAXIES, AND EVEN THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE ITSELF FROM THE FARTHEST VANTAGE POINTS KNOWN. VISITORS FIND IT A TRULY WONDERFUL, AWE-INSPIRING EXPERIENCE. THE PLANETARIUM HAS A ROOFTOP OBSERVATORY WHICH IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT, WEATHER PERMITTING. THERE, GUIDED BY AN ASTRONOMY EDUCATOR, VISITORS CAN EXAMINE THE NIGHT SKY THROUGH THE VANDERBILT'S 16-INCH MEADE REFLECTING TELESCOPE.

EDUCATIONAL SERVICES - THESE EXPENSES RELATE TO THE VARIOUS EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS PRESENTED BY THE STAFF OF THE MUSEUM. ALSO INCLUDED ARE COSTS RELATING TO THE GROUP TOURS OF THE GROUNDS AND ADMISSIONS TO THE MUSEUM.EAGLE'S NEST IS THE SUMMER HOME OF WILLIAM K. VANDERBILT II, THE GREAT-GRANDSON OF CORNELIUS VANDERBILT. LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES, EAGLE'S NEST WAS BUILT INITIALLY IN 1910 AS A SMALL ENGLISH COTTAGE. OVER THE NEXT 30 YEARS, THE HOUSE GREW INTO THE SPRAWLING 24 ROOM SPANISH-REVIVAL MANSION THAT IS SEEN TODAY.EAGLE'S NEST WAS DESIGNED BY FAMED ARCHITECTS WARREN AND WETMORE, WHO TOOK INSPIRATION FROM THE ARCHITECTURE OF SPAIN AND NORTHERN AFRICA, AND ADORNED WITH IRONWORK MADE BY MASTER CRAFTSMAN SAMUEL YELLIN. UNIQUE AMONG MANY MANSIONS, EAGLE'S NEST WAS NOT ONLY BUILT WITH LIVING SPACE FOR MR. VANDERBILT AND HIS FAMILY, BUT ALSO MUSEUM SPACE WHERE VANDERBILT COULD SHOWCASE THE THOUSANDS OF NATURAL HISTORY AND CULTURAL SPECIMENS HE HAD COLLECTED FROM HIS TRAVELS.THE MANSION'S LIVING QUARTERS OFFERS AN INTIMATE LOOK AT THE LIFE OF A PRIVILEGED FAMILY FROM THE JAZZ AGE THROUGH THE SECOND WORLD WAR. THE ROOMS ARE AS WILLIAM AND ROSAMOND VANDERBILT LEFT THEM, FILLED WITH PRICELESS ART, FURNISHINGS, AND PERSONAL POSSESSIONS. WHEN VISITORS WALK THROUGH THE VANDERBILT MANSION, THEY ENTER A "LIVING MUSEUM," AN ENCHANTING TIME CAPSULE OF A VANISHED ERA.MR. VANDERBILT'S OCEANIC EXPEDITIONS AND UNPRECEDENTED CIRCUMNAVIGATIONS OF THE GLOBE MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR VISITORS TO JOURNEY AROUND THE PLANET WITHOUT LEAVING LONG ISLAND. HIS SPECIMEN-HUNTING TRIPS TO THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, THROUGHOUT THE PACIFIC, ASIA, THE MEDITERRANEAN, AFRICA, THE ATLANTIC AND CARIBBEAN, YIELDED THOUSANDS OF SPECIMENS OF MARINE, BIRD AND INSECT LIFE, SOME OF THEM NEW DISCOVERIES AT THE TIME VANDERBILT FOUND THEM.WANTING TO SHARE HIS COLLECTION WITH THE WORLD, MR. VANDERBILT CONSTRUCTED SEVERAL MUSEUM SPACES THROUGHOUT THE ESTATE. TODAY, VISITORS CAN EXPLORE 4 SEPARATE WINGS TO SEE THESE COLLECTIONS. THESE WINGS ARE AS FOLLOWS: THE MEMORIAL WING, THE HABITAT WING, THE NURSERY WING, AND THE HALL OF FISHES.