Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium, Suffolk County, NY

William K Vanderbilt was a lover of both the oceans and everything else in the natural world. During many of his global sea-going travels, he collected a variety of things including invertebrates, marine life, fish, birds, and cultural artifacts. He planned to put all of these items in a future museum that would be built on his Long Island Estate.

In 1922, the public now could now visit this marine museum called the “Hall of Fishes”. Various wings of the Mansion became home to collections of marine life and wild animal exhibits. Today, on a 43 waterfront acreage, there is the Vanderbilt Planetarium and Museum complex with more than 40,000 objects being displayed. The complex includes a seaplane hangar, a curator’s cottage, a boathouse, rare art exhibits, antique household furnishings, and photographic records and books of his many global expeditions.

The Museum and Planetarium are located on Long Island in the County of Suffolk at 180 Little Neck Road, Centerport, New York 11721. The contact phone number with the area code is (631) 854-5579. You can either call the preceding phone number or contact them by means of their online website. The Museum and Planetarium are currently closed for the winter season. However, visit their website in the spring for all updated daily hours of operation.

The Planetarium show and Mansion tour can both be explored during the day with a general admission ticket. However, you can also visit the Planetarium show in the evening by purchasing a separate ticket. During the evening, the Estate grounds and Mansion tour will be closed. The running times for the various Planetarium shows include 30 minutes for the One World, One Sky, and 60 minutes for the Long Island Skies shows.

It should be noted that Mansion tour space is limited. Therefore, it is recommended to book early to avoid changes or sellouts. The Mansion tour is not recommended for any child under the age of eight. The Vanderbilt Mansion tour will guide you through a 24-room Museum including the Mansion’s living quarters. The Estate and Mansion are listed as part of the National Register of Historic Places.

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Also visit The Long Island Museum