Reichert Planetarium Reopens June 4
Safety protocols – masks and six-foot social distancing – will be observed, including low seating capacity. Seats and restrooms will be cleaned between shows.
Dave Bush, director of the Planetarium, said, “We are very excited to reopen and will offer a wonderful schedule of programming that appeals to a wide range of audiences. In addition, we are bringing back our ever-popular, one-hour live lectures about the nighttime sky on Friday and Saturday nights at 8:00 pm.
“Our planetarium technology has never been better. We are ready to amaze and astound our audiences with the breathtaking wonders of the nighttime sky, our solar system, the Milky Way galaxy, and beyond.”
In June 2020, Bush added two new advanced systems that greatly improve the visual experience for visitors – laser-beam projectors to enhanced laser light entertainment shows and laser phosphorus full-dome video projectors that generate sharper imagery. The state-of-the-art equipment adds dimension and excitement, he said.
Carriage House Players photo
Shakespeare Fest Opens June 4
The Carriage House Players will open the 32nd annual Shakespeare Festival at the Vanderbilt. For two nights only, they will perform “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on June 4 and 6. Sponsored by Farrell Fritz Attorneys.
As You Like It: July 9-August 1
Titus Andronicus: August 8-29 (excluding 8/27)
Richard III: September 5-26
Performances are Wednesdays and Fridays at 8 pm, Sundays at 7 pm. Tickets: $20 for adults, $15 for seniors and children. Mansion Courtyard seating capacity is 100 people. Visitors must bring their own chairs.
Evan Donnellan, executive director of the CHP, said, “The Carriage House Players are so excited to return to the Vanderbilt Museum Courtyard for our annual Shakespeare Festival! We are kicking off our festival this year with a one-weekend-only production of William Shakespeare’s glorious, hilarious comedy ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream,’ to be performed on June 4 and 6. We will continue with full productions of ‘As You Like It’ in July, ‘Titus Andronicus’ during August, ‘Richard III’ in September. We cannot wait to entertain you!”
Enjoy Sunset Yoga on the Great Lawn
Pop Up Prana Yoga will offer its first Sunset Yoga event of the year on Friday, May 28. Open to practitioners of all levels. All props and mats will be provided upon request.
Check-in begins at 6:30 pm to prepare for the 7:00 session. One hour with a 10-minute meditation. Class ends at 8:00. Rain dates will be determined as the event approaches. Note: tickets are non-refundable.
“Kick off your weekend with a beautiful view on the Great Lawn overlooking Northport Harbor,” said Jenn Eagen of Pop Up Prana Yoga. “All props and mats will be provided upon request. This is an open-level yoga practice. If you are new to the practice, feel free to join us! If you’re an advanced yogi and seek growth, no worries. You will have an opportunity to shine and improvise your own variations throughout the session.”
Vanderbilt Museum photos
Public Mansion Tours Resume
The Museum’s popular public guided tours of the Vanderbilt Mansion begin again on Memorial Day weekend, May 29-30.
Tickets can be purchased only at the door. Adults $16, students with ID and seniors (62 plus) $15, children 12 and under $13.
Virtual Museum Workshops for Children
Live, Zoom-based workshops include a virtual tour of the Vanderbilt collections, interactive sessions with a museum educator, creative projects, and a complimentary admission pass to the Museum for a future visit. Creative projects will be featured on social media.
Fee: $15; Members are FREE. Advance registration is required to participate. Please call 631-854-5539 to reserve a space.
July 6/July 8
Animal Adventure & Dreamy Collage
* Children will need a photo of themselves to include in the collage.
July 13/July 15
Trivia & a Craft: Oceans & Recycled Plastic Art
August 3/August 5
Big Cats & Mini Animal Diorama
August 10/August 12
Trivia & a Craft: African Savanna & Warthog Mask
Important information: Project materials (not including glue) can be picked up the week before the workshop date.
Summer Camp Programs: In-Person!
The Vanderbilt Education Department is offering intriguing in-person activities for young children – ages K-4 and grades 2 and up – for visiting summer camp programs. Fee for the 45-minute programs: $6 per person. Limit is up to 20 people per session, which runs 10-11 am. Face masks are required.
Dates are flexible. Space is limited and advance registration is required. Call or write to reserve a space: 631-854-5539 or dawn@vanderbiltmuseum.org.
Beth Laxer-Limmer, associate director of education, said, “The Vanderbilt Museum is looking forward to welcoming back visiting camps this summer. We are offering three in-person programs that introduce the world of William Vanderbilt and his passion for traveling and collecting.”
Animal Expedition
Kindergarten-Grade 4
Tour the natural history dioramas with a museum educator and learn about the animals in the collection, their habitats, and examine preserved specimens.
Beneath the Waves
Kindergarten-Grade 4
Explore the Hall of Fishes marine museum with a museum educator, discover interesting facts about marine animals, and examine preserved specimens.
Estate & Collections Tour
Grades 2 and up
Join a museum educator for a tour of the natural history galleries, learn about the Vanderbilt family, and William’s global expeditions to collect for his personal museum.
New: Tours of Exhibits, Galleries
The Museum is offering private Mansion tours as well as private tours of its historic exhibits – the Hall of Fishes marine museum (at right), the Habitat and Stoll Wing animal dioramas, and the Memorial Wing collections galleries.
On the exhibits tours, guides will talk about how William Vanderbilt amassed the largest collection of pre-atomic-era marine specimens in the world. Visitors will learn fascinating facts about his thousands of specimens and artifacts.
Private tours of the Vanderbilt Mansion or of the exhibits and galleries can be reserved on Saturdays or Sundays for up to eight people. Tickets are $150 total for an eight-person group; member group price is $125.
For details and tickets, contact: carol@vanderbiltmuseum.org
Speaking about the private mansion and exhibits tours, Killian Taylor, archive and records manager, said, “With its grand architecture and storied history, Eagles Nest is one of the unique and fascinating historic places on Long Island. Here visitors can see the Vanderbilt family’s grand Spanish Revival home, carefully preserved to its elegant 1930s appearance, and Mr. Vanderbilt’s sprawling natural history museum with creatures and artifacts from all over the world!
“Whether you are looking to experience the glamour of the Jazz Age or be swept away with scientific exploration, there is always something new and wonderful to discover at the Vanderbilt Museum.”
Alva Belmont: Socialite to Suffragist
Alva Belmont, the mother of William K. Vanderbilt II, was a pioneer in the movement to secure voting rights for women. This summer the Museum will open its first changing exhibition on her and her work, in the Lancaster Room.
Belmont, along with suffragist leader Alice Paul, created the National Woman’s Party in 1913 to fight for women’s suffrage: the right of women by law to vote in national or local elections. An unexpected advocate and the party’s primary benefactor, Belmont was elected its president in 1921.
Belmont’s involvement and financial support helped lead to the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution on August 26, 1920. The amendment put women on an equal basis with men. She died in Paris in 1933.
* * * *
Coming Up…
CAR SHOWS
Sundays, 12:00 – 4:00 on the dates listed below. Visitors pay only general Museum admission (adults $10, students/seniors [62-plus] $9, children 12 and under $7)
Sept 12: Jaguar Drivers Club of Long Island, (rain date: Sept 19)
October 10: Cadillac-LaSalle Club of the Long Island Region
