Brookhaven Lab at Vanderbilt: ‘Science in the Community’
Join scientists from the Brookhaven National Laboratory on Saturday, June 3 (9:30 am to 2:00 pm) as they discuss the wonders of the universe at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum and Reichert Planetarium. Take a turn with hands-on experiences that show the different weights in different planetary gravities, explore craters of the moon, and more! Plus, safe, solar telescope viewing, weather permitting.
The Vanderbilt Museum and grounds and Reichert Planetarium will open at 9:30 a.m. and admission will be FREE for all members of the public until 2 pm. Visitors will have access to the grounds as well as exhibits in the Vanderbilt Mansion and Marine Museum. Seating for the scientific talks and Planetarium shows requires reservations. Click on the shows below to reserve your seat.
Click here to register for scientfic talks
10 a.m. “Comets, Asteroids and Near-Earth Objects.”
Scientist Steven Bellavia of Brookhaven Lab’s Collider-Accelerator Department will share a talk about the comets and asteroids (45 minutes).
11 a.m. “A Guide to Galactic Cosmic Rays: Studying Space Particles at Brookhaven National Lab.”
Scientist Trevor Olsen of Brookhaven Lab’s NASA Space Radiation Laboratory will speak about galactic cosmic rays (45 minutes).
Noon “The Vera Rubin Observatory: Legacy Survey of Space and Time.”
Scientist Steven Bellavia of Brookhaven Lab’s Collider-Accelerator Department will talk about the Vera Rubin observatory (45 minutes).
1 p.m. “The Far Side of the Moon: Probing the Unexplored Universe.”
Scientist Paul O’Connor of Brookhaven’s Lab Instrumentation Division will explain the Lunar Surface Electromagnetics Experiment-Night (LuSEE-Night) project.
Poet-Farmer Scott Chaskey Reflects on ‘Soil and Spirit’
On Thursday, June 1, the Vanderbilt Museum will host Scott Chaskey, poet-farmer and pioneer of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement, for a presentation of his latest memoir Soil and Spirit: Cultivation and Kinship in the Web of Life (Milkweed Editions, 2023).
As a farmer with decades spent working in the fields, Chaskey’s worldview has been shaped by daily attention to the earth. His career as a writer has been influenced by these experiences, showing a profound commitment to the promotion of food sovereignty and organic agriculture. In both writing and farming, his efforts have been animated by a central conviction—namely, that humble attention to microbial life provides us with invaluable lessons for building healthy human communities.
Soil and Spirit is a collection of personal essays, mapping the evolution of Chaskey’s thoughts on ecology, agriculture, and society through decisive moments in his biography. In its pages, he takes readers to his original homestead in Maine; the rugged Irish countryside, complete with blackberries, heather, and Nobel-Prize-winning poets; the ancient granite cliffs of the Cornwall coastline; Santa Clara, New Mexico, where he harvested amaranth seeds alongside a group of indigenous women; and finally, to Amagansett, in Suffolk County, where he recalls planting Redwood saplings and writing poetry beneath a centuries-old beech tree.
The lecture will take place at 7:00 pm in the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum’s Charles and Helen Reichert Planetarium. Tickets are available online at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum’s website. Support for the lecture series is generously provided by a grant from the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation.
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Scott Chaskey is the author of Soil and Spirit. He is also the author of a memoir, This Common Ground: Seasons on an Organic Farm, and a book of nonfiction, Seedtime: On the History, Husbandry, Politics, and Promise of Seeds. His poetry, first printed in literary journals in the early seventies, has been widely published over four decades.
A pioneer of the Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) movement, for thirty years he cultivated more than sixty crops for the Peconic Land Trust at Quail Hill Farm in Amagansett, New York, one of the original CSAs in the country. He is the past president of the Northeast Organic Farming Association of New York and was honored as Farmer of the Year in 2013.
Chaskey was a founding board member for both the Center for Whole Communities, in Vermont, and Sylvester Manor Educational Farm, in Shelter Island, New York. He taught as a poet-in-the-schools for over two decades, and as an instructor for Antioch International and Friends World College in Southampton. He lives and works on the east end of Long Island, New York.
Wrought Taxonomies: Museum’s First Outdoor Sculpture Exhibition
Wendy Klemperer
On Earth Day, April 22, the Vanderbilt Museum debuted Wendy Klemperer: Wrought Taxonomies, the first exhibition of outdoor sculpture at the historic summer estate of William Kissam Vanderbilt II.
Wendy Klemperer’s sculptures—a haunting assemblage of animal forms that span imaginary, endangered, familiar, and exotic species—celebrate natural history and the nonhuman world through evocative interactions with the surrounding environment.
Using materials salvaged from scrapyards, she composes ecological narratives that respond to the history and collections of Suffolk County’s first public park and museum. Her brilliant use of gestural lines captures the spectator’s attention and invites museumgoers to reflect on the relationship between an interest in animal life and the incessant push of human industry.
Wrought Taxonomies is the inaugural exhibition in the Vanderbilt Museum’s outdoor sculpture program and the institution’s second exhibition of contemporary art focused on the relationship between culture and animals.
The Vanderbilt Museum occupies the former Gold Coast estate of William Kissam Vanderbilt II, the great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt and a pioneer of American motorsport. Located in Centerport on the north shore of Long Island, it is renowned for its extensive marine and natural history collections, Spanish revival architecture, and picturesque parklands.
All sculptures are viewable with general admission to the Museum grounds. Educational programs and workshops associated with themes and content of Wendy Klemperer: Wrought Taxonomies will be offered throughout the exhibition. A special thanks is due to the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, whose generous support made Wrought Taxonomies possible. The exhibition will run through April 22, 2024.
Shakespeare Festival: Next, ‘Two Gentlemen of Verona’
Next on the playbill of the Vanderbilt Museum’s thirty-fourth annual Summer Shakespeare Festival will be Two Gentlemen of Verona, performed by the Carriage House Players. The play will open Sunday, June 4, at 7:00 pm on the Mansion Courtyard stage.
Tickets: adults, $20 | seniors & children under 12, $15
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Playbill:
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
May 5, 12, 13, 26, and 28 at 8:00 pm
May 7, 14, and 21 at 7:00 pm
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
June 4-30
Wed and Fri at 8:00 pm, Sun at 7:00 pm
Macbeth
July 7 – August 6
Wed and Fri at 8:00 pm, Sun at 7:00 pm
Love’s Labor’s Lost
August 11- Sept 8
Wed and Fri at 8:00 pm, Sun at 7:00 pm
Alex Torres and His Latin Orchestra Return for 16th Summer!
Alex Torres and His Latin Orchestra will bring music, dancing, and romance to the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum on Friday, August 4, from 6:00 to 10:00 pm – rain or shine. The acclaimed musicians – in their 16th appearance at the Vanderbilt – will perform on the outdoor stage in the Vanderbilt Mansion’s Spanish Revival courtyard overlooking Northport Bay.
Table reservations and location preferences will be available only for groups of 10 or more. (One payment per table reservation, online only.) If you would like to reserve a table location, please call Lisha Schlaich at 631-203-6788 only after the reservation is complete. Groups of fewer than 10 cannot reserve tables. Groups of any size with individual tickets cannot reserve tables, even after tickets are purchased. Seating for individuals is on a first-come, first-served basis.
This is a benefit for the museum, so we regret that tickets are non-refundable.
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The Mansion Courtyard offers a romantic atmosphere and is the perfect setting for an enchanted evening of music and dancing. The Estate grounds open at 6:00, and the performance begins at 7:00.
Guests are encouraged to bring a picnic dinner, wine, beer, and soft drinks will be available for purchase.
These renowned musicians and recording artists have performed before many sold-out Vanderbilt audiences and received rave reviews.
Alex Torres and his orchestra have performed their original blend of Afro-Caribbean rhythms – including salsa, merengue, cha-cha, bomba, plena, and Latin jazz – throughout North and South America. They have released many critically acclaimed CDs.
The orchestra has shared the stage and billings with such major acts as Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Andy Montañez, Los Hermanos Moreno, Arturo Sandoval, Ray Barretto, Jane Burnette & The Spirits of Havana, King Changó, Arrested Development, Branford Marsalis, and Count Basie and Woody Herman.
Visit alextorres.com
Maggie’s Mission Gala Set for Vanderbilt Museum
Maggie’s Mission will hold its annual Glow for Gold Angelversary Gala at the Vanderbilt Museum on Friday, June 2, from 6:00 to 10:00 pm. The annual event honors and celebrates Long Island teenager Maggie Schmidt’s love of life and children. Maggie’s Mission raises funds to help find cures for pediatric cancers and to help families with children affected.
The evening will include a Maggie’s Bucket List parachute jump into the event, presented by longtime Maggie’s Mission supporter New York Community Bank, a division of Flagstar Bank, N.A.
This year’s gala will kick off with an item from Maggie’s bucket list – a skydive Jump with Mike Elliot, a retired U.S. Army Golden Knight. (The Knights are the Army’s official aerial parachute demonstration team.) Elliot, who took the late President George H. W. Bush on three tandem jumps, will accompany Maggie’s mom, Donna, for a jump right into the gala. The jump will honor Maggie’s wish to Skydive. Maggie’s bucket list was found in a notebook shortly after she passed away from malignant rhabdoid tumors, a rare and aggressive cancer with a very poor prognosis.
The event’s “glow” theme is borrowed from Maggie’s Sweet 16 party which was, at her request, a “glow” party. It was Maggie’s last healthy and happy birthday. The evening will feature music, dinner, dancing, an open bar, exclusive silent auction items, and raffles.
All year, and especially in June, Maggie’s Mission goes gold (the official color that represents pediatric cancers) to help researchers at MSK Kids from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center develop new treatments and new hope for children with cancer. For more information, visit maggiesmission.org.
Pop Up Prana Yoga: ‘Sunset Yoga Flow’
On Sunday, June 11, Pop Up Prana Yoga will offer Sunset Yoga Flow on the Vanderbilt Mansion lawn overlooking Northport Harbor from 7:00 to 8:00 pm. Check-in begins at 6:30 pm.
Join Jenn Eagen of Pop Up Prana Yoga for sunset yoga with a beautiful view. All props and mats will be provided upon request.
“This is an open-level yoga practice,” Eagen said. “If you are new to the practice, feel free to join us. If you’re an advanced yogi and seek growth, you will be given an opportunity to shine and improvise your own variations throughout the session.
Tickets: $30; kids, $15.
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Tours Explore Vanderbilt Architecture and Collections
Take an intriguing walking tour of the Vanderbilt Estate with knowledgeable Museum educators. Learn about the history of the Eagle’s Nest estate; Warren & Wetmore’s design and exterior architectural details of the 24-room Spanish Revival mansion; and the striking ironwork of Samuel Yellin, considered the greatest iron artisan of the early 20th century, and visit the marine, natural history, and cultural artifact collections
Created by the Vanderbilt Museum Education Department, these tours will be offered on Thursday, July 20, and Thursday, August 24, at 12:00 and 1:30 pm.
Tickets, which include general admission, are available for purchase only at the door: Adults $16; seniors/students $15; children under 12, $14; and members free.
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Beth Laxer-Limmer, associate director of education, said, “The grounds are beautiful at this time of year and the walking tour is a perfect way to be introduced to the history of the estate. There is an abundance of beauty in the eclectic architecture and the unique details that reflect William Vanderbilt’s interests.”
William K. Vanderbilt II (1878-1944) spent summers at his Eagle’s Nest estate and mansion on Northport Bay between 1910 and 1944. He and his wife, Rosamond, hosted intimate gatherings and entertained well-known guests, such as the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Pierre Cartier, Conde Nast, Charles Lindbergh, and the Tiffanys. Eagle’s Nest is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
‘Yin & Restore Yoga’ in Reichert Planetarium
Pop Up Prana Yoga will offer two sessions of Yin & Restore Yoga in the Vanderbilt Reichert Planetarium on Sunday, June 18 – at 5:30 and 8:00 pm. Check-ins begin at 5:15 and 7:45 pm. (Please arrive at least 10 minutes prior to the beginning of the session.)
Join Jenn Eagen in a 60-minute yin yoga session: “You’ll surrender your senses while we incorporate stillness and empowerment to your practice below the expansive digital sky.”
This class will include a fusion of yin, restorative postures, and mindful movement blended with relaxing asanas, and conclude with a guided yoga nidra.
To maximize your comfort please bring your own props, including a blanket and block. You’re welcome to bring a bolster or other props to assist your practice. If you require props, please reach out to popuppranayoga@gmail.com so that we can accommodate your needs.
Tickets: $37. Sessions sell out quickly, so reserve your spot while available.
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New Show at Planetarium: ‘We Are Guardians’
The Reichert Planetarium has just premiered a new show, We Are Guardians. Audiences take a journey into, under, and around the many ecosystems across our planet. Ages 8 and up.
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We are all connected. Come and find out how.
Join us on a journey into, under, and around the many ecosystems across our planet. Discover how each component fits together, and how the health of each part is vital to the health of Planet Earth. Find out how, with the help of satellites and scientific study, we can understand the links between human activities and climate change, and what we can do to work together to improve the health of our shared home.
This visually stunning show is an immersive science film that features beautiful animation and creative storytelling that viewers of all ages can enjoy together.
Summer Science Fun for Children, Grades K-5
Fascinating, fun summer learning for grades K-5! Vanderbilt Museum science educators will offer Junior Explorer and Astronomer workshops for children in two, week-long sessions in July and August. Sail the seas, dive the oceans, make unique art. Advance registration is required.
Summer Science Fun
July 10-14 or August 14-18
9 am – 12 pm
$200 non-members | $180 members
Interested in membership? Learn more here.
Become a Member
Space is limited and spots fill quickly! Advance registration is required.
For more information and to register, please contact dawn@vanderbilltmuseum.org.
Junior Explorer Workshop Grades K-3
Explore the world at the Vanderbilt Museum!
Join us for a week of creative science and history workshops. We’ll sail the seas, dive the deepest oceans, soar among the tallest trees, and make unique art inspired by nature and the collections.
Registration is open for children entering Kindergarten through 3rd grade.
Register JULY Jr Explorer Workshop Register AUGUST Jr Explorer Workshop
Junior Astronomer Workshop Grades 3-5
The Reichert Planetarium presents an exciting program for young astronomers!
Junior Astronomers have the opportunity to learn about multiple astronomy topics including our solar system, how to use a telescope, and how to identify constellations they can see from their own backyard. This program focuses on hands-on learning with STEAM activities and crafts supplemented by immersive live and pre-recorded fulldome presentations in our Planetarium theater.
Registration is open for children entering 3rd through 5th grade.
Register JULY Jr Astronomer Workshop Register AUGUST Jr Astronomer Workshop
The July and August sessions of each workshop will feature the same activities.
For this reason, we recommend against registering a child for the same workshop twice.
Paved with Love: A Gift That Lasts Forever
Looking for a fresh, unique, everlasting gift for a loved one?
Purchase and engrave a brick that will become a permanent part of the Vanderbilt Museum.
Your donation will help the Vanderbilt to bring outstanding science, history, and art education to more than 25,000 students annually.
Your brick will be installed and displayed installed in your favorite brick walkway around the Vanderbilt Mansion and Terrace, or on the 43-acre grounds of the beautiful waterfront Estate.
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For more information, email: madison@
