No. Only service animals are allowed on the property.
General Admission is a required ticket which allows you onto the grounds. It includes access to the Museum exhibit wings attached to the Mansion, including the Habitat and Stoll Wing wild-animal dioramas, as well as The Hall of Fishes Marine Museum. This does not include a Planetarium show or a Mansion tour, however, the exhibits in the Planetarium lobby are available to you.
Only at night when the grounds are closed. During the day, the price of General Admission is built into the price for a Planetarium show or a Mansion tour. Our nighttime prices are different than our daytime prices.
The running time for each Planetarium show varies. On average, shows run about 45 minutes. However, One World, One Sky is approximately 30 minutes, and Long Island Skies about 60 minutes.
Different shows are offered every hour. Shows also change by season. You can see our schedule of shows here
No. At night, you are not required to pay for General Admission, as the Museum and Estate grounds are closed. Evening Planetarium show tickets are $12 for adults, $10 for seniors (62 and older) and students with ID, and $8 for children. Children under 2 are free. Laser shows at 9:00pm are $20 per person.
The Mansion tour is a guided introduction to the history of the Vanderbilt family and the Eagle’s Nest estate. It brings groups of 12 people through the historic living quarters, which are not viewable with General Admission, and shares stories about the objects, furnishings, and art collected by William Kissam Vanderbilt II during his world travels.
Due to limited capacity, Mansion tour tickets must be purchased in person on the day of your visit. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so we recommend that you arrive as early as possible to secure a spot on a Mansion tour.
Self-guided tours of the living quarters are not permitted. If guests would like to view the rooms where the Vanderbilt family lived, tickets for a guided Mansion tour can be purchased at the admissions desk in the Charles and Helen Reichert Planetarium.
The maximum number of people on a Mansion tour is 12. Guided tours allow the Museum to protect the historic artifacts, art, and furnishings, while also providing an intimate educational experience. Due to limited capacity, tickets for Mansion tours must be purchased in person on the day of your visit.
The average tour lasts about 45 minutes. However, depending on the discussions that take place, a tour can take up to an hour.
Based upon our experience, we recommend tours for children 8 and older.
Indoor photography is prohibited in the Mansion and in all exhibit galleries. Personal outdoor photography is, however, permitted. To book appointments for professional photo shoots, please contact the site-use department at events@vanderbiltmuseum.org.
The observatory is open on Friday evenings throughout the year. As successful astronomical observation depends on good weather, so the observatory will be closed on cloudy nights. Please consult the local weather forecast for guidance.
The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum aims to provide an enjoyable visitor experience to all its guests. Security is able to transport individuals between buildings on a motorized tram to make the landscape more accessible for visitors with limited mobility. However, as a historic structure listed on the National Register for Historic Places, not all sections of the Museum are accessible. The exhibit halls and galleries that meet ADA guidelines are the two galleries on the first floor of the Memorial Wing, the mummy room and Lancaster Gallery on the first floor of the Nursery Wing, and the entirety of the Charles and Helen Reichert Planetarium. A videotape of the Mansion tour is available upon request for anyone who cannot access the house.
Yes. Our new café is located in the lobby of the Charles and Helen Reichert Planetarium. Our café serves sandwiches and baked goods from Copenhagen Bakery in Northport, as well as snacks, drinks, and a selection of ice cream flavors.
General membership at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum supports museum operations, historic preservation, and educational programming. To show our appreciation for our members, the general membership package comes with several benefits to make the most out of a day at the Museum. Guests can purchase memberships online or at the Admissions desk in the lobby of the Charles and Helen Reichert Planetarium.
The benefits of general membership include, but are not limited to:
The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum also offers membership tiers with benefits greater than those included in the general membership package. These tiers include the family membership, the associate membership, and the three supporter tiers. At the associate membership level and above, members access the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) program. NARM participation allows members at the Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum to enjoy free admission and discounts at more than 1,000 participating museums worldwide.
Yes, group rates are available for private tours and community organizations. If you would like to organize a private tour, please contact our group tour coordinator, Carol Sperandeo, at carol@vanderbiltmuseum.org
The Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum has a dedicated Site Use and events department to coordinate your special occasion. For inquiries and additional information, please contact events@vanderbiltmuseum.org
The Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium will be open during Winter Break -- Saturday, December 21st through Wednesday, December 31st from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The Museum will be closed on Christmas Eve (Tuesday, 12/24), Christmas Day (Wednesday, 12/25), and New Year's Day (Thursday, 1/1/25).
