You probably know about the Museum of Natural History in New York City. Maybe you’ve been there.

But did you know there’s a “natural history” museum right here on Long Island?

Okay, it doesn’t have all the things you’ll find in Manhattan. But it does have an amazing ocean exhibit. Even better that the Museum of Natural History, which has a fake whale hanging from the ceiling, this place has a real 32-foot whale shark! It’s the world’s largest taxidermied (stuffed and preserved) fish! And it was caught nearby, off Fire Island, in 1935.

Where is this place?

It’s the Vanderbilt Museum in Centerport! (There is also a mansion to walk-through, where you can see how an extremely wealthy family lived from the Jazz Age (1920’s) through the Second World War. It’s like being in a time capsule!)

But I’ll bet you’d like to see the Hall of Fishes! That’s where you’ll find Mr. Vanderbilt’s awesome collection of ocean specimens from throughout the world! There’s hundreds!!!

Other museum sections have bird and insect exhibits. There are also huge, colorful paintings of wild life.

Mr.Vanderbilt was a business man, but he was also an explorer who travelled all over to find cool things to bring home. He wanted his estate to be available to the public after he died, which is why we can explore it today.

Head to the Vanderbilt Museum: your entrance to Long Island history. And you can visit their planetarium, too!

Read about Momee Friends trip to the Planetarium it was so much fun. Your family will love it!

Read more about their trip to the Planetarium and the Planetarium show times… click here

Here’s the website: click here

Have fun!

Written by our local LI Author: Selene Castrovilla