A night at the museum on Long Island: Stargazing and more
Rachel Goralski, outreach coordinator for the Vanderbilt Museum, pulls the planet Saturn into focus for viewers at the Reichert Planetarium in Centerport. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
New York's American Museum of Natural History recently announced the return of its popular kids' sleepovers inspired by the "Night at the Museum" movies. Many local museums also lead exciting double lives at night — though don't expect dinosaurs and historical figures to come to life. Still, we've rounded up some nights at Long Island museums where you can enjoy outstanding performances, family fun and even a walk on the wild side.
Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum and Reichert Planetarium
180 Little Neck Rd. Centerport
Nighttime shows are a staple of the Vanderbilt's Reicher Planetarium. Credit: Elizabeth Sagarin
Thanks to the Reichert Planetarium, Suffolk County Vanderbilt Museum shines at night. Dave Bush, the planetarium director, has been bringing the cosmos down to Earth for 25 years with sky shows all week and an observatory that's open to the public every Friday night offering vivid visions of planets, nebulae and star clusters. A special haunted sky show through October features the history of Halloween, kid-friendly tales of aliens and UFOs, and glimpses of the Ghost Head Nebula.
"Clear skies and an open mind" are all that's needed, Bush said. "Plan an evening. You could spend two, three or four hours." The planetarium shows start at 7 p.m. with immersive experiences preparing visitors for what they'll see through the huge telescopes. "We get all ages and from around the globe," he added. "It's a time to gather, get out at night and gaze at the beauty of the sky. It’s a star party."
There's nothing extraterrestrial about the owls on the Vanderbilt's grounds. If you've always wanted to see whooo's out there at night, Owl Prowl walks with wildlife biologist "Ranger Eric" Powers will get you closer. The next one is Oct. 17.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 9 p.m. Fridays: Observatory
- Planetarium shows (check website for show times and pricing)
- 7 p.m. Oct. 15 and 6 p.m. Nov. 15 and 20: Owl Prowl, $15, free ages 4 and younger (registration required)
MORE INFO 631-854-5579, vanderbiltmuseum.org
The Heckscher Museum of Art
2 Prime Ave., Huntington
Think you know your art history? Find out at Trivia Night at the Heckscher Museum of Art in Huntington. Credit: Heckscher Museum of Art
The Heckscher Museum of Art holds evening get-togethers called The Mix where visitors have a cocktail, listen to music and mingle among masterpieces.
And, for true culture vultures, check out the Heckscher's trivia night on Dec. 11. Teams of two to four match wits over questions of increasing difficulty till one team proves itself the night's most artsy. Prizes are awarded, but everyone's a winner.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 24: The Mix, $15 advanced registration, $20 day of (includes one drink)
- 6:30-8:30 p.m. Dec. 11: Trivia Night, $35 (registration required)
MORE INFO 631-380-3230, heckscher.org
The Church
48 Madison St., Sag Harbor
Johnnie Cruise Mercer will perform "Mercies of a Butterfly" on Nov. 22 at The Church in Sag Harbor. Credit: Tony Turner
Among the world-class artworks at The Church you'll find evening exhibition openings; talks as part of "Wellness Mondays" or "Knowledge Fridays"; local artisans and their handmade works at their "Makers' Market"; open houses for educators; art classes; films; contemporary music and dance performances and a holiday party with music, refreshments and a chance to decorate the tree with your own wish.
Of note is multidisciplinary artist-choreographer Johnnie Cruise Mercer's one-act allegory "Mercies of a Butterfly" on Nov. 22.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 6-7:30 p.m. Nov. 22: "Mercies of a Butterfly," $25
- 6-9 p.m. Dec. 12: Holiday party, $7
MORE INFO 631-919-5342, thechurchsagharbor.org
The Long Island Museum
1200 Rte. 25A, Stony Brook
There's bound to be something happening most evening on the nine-acre campus of Stony Brook's Long Island Museum. The FILM@LIM series offers free movies in conjunction with Port Jefferson's Arts Council, and the monthly "Sunday Street Concerts" developed with WUSB-FM bring nationally touring musicians ("NEIL-Fest," a birthday tribute to Neil Young, is Nov. 9).
On Oct. 17, Long Island Chamber Music will perform "A Mosaic of Miniatures for Woodwind Quintet" responding to the museum's "Giants and Gems" exhibition.
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 7:30 p.m. Oct. 17: "Long Island Chamber Music: A Mosaic of Miniatures for Woodwind Quintet," $35 advance, $40 at door, $20 students
- 5 p.m. Nov. 9: "Neil Fest — Celebrating Neil Young’s 80th Birthday," $25 advance, $30 day of
MORE INFO 631-751-0066, longislandmuseum.org
Guild Hall
158 Main St., East Hampton
.It's hard to tell if more people come for the art or the theater at East Hampton's Guild Hall said the venue's executive director Andrea Grover, but since you walk through the museum's exhibitions of modern and contemporary artists to get to the 360-seat theater, it's almost moot. The theater has hosted luminaries like playwrights Thornton Wilder and Edward Albee and regularly brings everything from comedy to kids' shows to live HD performances from the Metropolitan Opera or London's Royal National Theatre, and what Grover refers to as national treasures like composer Philip Glass.
Coming Nov. 8 is "In-Process: Love Letters — Cage to Cunningham," a new dance-theater work. "At Guild Hall," Grover said, "we want to move people to tears or laughter or change — where your heart and your intellect are equally engaged and you have a memory to hold for the rest of your life."
UPCOMING EVENTS
- 7-9 p.m. Oct. 24: London's National Theatre Live presents "Inter Alia," $25
- 7-9 p.m. Nov. 8: "In-Process: Love Letters — Cage to Cunningham," $29
MORE INFO 631-324-0806, guildhall.org
