Museum of Long Island Natural Sciences, Stony Brook University

A museum dedicated to preserving and interpreting
the natural heritage of Long Island.
Museum of Long Island Natural Science
Earth & Space Science Building
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-2100
Phone: (631) 632-8230
Fax: (631) 632-8240

Mission The Museum of Long Island Natural Sciences is associated with the Geosciences Department at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, Stony Brook, Long Island, New York. Its mission is to promote education, research, and public service in the natural sciences. In this context, the Museum: provides science education programs to the community, public schools, and general public through lectures, seminars, exhibits, films, publications, and special projects; promotes science literacy and serves as a catalyst for continued exploration in the natural sciences; and acts as a community resource on issues of science and the environment through timely dissemination of information and provision of learning opportunities for the public and other organizations, agencies and institutions.
Pam Stewart, Museum Instructor		Salema Mahajan, Museum Instructor
Exhibits Currently the Museum features exhibits on the geological history of Long Island, Long Island's freshwater, Long Island Sound, and geologic time. Dioramas include erosion at the Montauk Point headland and the creation of a new geological record at the Flax Pond salt marsh. The temporary exhibit area has a special exhibition on the Long Island Pine Barrens Maritime Reserve. Exhibits in this area include displays on the glacial history, hydrology, estuaries, fire climax ecosystems, and major habitats of this area. The lobby includes displays on the “Marine Invertebrates of the Long Island Pine Barrens Maritime Reserve,” the uses and symmetry of minerals, selected mineral specimens from the Howard Belsky collection, selected fossils from the William Crane collection, Long Island Cretaceous material, a cast of a tyrannosaurus skull, a cast of a a dimetrodon skull, a cast of a allasaurus skull, a cast of a saber tooth cat skull, and two working seismographs.

Collections The founding of the Museum was, in part, in response to the purchase by the University of the William Crane Collection, a major paleontological and geological collection with specimens of worldwide origin and significance. This became the core of the Museum's collections, which now occupies 2,200 square feet of space on the third floor of the Earth and Space Sciences Building. Also included with the Crane Collection was an important collection of modern Mollusca. Local specimens have been added to this collection by Museum staff and volunteers. Also part of the Museum's collections are a synoptic Entomological collection of mostly local insects and a Herbarium of Long Island flora. Mounted birds, reptiles, and mammals and a few study skins, most of which are over 100 years old, are also housed in the Museum's collections. Use of collections is available through special request.

School Group Programs The Museum offers a variety of educational programs designed for elementary school students. Topics include forest ecology, Long Island geology, Native American culture, Long Island's wildlife, Long Island's freshwater and the water cycle, earthquakes and volcanoes, dinosaurs, seashore ecology, and insects. Programs run for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes. Program fees are $7.00 per student, with a $100 per class minimum. Programs fill quickly, so teachers are urged to make reservations as early during the school year as possible. For more information on the programs and scheduling, please see educational programs and scheduling information. To set up an education field trip, please call 631-632-8230.

Publications The Museum publishes several titles on Long Island's natural environment. The Long Island Field Guide series was initiated with the very popular Field Guide to Long Island's Woodlands. The second book in the series, A Field Guide to Long Island's Freshwater Wetlands has also been published along with A *Field Guide to Long Island's Seashore*. The Museum offers volume discounts to schools and libraries as well as to book stores and resellers. ORDER FORM Birthday Parties Celebrate your birthday at the museum! We offer a Dinosaur Party and a Native American Party.
Ages: 5-8 Party includes: Museum admission for up to 12 children and 4 adults Free parking Name Tags Slide presentation Science lab experiment Take home product of lab activity and coloring book of subject Reserved party area set-up by host/hostess with paper goods, tablecoths, utensils, and objects for either dinosaur or Native American theme Beverage (Cool Aid or Juice). (coffee setup additional fee) Birthday cake in the theme, either Dinosaur or Native American
Parties are offered on SUNDAY only. 12:00pm-2:30pm or 3:00pm-5:30pm. For more information and scheduling, call (631) 632-8230 Fees: Deposit $50 plus $250 due at party (total $300).


Directions The Museum of Long Island Natural Sciences is located in the Earth and Space Sciences Building on the campus of the State University of New York at Stony Brook. See campus map: Campus Map: Directions to Museum (pdf file) By car, take the Long Island Expressway (Route 495) to Exit 62 and follow Route 97 (Nicolls Road) north for 9 miles. Turn left onto the campus at the South Entrance. Follow South Drive to Marburger Drive. Turn right onto Marburger Drive and go around the rotary taking the second right heading west on Circle Road. Turn right onto Campus Drive and a quick left onto John S. Toll Drive. Park in the large parking lot (Red Faculty/Staff) on the right. The Earth and Space Sciences Building is the four story concrete building at the far left corner of the parking lot. Please pick up a temporary parking permit at the Museum office when the University is in session. Campus Map: Directions to Museum (pdf file) NOTE: The museum is located on the campus of Stony Brook University. We are NOT the Museum on 25A. By bus, use Coram Bus Service, which provides routes from Coram, Port Jefferson, Lake Grove, Smith Haven Mall, St. James, and East Setauket. For schedules, rates, and routes call 732-5518. By rail*, take the Long Island Rail Road's Port Jefferson line. Change trains at Jamaica or Huntington, per timetable, for Stony Brook. Walk across North Loop Road onto campus. Follow the path past the Sports Complex and across Center Drive towards the tall brown-brick Physics and Math Buildings. Just beyond these is the concrete Earth and Space Sciences Building. Hours Open all year, Monday to Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed most New York State holidays. Admission Admission is free. Donations are gratefully appreciated. Links Long Island Botanical Society Suffolk County Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation Earth Science Educational Resource Center Exploring Museums Garvies Point Museum & Preserve-Glen Cove, NY