South Fork Natural History Museum & Nature Center

Feeding Time at SOFO
2026-08-09 11:00 (America/New_York) | SOFO
Get ready for a behind-the-scenes tour at SOFO. Tommy will give you a chance to see how we prepare the food for our animals to eat; then, you’ll get up close and personal with the animals as they are fed. We’ll investigate food webs and the differences between carnivores, omnivores, and herbivores.
Program Leader: Tommy Steinbrecher, SOFO Environmental Educator
This program is for all ages. For non-members, there is a $15 fee for adults and a $10 fee for children for this program. This program fee will also provide non-members with free admission to the museum on a day of their choice. Members are free. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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EcoHikes
2026-08-11 10:00 - 11:30 | Montauk
Join us for our Outdoor Nature Hikes! Today, we will be exploring Camp Hero State Park.

We will lead an EcoHike every Tuesday & Thursday of the summer: July 7th through August 13th. Rain cancels.
Fun and educational for all ages! Advance registration is not required.
NOTE: Empire Pass or $8.00 parking fee required.

Raptor Day with Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center - Meet Some Owl Ambassadors for an Owl Story Time
2026-08-11 12:00 | SOFO
Come join us for Story Time with an Owl. Meet an adorable little owl from the Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center, hear how they became an ambassador animal, and learn all about their species. Then join us for a delightful children’s story.
Program Leader: Tammy Flannel, Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center
This program is for all ages. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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EcoHikes
2026-08-13 10:00 - 11:30 | Aquebogue
Join us for our Outdoor Nature Hikes! Today, we will be exploring Broad Cove Preserve.

We will lead an EcoHike every Tuesday & Thursday of the summer: July 7th through August 13th. Rain cancels.
Fun and educational for all ages! Advance registration is not required.

Step Back in Time: Sag Harbor Whaling & Waterfront Tour
2026-08-13 11:00 - 12:30 | Sag Harbor
Dive into the rich maritime history of Long Island’s premier historic whaling port. We begin at the museum, housed in a stunning 1845 Greek Revival mansion, to explore the state’s largest collection of whaling equipment, view beautiful authentic scrimshaw, and discover the stories of the crews who sailed the global seas.
From the museum, the tour continues with a scenic walk down to the iconic Long Wharf, where guests can take in the harbor views while discussing its history as a bustling 19th-century port. Finally, we will proceed over the bridge toward North Haven to experience some of the finest panoramic vistas of the waterfront. This excursion offers a sophisticated blend of local history and a classic coastal promenade.
Walk Leader: Stacy Myers, Bridgehampton Museum
This program is for adults and children ages 10 and up. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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Learning to Love Pollinating Insects
2026-08-14 10:00 - 11:30 | Bridgehampton
Walking through the garden on a summer day reveals a myriad of insects busily at work. Come learn from Moe Kennedy, Environmental Educator at the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO), about these small but mighty creatures who ensure pollination of our garden plants and food supply. From small flies and wasps, to bees, butterflies and other creatures that offer pollination services, you’ll gain an appreciation for them and lose your fear of insects in the landscape.
Co-sponsored with Peconic Land Trust
Walk Leader: Moe Kennedy, SOFO Environmental Educator
$5/suggested donation. Space is limited; reservations required. Register online with Peconic Land Trust at Events@PeconicLandTrust.org

Bugwatching Buddies Club ─ Build a Bee House
2026-08-15 11:00 | SOFO
World Honeybee Day is celebrated on the 3rd Saturday of August each year. In honor of one of our most popular pollinators, join the Bugwatching Buddies Club to learn how to build your own bee house and provide shelter for the different types of bees in your yard. Everyone attending the program will design and take home their own bee house.
Club Leader: Moe Kennedy, SOFO Environmental Educator
This FREE program is for ages 5-16. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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The Sun: Secrets of Our Closest Star
2026-08-19 19:00 - 20:30 | SOFO
On August 19th at 7:00 PM, NASA Solar System Ambassador William Francis Taylor, MSc, will present a free, in-person lecture entitled, “The Sun: Secrets of Our Closest Star.” In this illuminating lecture, William will explore the mysteries of the Sun: discuss how the Sun shines, how it changes daily, what its far future holds, the impact it has on the Earth, and what studying the Sun tells us about the stars. You’ll also learn about the other exciting celestial events heading our way in the coming months. Weather permitting, after the lecture, Hamptons Observatory astronomers will provide guided tours of the sky via telescope. This event will be co-hosted by and held at the South Fork Natural History Museum in Bridgehampton.
Speaker: William Francis Taylor, MSc, Hamptons Observatory Senior Educator
This FREE program is for all ages. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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Tour of Amagansett Life-Saving Station
2026-08-21 11:00 - 12:30 | Amagansett
Join the Bridgehampton Museum, Water Mill Museum, and SOFO for a collaborative tour of the Amagansett Life-Saving & Coast Guard Station. This experience highlights the intersection of cutting-edge (for 1902!) engineering and the delicate science of our coastal ecosystem.
Engineering for Survival (led by Bridgehampton Museum): Discover the pre-industrial “high-tech” tools used to save lives. Step inside the station to see the Quonochontaug-style architecture—specifically designed for rapid response—and learn the mechanics of the Lyle Gun, a cannon engineered to fire rescue lines over a thousand feet to shipwrecks.
The Physics of the Surf (led by Bridgehampton Museum): Explore the design of the Beebe surfboat, a marvel of weight and buoyancy engineering that allowed “surfmen” to launch into massive Atlantic breaks that would swamp any normal vessel.
Co-sponsored with SOFO, Amagansett Life-Saving & Coast Guard Station, Sag Harbor Whaling Museum, Bridgehampton Museum, and Water Mill Museum
Tour Leader: Amagansett Life-Saving Station staff and Stacy Myers, Educator, Bridgehampton Museum
This FREE program is for adults, teens, and children ages 8 and up. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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Young Birders Club Meeting
2026-08-22 14:00
Birding is a great way to make new friends, learn about the environment, and get outdoors. Join our Young Birders Club! The Club is open to anyone ages 8 to 18 who is interested in learning about birds. Since Long Island has many great habitats that are home to a wide variety of species, we concentrate on birding in local areas.
Please bring binoculars if you have them (we will have a few pairs to lend) and a field guide to birds of the eastern United States. If you don’t have a field guide, we’ll have one for you to use.
Club Leader: Aidan Perkins, Wildlife Biologist
This FREE program is for ages 8-18. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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Native American Zoomorphic Pinch Pots Art Workshop with Environmental Artist Tony Valderrama
2026-08-22 14:00 - 15:00 | SOFO
This program is a perfect blend of culture, art, wildlife and music. Each participant will learn about basic ceramic techniques while creating a personalized clay pinch pot into the form of their favorite animals. Pinch pots were one of the most basic forms of Native ceramics decorated with symbols and designs to share stories.
Participants will first be introduced to Native American culture with samples of artworks and flute music!
Workshop Leader: Tony Valderrama, Environmental Artist
This FREE program is for all ages. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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MUSEUM CLOSED: Outreach Event (10 am - 1 pm)
2026-08-25 10:00 - 13:00

The Secret Life in a Pond: Life Cycles and Survey of Freshwater Invertebrates
2026-08-26 13:00 - 15:00 | SOFO
The freshwater ponds in the field behind the museum host an amazing amount of life in even a few buckets of water. Discover, observe, draw, and record the species found, from animals that always stay tiny to animals that start microscopic but grow as big as your hand. There will be a variety of magnifiers, microscopes, record sheets, drawing supplies and books available, just bring your curiosity! There will be a short introduction to the species found and the changes to the ponds over the last three years.
Program Leader: Crystal Possehl-Oakes, SOFO Environmental Outdoor Specialist
This program is for adults and children ages 10 and up. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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Full Sturgeon Moon Hike
2026-08-28 20:30 - 21:30 | SOFO
Join FLPG and SOFO on a leisurely-paced hike through open-field trails. The Native American fishing tribes are given credit for the naming of this moon, since sturgeon were most readily caught during this month. A few tribes knew it as the Full Red Moon because, as the moon rises, it appears reddish through any sultry haze.
Co-sponsored by Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt & SOFO.
Meet at the SOFO Museum parking lot, 377 Bridgehampton Turnpike, 200 yards north of the RR tracks. To register, email: info@longpondgreenbelt.org.
Hike Leader: Jean McDermott, 631-599-2391.

Storytime: Food Chains, Food Webs, & Feeding Time
2026-08-30 10:30, 2026-08-30 13:30 | SOFO
Every animal needs to eat and is an important part in the web of life, from tiny plankton, to crawlies on land and in water, to larger scaly, feathery or furry wild neighbors. Join us for some fun stories, a craft, and watch or feed some of SOFO’s resident animals their favorite foods.
Program Leader: Crystal Possehl-Oakes, SOFO Environmental Outdoor Specialist
This program is for all ages and is free with Museum Admission. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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MUSEUM CLOSED: Presentation by Kike Calvo
2026-09-04
The museum exhibits will be closed all day for the presentation by Kike Calvo. Please join us at the Sag Harbor Cinema for this special program!

The Power of Creativity with Photographer and World Explorer Kike Calvo
2026-09-04 11:00 - 13:00 | SOFO
Join SOFO on Friday, September 4th, 11:00am to 1:00pm, at the Sag Harbor Cinema for a multi-media presentation, The Power of Creativity, and dive into the world of award-winning photographer and author Kike Calvo. Through photographs and images, Kike traces his personal journey of discovery as he focuses on cultures and environments around the world. As an author and educator, Kike has produced bilingual children’s books about environmental issues and provided them to indigenous communities around the world to promote cultural and science literacy and local conservation efforts.
This FREE presentation is for adults and children ages 10+. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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Prehistoric Monster Search with Andy Sabin
2026-09-05 10:00 | Bridgehampton
Of ancient lineage, the Snapping Turtle—which can grow to a length of three feet from head to tail and weigh as much as 70 pounds—will be the main subject of this annual adventure with Andy. You’ll also get to know the Eastern Painted Turtle and perhaps meet up with the aptly named Stinkpot Turtle. Children love this annual walk.
Search Leader: Andy Sabin, President, South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) Board of Directors
This program is for all ages.
For non-members, there is a $5 fee per person for this program. Members are free. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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What Goes Buzz in the Night?
2026-09-05 21:00 | SOFO
Mothing or light-sheeting is an activity used by scientists studying nighttime insects to catch and identify local species. By setting up a light trap, a large light directed at a white sheet, we’ll be able to see which moths (and more!) are flying about our dark skies! Join SOFO educator Moe Kennedy and find out what goes “buzz” in the night.
Program Leader: Moe Kennedy, SOFO Environmental Educator
For non-members, there is a $5 fee per person for this program. Members are free. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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Bugwatching Buddies Club ─ Mystery Week
2026-09-12 11:00 | SOFO
In September insects that need to migrate south for the winter are on the move. Others that do not need to migrate are getting ready for their long winter sleep. Join the Bugwatching Club this week and see who’s getting ready to fly away and who’s getting ready to go to sleep.
Club Leader: Moe Kennedy, SOFO Environmental Educator
This FREE program is for ages 5-16. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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Bird Walk - Seal Haul Out Trail
2026-09-13 09:30 - 11:00 | Montauk
Take a walk with the Montauk Library Bird Club along Montauk’s Seal Haul Out Trail.

Led by Frank Quevedo of South Fork Natural History Museum & Nature Center.
This will be a moderate-paced 1.5-mile hike through dense woods opening onto the shore of Block Island Sound.
This program is for adults and children ages 10+. All experience levels are welcome. We have a limited number of binoculars and field guides to borrow.
Cosponsored by the Montauk Library and South Fork Natural History Museum.
Registration is required. Parking information will be sent to attendees by email. Questions? Email birdclub@montauklibrary.org.

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Beach Walk –What Did the Tide Leave Behind?
2026-09-13 11:00
Join us for a leisurely beach combing walk to explore one of our local bay beaches! We’ll explore the wrack line and see what the tides brought to the beach and any animals that live in the beach dunes.
Program Leader: Rebecca Rogers, SOFO Environmental Educator
For non-members, there is a $5 fee per person for this program. Members are free. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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East End Outdoor Nature Education at Old Ponquogue Bridge, Hampton Bays
2026-09-16 13:00 - 15:00 | Hampton Bays
SOFO is offering a monthly program which will take place on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at 1 pm geared towards homeschooling families. Programs will have a variety of activities to strengthen language development, literacy, math, and science and will take place at various locations on Eastern Long Island.
We will continue our adventures on Wednesday, September 16, 2026 at Old Ponquogue Bridge in Hampton Bays where we will explore the Shinnecock Bay salt marsh for shells, seaweeds, and other interesting treasures, and collect some of our marine neighbors with dip nets and a seining net. We will learn how the sun and moon affects the tides and where our marine neighbors can live, enjoy identification and classification, nature journaling, and beginner graphing and data collection. Students in middle and high school grades are encouraged to bring their own composition notebook for journaling and take notes from available field guides.
Program Leader: Crystal Possehl-Oakes has worked as an environmental educator at SOFO since 2005 and part-time since 2019 after her son Wyatt was born. “Wyatt and I look forward to meeting you and learning with you!”
There is a $10/child material fee (participating adult included) for this program. This program fee will also provide non-members with free admission to the museum on a day of their choice. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

Young Birders Club Meeting
2026-09-19 10:00
Birding is a great way to make new friends, learn about the environment, and get outdoors. Join our Young Birders Club! The Club meets at 10:00 AM on the third Saturday of every month and is open to anyone ages 8 to 18 who is interested in learning about birds. Since Long Island has many great habitats that are home to a wide variety of species, we concentrate on birding in local areas.
Please bring binoculars if you have them (we will have a few pairs to lend) and a field guide to birds of the eastern United States. If you don’t have a field guide, we’ll have one for you to use.
Club Leader: Aidan Perkins, Wildlife Biologist
This FREE program is for ages 8-18. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

Birding for Beginners - Fall Migrants
2026-09-19 10:30
Please note: this program was rescheduled from September 12.
Explore Birding as a new hobby: Take a walk with volunteer docents Cindy & Dave in the Vineyard Field behind the Museum and learn how to identify the birds that we might find, including blue jay, black-capped chickadee, starling, northern mockingbird and red-tailed hawk. Listen to the voices and observe the behavior of the birds to help identify them. No prior experience required. Bring binoculars if you have them.
Program Leaders: Cindy Lenkiewicz and Dave Polek, SOFO Docents
This FREE program is for adults, teens, and children 10+. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

The Secret Life in a Pond: Life Cycles and Survey of Freshwater Invertebrates
2026-09-26 13:00 - 15:00 | SOFO
The freshwater ponds in the field behind the museum host an amazing amount of life in even a few buckets of water. Discover, observe, draw, and record the species found, from animals that always stay tiny to animals that start microscopic but grow as big as your hand. There will be a variety of magnifiers, microscopes, record sheets, drawing supplies and books available, just bring your curiosity! There will be a short introduction to the species found and the changes to the ponds over the last three years.
Program Leader: Crystal Possehl-Oakes, SOFO Environmental Outdoor Specialist
This program is for adults and children ages 10+.
For non-members, there is a $15 fee for adults and a $10 fee for children for this program. This program fee will also provide non-members with free admission to the museum on a day of their choice. Members are free. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

Full Harvest Moon Hike
2026-09-26 19:30 - 20:30 | SOFO
This full moon’s name is attributed to Native Americans because it marked when corn was to be harvested. At the peak of harvest, farmers can work late into the night by the light of this moon. Join Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt and SOFO on this one-hour, leisurely-paced hike through open-field trails.
Co-sponsored by Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt & SOFO.
Meet at the SOFO Museum parking lot, 377 Bridgehampton Turnpike, 200 yards north of the RR tracks. To register, email: info@longpondgreenbelt.org.
Hike Leader: Jean McDermott, 631-599-2391.

Story Time – Remarkable Reptiles
2026-09-27 10:30, 2026-09-27 13:30 | SOFO
Reptiles have some amazing abilities that have helped them survive on earth for millions of years. Join us for some fun stories to learn about our reptile neighbors and learn some cool facts about SOFO’s resident reptiles, from our smallest lizard to our largest turtle.
Program Leader: Crystal Possehl-Oakes, SOFO Environmental Outdoor Specialist
This program is for all ages and is FREE with museum admission. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

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