MUSEUM CLOSED: Maintenance
2024-11-06, 2024-12-04

MUSEUM CLOSED: Private Event (2 pm - 4 pm)
2024-11-13 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)

Full Frost Moon Hike with Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt
2024-11-15 17:00 | SOFO
The Frost Moon is also known as the Full Beaver Moon. For Native Americans, this was the time to set beaver traps before the swamps froze, to ensure a supply of warm winter furs. Join us for this leisurely paced one-hour hike in Vineyard Field, the field behind the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO).
Co-sponsored by Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt & the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO).
Meet at the SOFO Museum parking lot, 377 Bridgehampton Turnpike, 200 yards north of the RR tracks. To register, email: greenbeltnews@aol.com.
Hike Leader: Jean Mc Dermott, 631-599-2391.

Young Birders Club Meeting
2024-11-16 10:00
Birding is a wonderful way to make new friends, learn about the environment, and get outdoors. Join our Young Birders Club! The Club meets at 10 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: Frank Quevedo, SOFO Executive Director
This FREE program is for ages 8-18. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

New York Marine Rescue Center Cold Stun Sea Turtle Training Workshop
2024-11-16 10:00 - 11:00 | SOFO
Join the South Fork Natural History Museum and the New York Marine Rescue Center for a two-part training all about Cold Stunning in sea turtles. First, a Level 1 lecture at SOFO with information about New York’s sea turtles, cold stunning and the NYMRC’s rescue process.
Workshop Leader: New York Marine Rescue Center Staff
This FREE program is for ages 18+. Participants under age 18 must be with an adult. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

Celebrate National Hiking Day: Explore the Trails of Southampton
2024-11-16 10:30 | Southampton
Explore the nature preserves of Southampton and take in the diverse wildlife! On this short, leisurely-paced walk, we’ll explore the swamps and wetlands to see ducks, frogs, songbirds, and other animals.
Walk Leader: Erin Hwong, SOFO Environmental Educator
This program is for adults, teens, and children ages 8+.
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!

New York Marine Rescue Center Cold Stun Sea Turtle Field Training
2024-11-16 12:00 - 13:30 | Sagaponack
Join the South Fork Natural History Museum and the New York Marine Rescue Center for a two-part training all about Cold Stunning in sea turtles. Second, a Level 2 training at Sagg Main Beach to become an official Cold Stun Patrol Team member and gain hands-on look at what a cold stun patrol does!
Workshop Leader: New York Marine Rescue Center Staff
This FREE program is for ages 18+. Participants under age 18 must be with an adult. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

SOFO’s East End Outdoor Nature Education with Crystal at Inlet Pond County Park, Greenport
2024-11-20 13:00 - 15:00 | Greenport
SOFO is offering a monthly program which will take place on the 3rd Wednesday of the month and the following Saturday at 1 PM for children ages 3 to 7 years and is 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, November 20, 2024, exploring fall forest finds, tough dune plants and LI Sound beach treasures with some stories, simple nature journals, and worksheets to take home.
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. She and Wyatt look forward to meeting you and learning with you! There is limited enrollment for this program.
For this program there will be a fee of $5 per child, which includes a participating adult. Advanced registrations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

MUSEUM CLOSED: School Group (10 am - 1 pm)
2024-11-21 10:00 - 13:00

SOFO’s East End Outdoor Nature Education with Crystal at Inlet Pond County Park, Greenport
2024-11-23 13:00 - 15:00 | Greenport
SOFO is offering a monthly program which will take place on the 3rd Wednesday of the month and the following Saturday at 1 PM for children ages 3 to 7 years and is 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, November 20, 2024, exploring fall forest finds, tough dune plants and LI Sound beach treasures with some stories, simple nature journals, and worksheets to take home.
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. She and Wyatt look forward to meeting you and learning with you! There is limited enrollment for this program.
For this program there will be a fee of $5 per child, which includes a participating adult. Advanced registrations are required for all events. Please note: registration for this program closes at 4 pm on Friday, 11/22.

Sign Up Here!

East End Environment Series: Re-establishing Eastern Long Island’s Oyster Reefs
2024-11-23 16:00 - 17:00 | SOFO
Join SOFO for a discussion with Dr. Bob Tymann on the role of oyster reefs in the ecosystem and their legacy on the East End. He will share his experience building oyster reefs as part of bay restoration efforts: creating a team, navigating the bureaucracy, preparing the materials, working with the East Hampton Town Shellfish Hatchery, and building a reef. The value of high school student internships will be highlighted throughout the discussion. Light refreshments will be available.
Program Leader: Bob Tymann, South Fork Sea Farmers
This FREE program is for adults, teens, and children ages 10+. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

Story Time: Turkey Stories & Craft
2024-11-24 10:30 | SOFO
Join us for some stories about Wild Turkeys and make a turkey puppet to bring home.
Program Leader: Crystal Possehl-Oakes, SOFO Environmental Outdoor Educator
This program is for families.
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!

MUSEUM CLOSED: Thanksgiving (1:30 pm - 4 pm)
2024-11-27 13:30 - 16:00

MUSEUM CLOSED: Thanksgiving
2024-11-28
Happy Thanksgiving to our SOFO friends and family! We will reopen tomorrow, November 29th, at 10 AM.

Southampton Trails Preservation Society's Annual Walk It Off Walk
2024-11-29 10:00 - 12:00 | Sag Harbor
Meet at the end of Round Pond Lane in Sag Harbor for a fast-paced hike to shed that Thanksgiving stuffing. Amazing views of Round Pond, Long Pond, and Little Long Pond!
Walk Leader: Jean McDermott, 631-599-2391.
This FREE program is for all ages. Register by contacting Jean McDermott.

Community Beach Clean Up
2024-11-29 11:00 - 13:00
Join Legislator Ann Welker, Surfrider Foundation, and SOFO for a Black Friday Beach Cleanup! Help clean our beaches this Black Friday and spend quality time outside!
Co-sponsored with the Office of Suffolk County Legislator Ann Welker and Surfrider Foundation.
Program Leader: Rebecca Rogers, SOFO Environmental Educator
This FREE program is for all ages. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

Thanksgiving Open House
2024-11-30 10:00 - 16:00 | SOFO
Enjoy free admission at SOFO for the holiday!

Young Environmentalists Society (YES!) Meeting
2024-11-30 10:30 | SOFO
SOFO’s Young Environmentalists Society (YES!) is led by Mare Dianora, an interdisciplinary artist whose practice involves building community and creating connections to home and place. YES! is open to young environmentalists, aged 10-16 (and Junior members ages 5-9), who want to help prevent climate change as they discuss various challenges and ideas that can impact our precious environment. The program includes guest speakers and field trips and explores topics such as climate change, aquaculture, environmental career goals, water conservation, local ecology, and more.
Club Leader: Mare Dianora, an educator and the mother of two young sons, is an interdisciplinary artist whose practice involves building community and exploring connections to home and place.
This FREE program is for ages 10-16. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

Celebrate National Slime Day: Make Your Own Slime
2024-12-07 10:30 | SOFO
Come learn about the science of slime! During this hands-on craft, we’ll make our own slime and investigate this non-Newtonian fluid. We’ll have beads and other nature-themed decorations to put in the slime. Materials fee: $3.
Program Leaders: Erin Hwong and Sydney Mantione, SOFO Environmental Educators
This program is for adults, teens, and children ages 5+.
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!

Help Winter Wildlife: Make a Bird Feeder
2024-12-08 10:30 | SOFO
Make a winter bird feeder with help from items found in nature, and some peanut butter!
Program Leader: Rebecca Rogers, 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.

Sign Up Here!

MUSEUM CLOSED: Museum Renovations
2024-12-09 - 2024-12-22
The museum will be closed from Monday, December 9th to Sunday, December 22nd. Our weekly programs will still continue as scheduled.
We apologize for any inconvenience. See you again starting Monday, December 23rd!

The Science of Flight–Design and Build a Paper Glider
2024-12-14 10:30 | SOFO
How do birds actually fly? How does a massive airplane get off the ground and stay in flight? How are birds’ wing shapes and sizes adapted for different types of flight? Learn about the physical forces that allow birds to soar and airplanes to fly around the globe. Participants will be able to apply the concepts when designing and building an aircraft made of poster board and cardboard.
Program Leader: Rob “Rockfish” Gelling, SOFO Environmental Educator
This program is for adults, teens, and children ages 9+.
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!

Seal Walk at Cupsogue Beach County Park
2024-12-14 11:30 | Westhampton
With the cold of winter, many northern animal visitors come to the South Shore of Long Island to find food—among them Pinnipeds, or seals. The three most common species of seals that visit Long Island at this time of year are harbor seals, grey seals, and harp seals. Join us on a walk toward the ocean at Cupsogue Beach County Park, where at low tide you can expect to see some of these seals sunning themselves on the distant sandbar. It may be cold and windy, so please bundle up.
Walk Leader: Erin Hwong, SOFO Environmental Educator
This program is for adults, teens, and children.
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 Cold Moon Hike with Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt
2024-12-15 17:00 | SOFO
During this month the winter cold fastens its grip, and nights are at their longest and darkest. Sometimes this moon is also called the Long Night Moon as the winter nights lengthen and the moon spends more time above the horizon opposite a low sun. Join us for this leisurely paced one-hour hike in Vineyard Field, the field behind the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO).
Co-sponsored by Friends of the Long Pond Greenbelt & the South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO).
Meet at the SOFO Museum parking lot, 377 Bridgehampton Turnpike, 200 yards north of the RR tracks. To register, email: greenbeltnews@aol.com.
Hike Leader: Jean Mc Dermott, 631-599-2391.

SOFO’s East End Outdoor Nature Education with Crystal at Elizabeth Morton Wildlife Refuge
2024-12-19 13:00 - 15:00 | Sag Harbor
SOFO is offering a monthly program which will take place on the 3rd Wednesday of the month and the following Saturday at 1 PM for children ages 3 to 7 years and is 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, December 18, 2024, learn about some of our backyard birds with some stories, simple nature journals, and worksheets to take home.
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. She and Wyatt look forward to meeting you and learning with you! There is limited enrollment for this program.
For this program there will be a fee of $5 per child, which includes a participating adult. Advanced registrations are required for all events. Please note: registration for this program closes at 4 pm on Wednesday, 12/18.

Sign Up Here!

Winter Stargazing: A Journey Through the Night Sky
2024-12-20 18:30 - 20:30 | SOFO
Join us for evening of exploration as we celebrate the winter solstice with our in-person lecture, “Winter Stargazing: A Journey Through the Night Sky.” As the longest night of the year unfolds, we will guide you through the iconic constellations that adorn the winter sky, including the majestic Orion and the bright twins of Gemini. You’ll learn about their mythology, significance, and how to identify them from your own backyard.
Weather-permitting, we will also have a stargazing session following the lecture, when we’ll observe the planets Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars through a telescope. Come ready to experience the beauty of the cosmos firsthand. Feel free to bring your own telescope.
Co-sponsored by SOFO and Hamptons Observatory.
Program Leader: Hamptons Observatory Senior Educator, William Francis Taylor, MSc, has been a NASA/JPL Solar System Ambassador since 2014, lecturing about the universe around us and sharing his love of the heavens by giving guided tours of the sky through telescopes.
This FREE program is for adults, teens, and children ages 10+.

Sign up for the IN PERSON Presentation here!

Sign up for the VIRTUAL Presentation here!

Young Birders Club Meeting
2024-12-21 10:00 - 11:00
Birding is a wonderful way to make new friends, learn about the environment, and get outdoors. Join our Young Birders Club! The Club meets at 10AM on the third Saturday of every month and is open to anyone ages eight to 18 who is interested in learning about birds. Since Long Island has many great habitats that are home to a wide variety 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: Frank Quevedo, SOFO Executive Director
This FREE program is for ages 8-18. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

East End Environment Series: Eastern Tiger Salamander Tracking Research Update
2024-12-21 10:30 | SOFO
Join SOFO for a presentation with Reptile & Amphibian Specialist Jake Kushner about SOFO’s Eastern tiger salamander tracking study. Over the past Spring/Summer, Jake has been tracking Eastern tiger salamanders in the Long Pond Greenbelt using radio telemetry. This presentation will include a quick introduction to and demonstration of this important tracking technique, followed by an update about the data collected thus far. Light refreshments will be available.
Program Leader: Jake Kushner, SOFO Reptile & Amphibian Specialist
This FREE program is for adults, teens, and children ages 10+. Advanced reservations are required for all events.

Sign Up Here!

SOFO’s East End Outdoor Nature Education with Crystal at Elizabeth Morton Wildlife Refuge
2024-12-21 13:00 - 15:00 | Sag Harbor
SOFO is offering a monthly program which will take place on the 3rd Wednesday of the month and the following Saturday at 1 PM for children ages 3 to 7 years and is 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, December 18, 2024, learn about some of our backyard birds with some stories, simple nature journals, and worksheets to take home.
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. She and Wyatt look forward to meeting you and learning with you! There is limited enrollment for this program.
For this program there will be a fee of $5 per child, which includes a participating adult. Advanced registrations are required for all events. Please note: registration for this program closes at 4 pm on Friday, 12/20.

Sign Up Here!
