Vanderbilt Museum & Planetarium

"Fun with the Family"

Called Eagle’s Nest, this forty-three-acre estate was once the home of William Kissam Vanderbilt II, great-grandson of Comm. Cornelius Vanderbilt. He filled his mansion with an amazing array of art and artifacts from his family travels around the world, devoting a wing to wildlife dioramas and natural-history exhibits.
 
The Marine Museum, next door, houses more than 2,000 specimens of aquatic interest. Added to the complex in 1971, the Vanderbilt Planetarium, one of the best equipped in the country, features a 60-foot Sky Theatre and a 16-inch telescope open to the public on clear evenings. During the day, sunspot and solar flare activity can be viewed on monitors in the lobby. Special children’s programs are offered throughout the year.