The South Fork Natural History Museum (SOFO) & Nature Center is the only state-of-the-art natural history museum on the South Fork of Long Island. Founded in 1988 by a group of South Fork naturalists as The Nature Clubhouse in Amagansett, the museum opened at its permanent location in May, 2005 in eastern Suffolk County at 377 Bridgehampton / Sag Harbor Turnpike in Bridgehampton, New York.
A place for children and adults of all ages to discover, explore, learn, and engage, the South Fork Natural History Museum & Nature Center is open seven days a week, except on Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Visitors are accompanied by the museum’s expert environmental educators as they experience the museum’s scientifically accurate galleries, featuring live and recreated natural habitat exhibits; colorful floor-to-ceiling photo murals of forests, ponds, and ocean landscapes; a Marine Touch Tank where visitors can, in the water, hold sea stars, crabs, urchins, and whelks; and terrariums and aquariums featuring local wildlife, all of which engage the senses and bring the outdoors in.
The magic continues outside with SOFO’s Native Butterfly Garden, Native Wildflower Garden, Educational Pond, Purple Martin nesting gourd site and more. Visitors can take nature walks through the 40 acre Vineyard Field Preserve bordering the museum, and explore the six-mile trail system of the Long Pond Greenbelt, which features an expanse of interconnected ponds, woods and wetlands abounding with rare plants, animals, and ecological communities.
The museum is dedicated to teaching and inspiring families to become engaged and responsible caretakers of our planet now and for generations to come. We look forward to seeing you at SOFO! We know your first visit will not be your last.
