Orchid Show at the NY Botanical Gardens

A sure sign that spring is in the air is The Orchid Show at the New York Botanical Gardens.  The show is currently running through April 22, 2013. Each year the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory at the NYBG’s is transferred into a lush rainforest.  The exhibition displays over 7,000 orchids representing 3,075 different types from such countries as Australia, Africa, South America and Madagascar.  Over 100,000 visitors attend the Orchid Show to trade the cold temperatures outside for a brief escape to a 29,000 square foot tropical landscape that is kept at a comfortable 65 degrees to maintain the orchids. Over 200 man hours were spent installing the Orchid Show displays which are designed by Francisca Coelho who has been working at the NYBG for over 30 years.  For additional information regarding the New York Botanical Garden’s please visit their website.

Syosset Public Library has one museum pass to the New York Botanical Gardens which admits 2 adults and up to 5 children.  Tickets to the Orchid Show are included in our membership. To reserve the NYBG’s museum pass or another museum in SPL’s Museum Pass Program, please visit www.syossetlibrary.org and click on the “Museum Pass Program” link on the left hand side of the page or visit the Readers’ Services desk on the 2^nd floor or contact us directly at (516) 921-7161 ext. 239.

- posted by Lisa J., Readers’ Services

New Museum Pass

Syosset Public Library has added

the Walt Whitman Birthplace State Historic Site

to its Museum Pass Program. 

Walt Whitman was born in this house on May 31, 1819 and lived here until he was 4 years old.  The site consists of 1.5 landscaped acres and was designated a New York State Historic Site in 1957. In 2001, the Birthplace was restored to  historical accuracy and the interior reflects 350 artifact furnishings typical in a “day in the life” of a 19^th century Long Island Family in 1821.

SPL has one pass which admits 2 adults and 2 children to the Birthplace & Interpretive Center, free viewing of art exhibits at the Gathering House, free or discounted admission to many select events and a 10% discount at the museum gift shop and website store.  The museum is located at 246 Old Walt Whitman Road, Huntington, NY. The museum’s winter hours are Monday-Friday 1 pm to 4 pm, Saturday-Sunday 11 am to 4 pm.  For additional information on special programming and events please visit the museum’s website.  To reserve this pass or any pass in our Museum Pass Program, please visit Syosset Public Library’s website and click on the “Museum Pass Program” icon on the left hand side of the page and follow the instructions or stop by the Readers’ Services Desk on the 2^nd floor or contact us directly at 921-7161 ext. 239.

- posted by Lisa J., Readers’ Services

Additional MOMA pass!

The Syosset Public Library is pleased to announce that we have obtained an additional family pass to the Museum of Modern Art.  Each of our 2 family passes admits five guests to the museum. There is a 10% discount at the MOMA store as well.

Beginning October 24, 2012 through April 29, 2013, Edvard Munch iconic painting, The Scream will be on exhibit at MOMA.  The Scream is one of the most recognized images in art history.  Of the four versions of The Scream made by Munch between 1893 and 1910, this pastel-on-board from 1895 is the only one remaining in private hands.  The three other versions are in the collections of museums in Norway.  The Scream is being lent by a private collector.  A haunting rendition of a hairless figure on a bridge under a yellow orange sky, The Scream, was originally conceived by Munch as part of his epic Frieze of Life Series, which explored the progression of modern life by focusing on the themes of love, angst and death. Especially concerned with the expressive representation of emotions and personal relationships, Munch was associated with the international development of Symbolism during the 1890’s and recognized as a precursor of 20th century Expressionism.

The Scream will be installed in the Museum’s Painting and Sculpture Galleries, along with a selection of prints by Munch drawn from the MOMA’s extensive collection of his work. Syosset Public Library has the following books available for patrons who may want additional information regarding Edvard Munch;  “Edvard Munch: Behind the Scream” by Sue Prideaux and “Words and Images of Edvard Munch” by Bente Torjusen.

To reserve a pass to MOMA or any other museum in SPL’s Museum Pass Program please visit www.syossetlibrary.org and click on Museum Pass Program from the main menu.  Patrons may also contact the Readers’ Services Desk at 921-7161 ext. 239 or stop by the Readers’ Services Desk on the 2nd floor and our staff will assist you with your reservation.

- posted by Lisa J., Readers’ Services

2 New Museum Passes!

The Syosset Public Library is pleased to announce two new museums have been added to our Museum Pass Program:

The New York Historical Society located at 170 Central Park West was founded in 1804.  Its primary mission is “exploring the richly layered political, cultural and social history of New York City and State & to serve as a national forum for the discussion of issues surrounding the making and meaning of history”.  It’s art holdings comprise more than 1.6 million works of such artists as Thomas Cole, Frederic Edwin Church, Eastman Johnson, Gilbert Stuart and John James Audubon just to name a few.  The New York Historical Society’s Patricia D. Klingenstein Library contains more than 3 million books, pamphlets, maps, music sheets & architectural drawings.  It also has an outstanding collection of Civil War material.  The Syosset Public Library has 2 passes to NYHS.  Each pass admits 2 adults and 2 children.  For information on current exhibits and museum hours, please visit www.nyhistory.org.

The Children’s Museum of Manhattan is located at 212 W. 83rd Street.  The CMOM opened in 1973 with the mission of “Inspiring children & families to learn about themselves and our culturally diverse world through a unique environment of interactive exhibitions and programs to prepare children to succeed in school, help families live healthy lives and nurture a new generation of creative and global citizens.  The Syosset Public Library has 2 passes to CMOM.  Each pass admits 2 adults and 2 children.  For information on current exhibits and museum hours, please visit www.cmom.org.

To make a reservation for the above mentioned museums or any other museum in our Museum Pass Program, please contact the Readers’ Services Desk at 921-7161 ext. 239 or visit www.syossetlibrary.org and click on the Museum Pass Program link under the Main Menu.

- posted by Lisa J., Readers’ Services

Current and Upcoming Museum Exhibits

The Syosset Public Library’s Museum Pass Program offers the chance for Syosset residents to visit and explore many wonderful museums and gardens located in both Long Island and New York City.  Most of our passes offer free admission for 2 adults and 2 children ages 18 and under.  Here is sampling of some of our participating museums & gardens current or upcoming exhibits:

Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum

The Space Shuttle Enterprise has arrived at the Intrepid Museum!  After a long and arduous journey, The Space Shuttle Enterprise reached its final destination on June 7, 2012 .  The Intrepid will house the Enterprise in the newly built Space Shuttle Pavilion.  The pavilion will officially open on July 19, 2012.  Syosset Public Library has one museum pass to the Intrepid which admits 2 adults and up to 4 children ages 18 and under.  For pictures of the Enterprises journey to the Intrepid museum, visit www.intrepidmuseum.org.

The Guggenheim Museum

“Art of Another Kind:  International Abstraction and the Guggenheim, 1949-1960”.  100 works representing artists from post WWII exploring a period of rapidly changing creativity.  Willem de Kooning, Jackson Pollock & Pierre Soulages are some of the featured artists. This exhibit runs from June 8th to Sept. 12th.  The Syosset Public Library has 2 passes to the Guggenheim.  Each pass admits up to 4 guests

The Museum of the City of New York

“Capital of Capital:  New York’s Banks and the Creation of a Global Economy”.  This exhibit explores New York City’s rise as a banking giant from the founding of The Bank of New York by Alexander Hamilton in 1784 to its importance in today’s nation and the world economy.  This exhibit runs from May 22nd to October 21st.  The Syosset Public Library has 2 passes to this museum.  Each pass admits up to 5 guests.

The Museum of Modern Art

“Alighiero Boetti: Game Plan”.  This is one of the largest exhibits of his work outside of Italy.  Boetti is known as a leader of the Arte Povera Movement and for his drawings and sculptures.  This exhibit will run from July 1st to Oct. 1st.  The Syosset Public Library has one pass to MOMA which admits up to 5 guests.

The Heckscher Museum of Art

“Absorbed by Color: Art of the 20th Century”.  This exhibit explores color theory as it relates to the 20th century.  Josef Albers, James Brooks & James Daugherty are some of the artists represented.  This exhibit runs from Aug. 18th to Dec. 2nd.  SPL has 1 pass to the Heckscher which admits 2 adults and 2 children ages 18 and under.

Nassau County Museum of Art

“Marc Chagall”.  The artists knack for storytelling is shown in his painting as is the influence of his Russian-Jewish upbringing.  This exhibit runs from July 21st to Nov. 4th.  SPL has 2 passes to this museum.  Each pass admits 2 adults and up to 4 children ages 16 and younger.  There is a $2 parking fee on weekends.

For additional information on SPL’s Museum pass program or to make a museum pass reservation, please visit www.syossetlibrary.org and click on the Museum Pass Program link.  You may also stop by the Readers’ Services desk on the 2nd floor or call (516) 921-7161 ext. 239.

- posted by Lisa J., Readers’ Services

Three New Museum Passes!

The Syosset Public Library has recently added the following museums to its Museum Pass Program:

The Garvies Point Museum and Preserve

Located in Glen Cove, NY the Garvies Point Museum and Preserve is part of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Museums whose mission is to preserve and interpret the county’s natural, prehistoric and historic heritage. The preserve consists of 62 acres.  There are 5 miles of marked natural trails including trails for the blind.  There are approximately 60 species of trees as well as numerous shrubs, vines and wildflowers which attract more than 140 species of birds.  A trail guide to the preserve is available at the museum.

The museum is a center for research on Long Island geology and a valued resource in the study of the Island’s Native American archaeology.  Collections of archaeological artifacts and geological phenomena are used in exhibits and Museum educational programs.  The Syosset Public Library’s has 2 passes – each pass  admits 4 adults or 2 adults and up to 4 children ages 5 to 12.  Children under 5 are free.  There is also a 10% discount on all merchandise at the gift shop.

The Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County

The Holocaust Memorial & Tolerance Center of Nassau County presents a detailed and comprehensive chronicle of the Holocaust.  The museum utilizes multimedia displays, artifacts, archival footage and testimonies from local survivors and liberators.  The museum introduces visitors to the evolution of Nazism and the repercussions of WWI and concludes with the aftermath of Nazism and emphasizes the issues of displaced persons camps and post-genocide justice.  The museum also examines current genocides and provides the context for understanding situations of intolerance and offers age-appropriate tools for combating them.  Due to the nature of the exhibits, the museum is not recommended for children under the age of 10.  The museum is located at 100 Crescent Beach Road, Glen Cove, NY.  We have one pass which admits 2 adults and up to 4 children.

The Nassau County Firefighters Museum & Education Center

Located on Museum Row in Garden City the Nassau County Firefighters Museum & Education Center provides a unique setting for display and interpretation of local volunteer fire services heritage via the collection, restoration and exhibition of contemporary firematic memorabilia and equipment.  The exhibits help public appreciation and awareness of the fire services in Nassau County and helps stimulate volunteer recruitment in fire departments.  A major goal of the museum is to educate and inform the public about fire safety and prevention.  There is an interactive gallery where people of all ages can learn how to protect themselves, their families and property from fires, burns and other household hazards.  The Syosset Public Library has one pass to this museum which admits a group of four visitors at a time.

To make a reservation for the above museums or any museum in our Museum pass program, please visit our website at www.syossetlibrary.org and click on the “Museum Pass” link or stop by the Readers’ Services desk on the 2nd floor.  You may also place a reservation for a museum by calling The Readers’ Services Desk at (516) 921-7161 ext. 239.  We also recommend visiting museum websites for additional information on hours of operation and holiday closings as they are subject to change.

- posted by Lisa J., Readers’ Services

Old Westbury Gardens to Reopen

Spring is right around the corner and what a better way to experience the first sights and aromas of this season of rebirth than to plan a visit to Old Westbury Gardens.  Old Westbury Gardens will open its doors on Saturday, April 2, 2011.  The Gardens will be open weekends only from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and will be open on weekdays beginning Monday, April 25th from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.

Old Westbury Gardens is the former home of John S. Phipps.  Completed in 1906, Westbury House sits amid 200 acres of formal gardens, landscaped grounds, woodlands, ponds and lakes.  Old Westbury Gardens was recently named by Four Seasons Magazine as one of the top three public gardens in the world.  The article published by the hotel and resort giant described OWG as a “vibrant, living, breathing, changing and growing landscape, so near to New York City yet so far away in spirit”.

The Syosset Public Library has 2 Membership passes to the Gardens.  Each pass admits a family of four (2 adults & 2 children 18 & under) to both Westbury House & Gardens.  Parking is free and there is a discount at the Garden State Plant Shop & Gift Shop.  From time to time the Gardens will host special programs that may have added fees that are not covered by the Syosset Public Library’s Membership and are, therefore, the patrons responsibility.  It is recommended that you check the gardens website before your visit.   The Gardens are closed on Tuesdays.  To reserve a pass to Old Westbury Gardens or to any other museum in our Museum Pass Program please visit our website and click on the Museum Pass Program link listed under the Additional Links heading on the right hand side of the page.  Patrons can also contact the Readers Services desk on the 2nd floor via phone (516) 921-7161 ext. 239 or in person.

Happy Spring…

- posted by Lisa J., Readers’ Services

New Fall Museum Exhibits

Fall is a great time to visit some of the museum’s that are part of the Syosset Public Library’s Museum Pass Program.  The following museum’s have new exhibits for fall.  So go ahead and make your reservations now:

Nassau County Museum of Art – September 25, 2010-January 9^, 2011

“For Us the Living:  The Civil War in Paintings by Mort Kunstler”:  Kunstler is considered a leading contemporary painter of Civil War scenes.  Many of these paintings have never been exhibited.  (www.nassaumuseum.com (516) 484-9338).

The Heckscher Museum of Art: October  2, 2010 – January 9, 2011

“Rock On!  Masterworks in Rock Photography”:  Photographs of leading rock stars such as Jimi Hendrix, Keith Richards and Elvis Presley. (www.heckscher.org (631) 351-3250)

Museum of Modern Art: October 3, 2010 – April 25, 2011

“Abstract Expressionist New York”:  This exhibit celebrates Abstract Expressionism and its origins.  Works include those of Hans Hofmann, Jackson Pollack, Willem de Kooning and Mark Rothko. (www.moma.org (212) 708-9400)

The Guggenheim Museum:  October 1, 2010 – January 9, 2011

“Chaos and Classicism:  Art in France, Italy and Germany”:  The end of WW I saw a movement among painters that favored figurative work over the abstract.  Among the artists represented are Balthus, Jean Cocteau, Giorgio de Chirico, Hannah Hoch, Hentri Matisse and Picasso.  (www.guggenheim.org (212) 423-3500)

For additional information regarding the above exhibits, please visit the above listed museum websites or call the museum directly. To make a reservation for any of the above museums or other museums in our Museum pass program, please visit the library’s website and click on the “Museum Pass Program” link on the right hand side of the homepage or call the Readers’ Services Desk at 921-7161 ext. 239.
- posted by Lisa. J., Readers’ Services