All Ages | Tours

Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!

Fee: Free

Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors

RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.

The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.

All Ages | Tours

Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!

Fee: Free

Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors

RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.

The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.

All Ages | Tours

Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!

Fee: Free

Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors

RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.

The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.

All Ages | Activity

How many names does one living thing have? Embark on a mission to meet familiar animals, plants, and more here at Jones Beach, and speak their Algonquin-language names.

Fee: Free / Vehicle use fee may apply

RSVP: RSVP Required.

Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.

Adults, and Families (Ages 6+) | Citizen Science

Join our educators for an exciting community science program to capture, tag, and release Monarchs. The Monarch Watch Tagging Program is a large-scale community science project that was initiated in 1992 to help understand the dynamics of the monarch's spectacular fall migration through mark and recapture.

1:30-1:40: Sign In, Volunteer Registration

1:40-2:00: What is a Monarch? Where are they migrating?

2:00-2:30: Capturing Monarchs

2:30-3:00: Tag & Release

Fee: Free / Vehicle use fee may apply

Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors

RSVP: RSVP Required.  

Program begins 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend. 

All Ages | Tours

Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!

Fee: Free

Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors

RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.

The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.

Adults, and Families (Ages 6+) | Citizen Science

Join our educators for an exciting community science program to capture, tag, and release Monarchs. The Monarch Watch Tagging Program is a large-scale community science project that was initiated in 1992 to help understand the dynamics of the monarch's spectacular fall migration through mark and recapture.

10:30-10:40: Sign In, Volunteer Registration

10:40-11:00: What is a Monarch? Where are they migrating?

11:00-11:30: Capturing Monarchs

11:30-12:00: Tag & Release

Fee: Free / Vehicle use fee may apply

Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors

RSVP: RSVP Required.  

Program begins 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend. 

Adults, and Families (Ages 6+) | Citizen Science

Join our educators for an exciting community science program to capture, tag, and release Monarchs. The Monarch Watch Tagging Program is a large-scale community science project that was initiated in 1992 to help understand the dynamics of the monarch's spectacular fall migration through mark and recapture.

1:30-1:40: Sign In, Volunteer Registration

1:40-2:00: What is a Monarch? Where are they migrating?

2:00-2:30: Capturing Monarchs

2:30-3:00: Tag & Release

Fee: Free / Vehicle use fee may apply

Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors

RSVP: RSVP Required.  

Program begins 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend. 

Adults and Families (Ages 6+) | Citizen Science

Join our educators for an exciting community science program to capture, tag, and release Monarchs. The Monarch Watch Tagging Program is a large-scale community science project that was initiated in 1992 to help understand the dynamics of the monarch's spectacular fall migration through mark and recapture.

1:30-1:40: Sign In, Volunteer Registration

1:40-2:00: What is a Monarch? Where are they migrating?

2:00-2:30: Capturing Monarchs

2:30-3:00: Tag & Release

Fee: Free / Vehicle use fee may apply

Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors

RSVP: RSVP Required.  

Program begins 15 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend. 

All Ages | Tours

Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!

Fee: Free

Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors

RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.

The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.

All Ages | Tours

Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!

Fee: Free

Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors

RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.

The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.

All Ages | Tours

Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!

Fee: Free

Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors

RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.

The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.

All Ages | Tours

Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!

Fee: Free

Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors

RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.

The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.

All Ages | Activity

How many names does one living thing have? Embark on a mission to meet familiar animals, plants, and more here at Jones Beach, and speak their Algonquin-language names.

Fee: Free / Vehicle use fee may apply

RSVP: RSVP Required.

Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend.

All Ages | Tours

Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!

Fee: Free

Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors

RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.

The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.

Updated 5:00pm 8/22: CANCELLED

Due to complications with the weather this week, tonight’s program is cancelled! The Jones Beach Bandshell and AOSNY may be rescheduling for tomorrow night, but please refer to their Facebook and website for more information:

Jones Beach Boardwalk Bandshell | Wantagh NY | Facebook

Long Island astronomy - Amateur Observers' Society of New York, Inc.

Sign ups for the rescheduling will not be handled by us—space would be available first come first served.

Speakers:

Amateur Observers’ Society of New York

Established in 1965, the Amateur Observers’ Society of New York (“AOSNY”) was created as a means for astronomy enthusiasts of all ages to meet together. Amateur Astronomy is about helping others, learning, doing, and having fun!

Their mission is to bring Long Island astronomy to the public and provide astronomy resources to members. This expresses their commitment not only to serve their members, but also to educate and inspire the public.

All Ages | Tours

Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!

Fee: Free

Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors

RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.

The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.

Children (Ages 7-12) | Class 

Slap on those gloves and get your dissection tools ready because we’re diving into the anatomy and survival adaptions of the squid. Join us for a guided squid dissection for a deeper understanding of these magnificent marine animals. 

All kids must be accompanied by an adult. 

Fee: $4 per program participant / Vehicle use fee may apply 

Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors on tables. 

RSVP: RSVP Required.  

Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend. 

Families (All Ages) | Walk

Get a taste of Jones Beach with a beautiful and easy walk. Take a guided walk down to the ocean and back to see what plants, animal tracks, and other features of the landscape there are to be seen on a given day, and learn about what makes Jones Beach unique.

This walk is at least 1 mile on sandy terrain.

Fee: $4 per person

Outdoors/Indoors?: Outdoors, but we in the case inclement weather we will cancel via email.

Distance: Up to 1 mile walk there-and-back walk on a sandy beach. 

RSVP: RSVP Required.  

Program departs 10 minutes after start time. Please cancel your reservation if you cannot attend. 

All Ages, preferred ages 8 and up | Citizen Science Event

Join an educator to learn all about seine fishing and learn all about the aquatic organisms that call Jones Bay home.

Seine fishing employs a large net (seine) with two poles. Two people stand parallel to the shore, each holding one pole. As it sweeps the water, the net catches aquatic organisms. After surveying these organisms, we will be releasing them to the bay.

We will meet at the Center to check-in and use the restrooms, and then you will get back in your vehicle and follow us to the seining site.

Please arrive on time, program departs 10 minutes after start time. If you have any questions, call 516-809-8222.

We will provide:

• Seine net

You MUST bring:

• Clothes you are comfortable getting wet.

• Closed-toe water shoes. NO SANDALS OR FLIP FLOPS.

• Water

• Sunscreen

All Ages | Tours

Drop in anytime during these hours to request a touch tank experience with an educator. Our educator will introduce you to hermit crabs and snails, some of which you might recognize from around Long Island!

Fee: Free

Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors

RSVP: No RSVP needed, walk-ins welcome.

The experience typically takes about 15 minutes to explore the different animal species and shells we house in our tank.

Cancelled due to thunderstorms

All Ages | Talk + Activity

Celebrate the solstice! Join us with our guest, AOSNY, for an evening of night skies! The program will start indoors for a brief talk on the winter sky before heading outside as the sky darkens. On our back deck, we will use multiple telescopes to focus on the various celestial bodies.

Fee: Free

Outdoors/Indoors?: Indoors and Outdoors

Weather: In the case of inclement weather, we will notify folks of cancellation via-email, and we will update this webpage morning-of.

RSVP: RSVP Required.

Speakers:

Amateur Observers’ Society of New York

Established in 1965, the Amateur Observers’ Society of New York (“AOSNY”) was created as a means for astronomy enthusiasts of all ages to meet together. Amateur Astronomy is about helping others, learning, doing, and having fun!

Their mission is to bring Long Island astronomy to the public and provide astronomy resources to members. This expresses their commitment not only to serve their members, but also to educate and inspire the public.

The Teachers’ Workshop provides educators with an immersive experience at the Jones Beach Energy & Nature Center. Teachers are placed in the role of students, and learn about how to use the building and site to teach students about environmental design, dune ecology, climate change, coastal resilience, and more. Participants can receive CTLE (Continuing Teacher and Leader Education) hours through the New York State Education Department.

Light refreshments will be provided.

Here are some preview questions from the Energy and Us unit. This will cover the first 30 minutes of the workshop

https://forms.office.com/g/7q7qisgE4q

RSVP required. Doors close 10 minutes after start time. Please call 516-809-8222 or email jbenc@parks.ny.gov to cancel your reservation if you cannot attend so your spot can be made available to others.