Cold Spring Harbor Fish Hatchery & Aquarium
Box 535
1660 Route 25A
Cold Spring Harbor, NY 11724
(516) 692-6768
www.cshfha.org/

Founded in 1883 as a state facility, the Hatchery now serves as a non-profit organization dedicated to providing effective, relevant environmental education about the aquatic resources of New York.

This unique facility houses New York State's largest collection of native freshwater fish, reptiles, and amphibians. It offers many interesting exhibits, including forty Aquariums with over sixty species of New York freshwater fish, an outdoor Turtle Habitat and indoor Turtle Room with a complete collection of freshwater turtles, displays highlighting amphibians of New York State, an indoor Stream Exhibit that highlights the main Aquarium Building, and much more.

Thousands of trout are still hatched here every year, and visitors can witness the process through six outdoor rearing pools that hold the fish in various stages of development, from four-month old fingerlings to adult sized trout.

Individuals and families will find this a fascinating place to visit, and educational as well. Be sure to check for special events at the Hatchery throughout the year.

Great School Programs are offered weekdays for grades K - 12. Just a few of them are, Fins and Jaws (K): introducing children to aquatic life and teaching how fish swim and breathe in water, and how turtles have survived for ages. Life Cycles (grade 2): the changes that occur in water animals as they mature; The Vertebrates (grade 6): shows examples of all five vertebrate groups, which animals are vertebrates and why others are not; Hatching Process (grades 4 - 6): shows how eggs are stripped from live trout, fertilized, and cared for at a hatchery; Aquaculture (grades 7 - 12): introduces students to the workings of a small scale commercial hatchery; Freshwater Ecology (grades 7 - 12): is designed to increase the students' understanding of concepts such as food chains, ecosystems, and producer-consumer relationships.

Many other programs are available, and special programs can be arranged to meet specific needs. Note that most programs for grades K - 6 and 7 - 12 can be adapted for delivery to any class within those groups. Some programs, such as those involving the hatching process, are seasonal.

Most programs take 1 hour. Maximum group size is 25 students. Larger groups can be divided.