Facility Rental

Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Rd
Ithaca, NY 14850
1-800-843-BIRD (1-800-843-2473)
clo_events@cornell.edu

Request a reservation (for groups of 10 or more).

The Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary is open every day, dawn to dusk.

Visitor Center Hours

Monday–Thursday: 8:00 A.M.–5:00 P.M.
Friday: 8:00 A.M.–4:00 P.M.
Saturday: 9:30 A.M.–4:00 P.M.
Sunday: 11:00 A.M.–4:00 P.M.
Hours may change due to special events. We are closed on some holidays.

Holiday Hours

Closed Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, and December 24-January 1. Open 10:00 A.M.–4:00 P.M. on Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, and the day after Thanksgiving. Open until 4:00 P.M. November 23.

Adelson Library Hours

Monday-Friday: 10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. and 1:00 P.M. - 4:00 P.M.

Where to Stay

Located just minutes away from the Cornell Lab, the Courtyard by Marriott offers Lab visitors special reduced rates. This rate is based on availability and subject to change. Free shuttle service is available to and from the Cornell Lab by appointment on the hour from 7:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Please call 866-541-3600 and ask for the Lab of Ornithology visitors' rate, or visit the Courtyard by Marriott website.

Admission is free. We appreciate donations and member support to help with trail maintenance and local outreach programs.

Take a virtual tour of the Cornell Lab

If you're looking for a special venue for a meeting, seminar or conference, we may have just the place. Our building can host events ranging from elegant university dinners to seminars and conferences. We're happy to provide information about caterers, vendors, lodging, transportation, and entertainment for your event. Please inquire by calling (607) 254-2473 or use our contact us form.

These rooms may be rented by Cornell University departments and Cornell University affiliated groups. Private groups may also be eligible to rent the facilities, though certain restrictions may apply. Our Visitors’ Center is a nonsmoking facility and is fully ADA accessible. We have plenty of free parking close to the building for after-hours events. For panoramic photos, take our virtual tour.

Auditorium

Our auditorium seats as many as 114 people. It is a pleasant space for large meetings and presentations.

Fully carpeted auditorium with up to 114 comfortable, non-fixed chairs
For meetings that require seating at tables, up to 56 people can be accommodated
Large drop-down projection screen; high-definition (HD) digital projection and sound system for PowerPoint presentations, DVDs, VCR tapes, and other graphics from laptops. (Users must provide own laptops.)
Sophisticated lighting system with a wide variety of presets, recessed soffit light and overhead light combinations, and adjustable brightness
Wireless Internet connectivity and plug-ins for Ethernet cables
Wildlife art exhibits grace the walls
Room can be expanded by opening to adjacent Fuertes Room

Fuertes Room

Host a small meeting in the beautiful hand-crafted Fuertes room, known among birders as the “Sistine Chapel of Birding.” In 1909, Frederick Brewster commissioned Louis Agassiz Fuertes, one of the world’s great bird artists, to design the teak-paneled library and complete a set of oil paintings to wrap around the room in his Connecticut mansion. The library, including the books and original paintings, was donated to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and reassemblted here.

A wooden conference table seats 18 in comfortable, hand-carved chairs. As many as 16 additional chairs can be added to the room
Small drop-down projection screen available
Sophisticated lighting system with variable presets, recessed soffit light and overhead light combinations, and adjustable brightness
A sound-dampening divider wall can be closed between this room and the adjacent auditorium
When this divider is open, a large drop-down screen on one side of the Fuertes Room can be lowered, on which projections originating from the auditorium (DVDs, VCR tapes, and PowerPoint and other graphics from laptops) can be shown

Morgens Observatory

The Morgens Observatory is an elegant space for receptions, dinners, and other events, with a floor-to-ceiling wall of windows overlooking Sapsucker Woods pond and the sanctuary's woods.

The observatory and auditorium together can accommodate up to 300 people for a standing reception
Sophisticated lighting system with variable presets and combinations
Gas fireplace warms the mood of the room on a cold day or evening
Radiant-heat floor adds comfortable warmth
Original wildlife artwork graces the space
Interactive exhibits in this space help visitors learn about the birds of Sapsucker Woods
During business hours, the Wild Birds Unlimited store offers bird-related gifts, clothing, and collectibles for purchase

Hotel Discounts

Located just minutes away from the Imogene Powers Johnson Center for Birds and Biodiversity and the 220-acre Sapsucker Woods Sanctuary, the Courtyard by Marriott offers Lab visitors a special discounted rate. This rate is based on availability and subject to change. Free shuttle service is available to and from the Cornell Lab by appointment on the hour from 7:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M. Please call 866-541-3600 and ask for the Lab of Ornithology visitors' rate, or visit the Courtyard by Marriott website.