Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory is located on the wooded north shore of Long Island, 35 miles east of Manhattan in New York City. Long Island is a glacial moraine left by the Ice Age, with islets and natural harbors facing Long Island Sound to the north and expansive beaches facing the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The nearby village of Cold Spring Harbor, a whaling town in the 19th century, attracts weekenders from New York City. Thirty miles east of the Laboratory is the State University of New York at Stony Brook, and ten miles further is the Brookhaven National Laboratory. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory employs more than 900 people, including 45 heads of laboratories, 135 postdoctoral fellows, and 80 graduate students.

The campus. The main campus of the Laboratory is located on 113 acres on the west shore of Cold Spring Harbor. Within five miles of the main campus are the 45-acre Banbury Conference Center, the 12-acre Uplands Farm Agricultural Field Station, the Genome Research Center and, in the village of Cold Spring Harbor, the Dolan DNA Learning Center. On the main campus, more than 40 buildings are devoted to research, education, and residences, as shown on the map The Lay of the Lab. The Laboratory is recognized for the beauty and splendor of its grounds; within minutes, one can leave the intensity of the laboratory environment and relax in beautiful surroundings. The area is a resting spot for migratory birds in the spring and fall, making the Laboratory an excellent place for bird-watching.

Local amenities. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory offers many amenities. It has extensive resources for recreational activities, including a fitness room; pool, table-tennis, and foosball tables; tennis and volleyball courts; a beach for swimming and fishing; sailboats and windsurfers; and many quiet back roads for running or walking. Laboratory staff participate in a summer volleyball league, winter basketball, and weekly soccer games. In March each year, Laboratory employees are invited for a ski trip to the Catskill Mountains. The Laboratory hosts picnics in the summer and indoor parties in the winter. CSHL scientific staff are also welcome to attend distinguished lectures and classical music performances sponsored by the Laboratory for scientists and the neighboring community.

Within one hour of the Laboratory are Manhattan and the magnificent beaches of the south shore of Long Island. New York City offers an extraordinary range of cultural events, shopping opportunities, fine restaurants, and world-famous museums. Theater-goers can enjoy musicals, comedies, and dramas in venues on- and off-Broadway. Music aficionados will find instrumental and vocal performances to suit all tastes, and sports enthusiasts can revel in a wide variety of athletic events. Occasionally, friends of the Laboratory donate tickets for concerts and other events to employees and students of Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory.

Benefits. The Laboratory’s healthcare plan includes coverage for dental and major medical expenses for staff, spouses and children. Subsidized housing on-site and off-site housing is available to graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. The Laboratory has an on-site child care center for pre-school children and provides financial assistance to offset child care costs. Blackford Hall provides dining facilities and an on-campus bar for employees; meals can be purchased by CSHL employees at low cost.