When Art Meets the Jurassic Era: A Day at the NJ State Museum

In a time of the Jurassic rebirth it’s exciting when you stumble across others who are also interested in the world of dinosaurs. So when I heard about the New Jersey State Museum having the ‘written in the rocks’ exhibit I was very excited to check it out.

The museum mentioned the exhibit would display many fossils found in New Jersey. One of which being the Dryptosaurus (DRIP-toe-SORE-us).

The Dryptosaurus is New Jersey and the worlds first carnivorous dinosaur. The Dryptosauras is a cousin of the T-Rex. They both share their short arm feature. But the Dryptosaurus though, features larger hands then it’s cousin even though smaller in size. This feature and all its features can be viewed for, the dinosaur, is on display at the museum, along with many other interesting fossils found in New Jersey. You can even watch the paleontologists at work on certain days in the museum. They have a window into their lab for you to witness, at the moment, the unearthing of a triceratops. These remains, which were excavated by the Bighorn Basin Dinosaur Project in Wyoming. What is incredible about this project is you too can volunteer on it. They have information at the museum on how you can participate during the summer to help.

But the museums wonder doesn’t end there. I went for the dinosaur but left with so much more. This tiny museum has much to offer. They have a planetarium that is open with a variety of shows on Saturday and Sunday, as well as floors filled with so much more to see. There is a floor filled with art from long gone artists and current ones. Which hail mostly from the area and those surrounding us. The art ranges from sculptures to paintings to photography; all worthy of recognition. Some even depict life in New Jersey such as the shore and our culture. There are even some well known artists on display for you to see.

The museum its self was that of a surprise. I went for one purpose and left thoroughly impressed with what it had to offer. They had some artifacts from our history as a state and a country, as well as many informative rooms. The best part was that they made it accessible to all ages. They’ve incorporated many hands on features. Every room you entered had something to engage you. From making your own friendship quilt pattern to your own seal to touching some artifacts. They really made it fun and educational.

So if you are looking to check out one of these exhibits I spoke about, or had a day to explore, the New Jersey State Museum, in Trenton, is definitely worth a gander. I saw things I went for and things I never thought to even look for. It truly was an informative and very exciting trip. And yet another reason why there is mystery and adventure right around the corner.