Rainy Day? No Problem! Here is a List of the Best New Jersey Museums
Whether it’s an art museum, science center, or historical site there are plenty of museums in New Jersey to explore. For those looking for a change of pace or just, in general, looking for some culture…here is a list of the best museums in New Jersey.
Due to Covid-19 some of these museums are temporarily closed or have virtual experiences. Please check with the museum before you visit.
The Best Museums in New Jersey:
Let’s start with the largest museum in New Jersey, the Newark Museum. Located at Rutgers University in Newark, the museum holds major collections of American art, decorative arts, contemporary art, and arts of Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the ancient world.
49 Washington St, Newark, NJ
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A museum for all things NJ! TheNew Jersey State Museum is known for engaging visitors of all ages and diverse backgrounds in an exploration of New Jersey’s cultural and natural history.
205 W State St, Trenton, NJ
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Located in Jersey City, the Liberty Science Center is an interactive science museum and learning center located in Liberty State Park. The Science Center houses 12 museum exhibition halls, a live animal collection with 110 species, giant aquariums, a 3D theater, live simulcast surgeries, hurricane- and tornado-force wind simulators, K-12 classrooms and labs, teacher-development programs, and the Western Hemisphere’s biggest planetarium—the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium and LSC Giant Dome Theater.
222 Jersey City Boulevard, Jersey City, NJ
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Actively running since 1913, the Morris Museum is the second largest museum in New Jersey at 75,524 square feet. On September 14, 2019, the Morris Museum announced it will represent the Smithsonian Institution as the sole Smithsonian Affiliate in New Jersey. Their mission is to interpret the past, discovering the future, through Art, Sound, and Motion.
6 Normandy Heights Rd, Morristown, NJ
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Located at Brookdale Community College, the Monmouth Museum presents changing art, history and science exhibitions to educate and entertain while providing a destination for creative expression and life-long learning to the diverse community it serves. The Monmouth Museum serves as a center for education and culture and is one of the largest private museums in New Jersey.
765 Newman Springs Road Building #10, Lincroft, NJ
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If you love airplanes, be sure to check out the Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum located at the Cape May Airport. This unique museum is located inside a real World War II hangar. Explore aviation and military history through hands-on exhibits and fun activities designed for the whole family.
Cape May Airport, 500 Forrestal Rd, Cape May, NJ
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Likewise, the Aviation Hall Of Fame & Museum of New Jersey was founded in 1972 and preserves New Jersey’s aviation and space heritage. The museum displays historic aircraft, space equipment, artifacts, photographs, art, and an aircraft model collection. The library has more than 4,000 volumes and a collection of aviation videos.
400 Fred Wehran Dr, Teterboro, NJ
Since it opened in 1914, the Montclair Art Museum is the first museum in New Jersey that granted access to the public and the first dedicated solely to art. Together with its Vance Wall Art Education Center, its mission is to engage its diverse community through distinctive exhibitions, educational programs, and collections of American and Native American art.
3 S Mountain Ave, Montclair, NJ
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Always free to visit, the Princeton University Art Museum houses over 112,000 works of art ranging from ancient to contemporary, concentrating geographically on the Mediterranean regions, Western Europe, Asia, and the Americas.
Elm Dr, Princeton, NJ
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Take the kiddos to the Garden State Discovery Museum in Cherry Hill. This popular cultural attraction is South Jersey’s largest children’s museum. Since opening in 1994, the Garden State Discovery Museum has continually provided unique experiences where adults and children interact and learn together while exploring high-quality, kid-powered hands-on exhibits.
2040 Springdale Rd #100, Cherry Hill, NJ
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Take a trip back in time to the Old Barracks Museum at the state’s capitol. The Old Barracks Museum preserves the history of a building constructed in 1758 as a French and Indian War military barracks, used as winter quarters for British soldiers. The museum brings the world of colonial America to life through interpretive programs, exhibits, and preservation so that visitors can appreciate New Jersey’s history, the diverse people who made it, and why it matters.
101 Barrack St, Trenton, NJ
Located in LBI, the Museum on NJ Maritime History has an extensive collection of maritime history and artifacts from the entire state of NJ.
528 Dock Rd, Beach Haven, NJ
Located at Kean University, the Liberty Hall Museum was once home to trailblazing governors, congressmen, senators, assembly persons, philanthropists and entrepreneurs. Liberty Hall began welcoming the public to experience its history and participate in its future in the year 2000. The museum has hosted educational programs, concerts, community events, civic ceremonies, and holiday celebrations.
1003 Morris Ave, Union, NJ
The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey is the only African American Heritage Museum in NJ documenting the African American experience of the 20th Century. More than 11,000 treasures showcased on a rotating basis, updated every 30 days. The Museum also provides a collection of Atlantic County soldiers’ memorabilia from World War I to present at the All Wars Memorial Building in Atlantic City.
661 Jackson Rd, Newtonville, NJ
If you’re looking for an interactive, experiential museum devoted to the history and winners of the Grammy Awards – be sure to check out the GRAMMY Museum Experience which opened at the Prudential Center in Newark.
165 Mulberry St, Newark, NJ
And last but not least…
One of the more unique museums in NJ, the Franklin Mineral Museum is a mineral, geology, and mining museum at the former Franklin Mine. The Franklin Mineral Museum has a large mineral collection, a simulated mine tunnel, and Native American artifacts. Visitors are allowed to collect mineral specimens in several areas of the former mine’s tailings.
32 Evans St, Franklin, NJ
