Touch mastadon fossils, visit a working paleontology lab, see world class art, view the cosmos, learn about NJ’s original inhabitants, plus all sorts of inventions from the garden state. I can’t say enough about this free, fun-for-all-ages museum located just across the Delaware River in Trenton (if you cross the Lower Trenton bridge from Morrisville you’ll drive right along the “Trenton Makes/The World Takes” sign).

Of course, the biggest hit with kids of all ages is the fossil area. It’s here you can touch the fossils, learn about NJ’s ancient sharks (Collecting Shark’s Teeth and Other Fossils in New Jersey), visit the working paleontology lab, learn about NJ’s state dinosaur (Hadrosaurus Foulki: The World’s First Dinosaur), and view the world’s first known carnivorous dinosaur posed in a re-creation of Charles Knight’s groundbreaking 1897 painting.

The fine art collection was an unexpected treat, highlighting the work of NJ artists and works depicting NJ scenes and events. So many favorites… Horrace Pippin, Georgia O’Keefe, Alexander Calder, Jacob Lawrence, Louis Comfort Tiffany, plus great works by people I’d never heard of including this painting of the Hindenburg explosion (“Oh, the Humainty…” – an Explosive ending to Airship Travel).

New Jersey is one of the few states to display its Civil War flags, making this a unique opportunity to learn about NJ’s role in the war. On display are 5 flags from the museum’s collection of over 100 flags belonging to NJ’s military units, as well as several captured Confederate battle flags. Flags on exhibit rotate twice a year and are displayed along with information and memorabilia.

From railroad ties and pottery to boats and toys and furniture, the top floor of the museum is devoted to artifacts illustrating stories of NJ industry and people.

Several rooms on the ground floor focus on Native Americans and their relationship with European settlers. The museum has a collection of over 2 million artifacts, making this the top research collection of regional prehistory.

There is also a gallery with temporary exhibitions, which during our 2023 visit was “History Beneath Our Feet: Archaeology of a Capital City,” illustrating how archaeologists recover stories of people and events lost to time. Highlighting NJ laws requiring archaeological surveys (the museum IS located next to the law makers in the state capital building…), The exhibit focused on 10 specific sites: why the digs occurred, what was uncovered, and what was learned.

The attached planetarium has a rotating selection of shows, but check the daily schedule since it’s only open to the public when not in use by school groups. Unlike the rest of the museum, there is a fee for the planetarium (but definitely check out the futuristic architecture even if not seeing a show).

Tip: If you like Victorian architecture walk across State Street where several buildings still have their 19th century doors, hardware, and this amazing entry mosaic. The bed exhibited in the museum came from #204 (the one with the lion heads).

The museum has lots of field trip opportunities!