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Department of State

New Jersey State Museum

The Hon. Tahesha Way, Lt. Governor and Secretary of State
Galaxy

Events At The Museum

Events Calendar

Touch the Stars
December 16-19 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

holiday-card
December 19 2025

Winter Break Drop-in Activity

11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Imagination Studio

Holiday card making.

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December 20 2025

Small Explorers Story Time - Free

10:00 am

Join us in Discovery Den to hear a story and make a craft to take home. Story Time is for children ages 2-8 and their caregivers. This month we’re reading “Over and Under the Snow” by Kate Messner. Under the snow exists a secret kingdom of squirrels and snow hares, bears and bullfrogs, and many other animals that live through the winter safe and warm, awake and busy, under the snow. Following the story, will be a related craft. Explore New Jersey wildlife in Written in the Rocks: Fossil Tales of New Jersey.

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December 20 2025

Science Under the Stars
An Astronomer’s View on Climate: Milankovitch Cycles

4:15 pm

Speaker: Dr. Jacob Hamer, NJ State Museum Assistant Curator of Planetarium Education

Join us in the Planetarium for this free talk. Over the last 800,000 years glacial ice caps miles deep advanced and retreated across North America at least eight times. These cyclic changes in Earth climate are connected to small cyclic variations in Earth’s orbit called Milankovitch cycles. Join us in the planetarium to hear about how astronomy and climate science are intimately connected, and how New Jersey rocks have something to say about these cycles! Save a .

Touch the Stars
December 20-21 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

Touch the Stars
December 20-21 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends - Spanish Language Shows

sun-wheel
December 23 2025

Winter Break Drop-in Activity

11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Imagination Studio

Winter Solstice sun wheel craft.

Touch the Stars
December 23-24 2025

Holiday Shows

11:00 am  Season of Light

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December 24 2025

Museum is closing at 1:00 pm

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December 25 2025

Museum Closed for Christmas

snowflake
December 26 2025

Winter Break Drop-in Activity

11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Imagination Studio

Build a snowflake science craft.

Touch the Stars
December 26,
30-31
2025
constellation-lantern
December 27 2025

Winter Break Drop-in Activity

11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Imagination Studio

Make a constellation lantern.

Touch the Stars
December 27-28 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

snowy-owl
December 30 2025

Winter Break Drop-in Activity

11:00 am – 1:00 pm
Imagination Studio

Snowy Owl craft.

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December 30 2025

Civil War Flags Unveiling

10:00 am

In the American Civil War, flags guided troops into battle and served as symbolic emblems of dedication, pride and patriotism. Join flag historian Dr. David Martin and Curator of Cultural History Nicholas Ciotola for the history of five new flags to be unveiled in the New Jersey State Museum exhibition, The Civil War Flag Collection of New Jersey. Event is free and open to the public

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January 8 2026

Teen Art Hour

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Free afterschool art program for teens (14+)

Learn how to make your own sketchbook to take home using hand bookmaking techniques.

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February 12 2026

Teen Art Hour

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Free afterschool art program for teens (14+)

Celebrating Black artists in our collection, we’ll explore the work of Jacob Lawrence and Horace Pippin with painting of everyday life.

Upcoming Events

Small Explorers Story Time

Science Under the Stars

3rd Saturday of every month, 10:00 am

Join us in Discovery Den every 3rd Saturday of the month to hear a story and make a craft to take home. Story Time is designed for children ages 2-8 and their caregivers. Families are encouraged to explore the galleries on their own after the program. Pick up a Small Explorers gallery cards throughout the Museum.

Dec. 20, reading “Over and Under the Snow” by Kate Messner, illustrator Christopher Silas Neal
Jan. 17, reading “What Can a Citizen Do?” by Dave Eggers and Shawn Harris
Feb. 21, reading “Jake Makes a World” by Sharifa Rhodes-Pitts, illustrated by Christopher Myers

Winter Break Drop-in Activities

Science Under the Stars

Imagination Studio
11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Beginning Friday, 12/19, the Museum will offer free drop-in activities from 11:00 am - 1:00 pm on select days during the winter break.

Activity schedule: 12/19 - Holiday card making 12/23 - Winter Solstice sun wheel craft 12/26 - Build a snowflake science craft 12/27 - Make a constellation lantern 12/30 - Snowy owl craft

Science Under the Stars

Science Under the Stars

An Astronomer’s View on Climate: Milankovitch Cycles
December 20, 4:15 pm

Join us in the Planetarium for this free talk. Over the last 800,000 years glacial ice caps miles deep advanced and retreated across North America at least eight times. These cyclic changes in Earth climate are connected to small cyclic variations in Earth’s orbit called Milankovitch cycles. Join us in the planetarium to hear about how astronomy and climate science are intimately connected, and how New Jersey rocks have something to say about these cycles! Save a .

Civil War Flags Unveiling

Civil War Flags Unveiling

December 30, 10:00 am

In the American Civil War, flags guided troops into battle and served as symbolic emblems of dedication, pride and patriotism. Join flag historian Dr. David Martin and Curator of Cultural History Nicholas Ciotola for the history of five new flags to be unveiled in the New Jersey State Museum exhibition, The Civil War Flag Collection of New Jersey. Event is free and open to the public.

Small Explorers Learning Together

Small Explorers Series

Small Explorers Learning Together is the Museum’s program for families with children ages 1-5. Hundreds of families have experienced the magic of exploring the Museum in these sessions and now you can too! Two classes are offered each month, the 2nd Saturday or the following Thursday, at 9:30 am and are limited to 20 children per class. Classes meets in our Discovery Den play space and begins with an interactive story time. Families move together to playfully explore a gallery and end in our classroom space with thematic activity stations including a craft to take home. Classes are designed to maximize caregiver-child interaction and connect with a community of families to share in exploration. Each class is 45 minutes long and meet October to June.

Cost: Classes are $20 per child, each additional sibling receives a 20% discount. Caregivers attend free. New Jersey State Museum Foundation members receive 10% off. Tickets for each session are sold on Humanitix, links will shared on the Museum’s Events Calendar.

If you are not on our mailing list but would like to learn more please register with this link. If you have additional questions contact Devra.Hock-Reid@sos.nj.gov.

Event Rentals

The New Jersey State Museum is a wonderful setting for your special event with changing exhibits that can provide a unique backdrop for any occasion. The Museum is ideally located in the State Capital Complex in Trenton, and offers a one-of-a-kind venue with incredible architecture and beautiful views of the Delaware River. For rates and availability, please view our rental information or email Rentals.NJSM@sos.nj.gov.

Available Rental spaces:

First Floor West Gallery
Riverview Court

This exceptional space is an ideal setting for buffet receptions, intimate sit-down dinners, business seminars and more. Available evenings and weekends only.

Auditorium
Auditorium

The 384-seat Auditorium is available for a wide variety of lectures, conferences, movie premieres, theater performances and more.

Additional rental spaces

 

 

 


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