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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
June 17-19 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

2:30 pm  Worlds Beyond Earth

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June 20 2025

Museum Closed

Museum Closed June 20th in observation of Juneteenth

Touch the Stars
June 21-22 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

Touch the Stars
June 24-27 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

2:30 pm  Worlds Beyond Earth

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June 28 2025

Science Under the Stars: How Black Holes Light Up Their Surroundings

Speaker: Zachary Gelles, Princeton University
Join us to learn what black holes are, how they can be used as engines for astrophysical jets, and about future plans to upgrade telescopes to enable astrophysicists to see jets in the universe with unprecedented precision.
Reserve your seat.

Touch the Stars
June 28-29 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

Touch the Stars
June 28-29 2025

Spanish Language Planetarium Program

Touch the Stars
July 1-3 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

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July 4 2025

Museum Closed

Museum Closed July 4th for Independence Day

Touch the Stars
July 5-6 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

Touch the Stars
July 8-11 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

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July 9 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Build Your Own Horseshoe Crab

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July 10 2025

Gallery cart activity

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Ecosystems at Risk gallery

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July 11 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Landscape Collage

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July 12 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

10:30 am - 12:30 pm

Hello Lighthouse by Sophie Blackall. Lighthouse keeper and his family as he tends the light from dawn to dusk through the seasons, spanning time. After reading, we will create a lighthouse with construction paper.

Touch the Stars
July 12-13 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

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July 13 2025

Science Under the Stars: Let there be light - how spectroscopy connects us with the universe

4:15 pm

Join us in the Planetarium on Sunday (instead of Saturday!) for this free talk with Dr. Ben Zhang, Princeton University.
In an intergenerational relay spanning three centuries, craftsmen, philosophers, teachers, explorers, and publishers around the world revealed a wealth of information contained in sunlight and starlight, telling a story of the universe that goes far beyond what meets the eye. Along the way, they also changed our concept of vision itself. Today, scientists have even more sophisticated ways of using light, or radiation, to study the material world. They work every day to unravel the mysteries of everything from invisible germs to distant exoplanets.
Reserve your seat.

Touch the Stars
July 15-18 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

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July 15 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Powwow Day by Traci Sorell. Learn about the story of a girl named River who attends a Powwow celebration with her community. After reading, we will make a powwow inspired drum.

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July 16 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

DIY Binoculars

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July 17 2025

Gallery cart activity

12:00 – 2:00 pm

A Much Moved People gallery

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July 18 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Kinetic Sculpture

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July 19 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

10:30 am - 12:30 pm

Powwow Day by Traci Sorell. Learn about the story of a girl named River who attends a Powwow celebration with her community. After reading, we will make a powwow inspired drum.

Touch the Stars
July 19-20 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

Touch the Stars
July 22-25 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

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July 22 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Windblown by Édouard Manceau is an imaginative story of how a handful of paper scraps can become different animals. After reading the book, we will create a collage of our own using paper shapes.

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July 23 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Make a Paper Plate Seashell

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July 24 2025

Gallery Cart Activity

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Pretty Big Things gallery

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July 25 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Monoprinting with Gel Plates

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July 26 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

10:30 am - 12:30 pm

Windblown by Édouard Manceau is an imaginative story of how a handful of paper scraps can become different animals. After reading the book, we will create a collage of our own using paper shapes.

Touch the Stars
July 26-27 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

Touch the Stars
July 26-27 2025

Spanish Language Planetarium Program

Touch the Stars
July 29-31 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

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July 29 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

12:00 – 2:00 pm

A Gull’s Story by Frank Finale tells the tale of a seagull family and their adventures along the Jersey Shore. After the story, we will create a paper plate seagulls.

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July 30 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Make a Star Clock

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July 31 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Recent Acquisitions gallery

Touch the Stars
August 1 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

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August 1 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Watercolor Op Art

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August 2 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

10:30 am - 12:30 pm

A Gull’s Story by Frank Finale tells the tale of a seagull family and their adventures along the Jersey Shore. After the story, we will create a paper plate seagulls.

Touch the Stars
August 2-3 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

Touch the Stars
August 5-8 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

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August 5 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Orion and the Dark by Emma Yartlett. A boy named Orion faces his fears and realizes the dark can be fun and magical. After the story, we will create a night sky craft.

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August 6 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Build Your Own Planet

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August 7 2025

Gallery Cart Activity

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Planetarium lobby

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August 8 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Abstract Mini Paintings

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August 9 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

10:30 am - 12:30 pm

Orion and the Dark by Emma Yartlett. A boy named Orion faces his fears and realizes the dark can be fun and magical. After the story, we will create a night sky craft.

Touch the Stars
August 9-10 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

Touch the Stars
August 12-15 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

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August 12 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

12:00 – 2:00 pm

My Hands Sing the Blues by Jeanne Walker Harvey is a story of African American artist Romare Bearden’s childhood journey from North Carolina to Harlem during the Great Migration. After reading about the artist, we will create a collage inspired by his artwork.

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August 13 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Sand Art Earth

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August 14 2025

Gallery Cart Activity

12:00 – 2:00 pm

A Much Moved People gallery

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August 15 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Silhouette Lighthouse

planetary
August 16 2025

Planetary Defenders – Exclusive showing!

4:15 pm – 6:00 pm

Join us for an exclusive free showing of NASA’s brand-new original documentary “Planetary Defenders,” which dives into the high-stakes world of asteroid detection and planetary defense. Journey alongside a team of astronomers and scientists working tirelessly to track and monitor near-Earth asteroids, aiming to protect our planet from potential impacts. This documentary captures the efforts of these unsung heroes, blending cutting-edge science with personal stories to reveal the human spirit behind this critical endeavor. Witness the drama, the challenges, and the triumphs of those on the front lines of planetary defense. After the movie there will be time for Q & A. Please note: Movie run time is 1 hour, 15 minutes. Suitable for General Audiences.

Reserve your seat.

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August 16 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

10:30 am - 12:30 pm

My Hands Sing the Blues by Jeanne Walker Harvey is a story of African American artist Romare Bearden’s childhood journey from North Carolina to Harlem during the Great Migration. After reading about the artist, we will create a collage inspired by his artwork.

Touch the Stars
August 16-17 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

Touch the Stars
August 19-22 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

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August 19 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

12:00 – 2:00 pm

When You Find the Right Rock by Mary Lyn Ray and Felicita Sala is an exploration that connects us to nature, is about collections, and finding that special rock. After the story we will decorate a box to start our own rock collection.

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August 20 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Building Bridges

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August 21 2025

Gallery Cart Activity

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Written in the Rocks gallery

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August 22 2025

Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Aurora Art

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August 23 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

10:30 am - 12:30 pm

When You Find the Right Rock by Mary Lyn Ray and Felicita Sala is an exploration that connects us to nature, is about collections, and finding that special rock. After the story we will decorate a box to start our own rock collection.

Touch the Stars
August 23-24 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

Touch the Stars
August 23-24 2025

Spanish Language Planetarium Program

Touch the Stars
August 26-29 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekdays

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August 26 2025

Story Time & a Craft, Discovery Den

12:00 – 2:00 pm

How to Catch a Star by Oliver Jeffers is about a boy who is obsessed with stars and would like to catch his own. After the story, we will make a craft with a night sky theme.

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August 27 2025

Free Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Basket Making

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August 28 2025

Gallery Cart Activity

12:00 – 2:00 pm

American Perspectives gallery

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August 29 2025

Free Drop-in Activity, Imagination Studio

12:00 – 2:00 pm

Flower Painting

Touch the Stars
August 30-31 2025

Planetarium Schedule Weekends

Upcoming Events

Science Under the Stars: How Black Holes Light Up Their Surroundings

Small Explorers

June 28, 4:15 pm

Speaker: Zachary Gelles, Princeton University
Black holes are the sites of extreme gravitational forces – they suck in matter and never let it back out. But under the right conditions, a black hole can actually power the reverse process, shooting matter outwards at incredibly high speeds and lighting up the black hole’s vicinity. These so-called “jets” are some of the brightest, most powerful objects in the universe and have been observed in numerous galaxies to date. In this free lecture, join us to learn what black holes are and how they can be used as engines for these astrophysical jets. Zach will explain how we observe the jets and what we can learn from them. Finally, we will hear about future plans to upgrade telescopes and enable astrophysicists to see jets in the universe with unprecedented precision.
Reserve your seat.

Summer Programs

Small Explorers

July 8 – August 29

This summer enjoy free activities on weekdays, all summer long. The complete listing of scheduled programs is available on the Events/Calendar page. Each weekday will have a different program as described below.

  • Story time and a craft: Tuesdays from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm, repeated on Saturdays from 10:30 am – 12:30 pm. Each week a different book and craft will be featured. Visitors can bring their young children to hear a story, then stay and make the related craft. Program begins July 8 and runs through August 26.
  • Drop-in Activities: Wednesdays and Fridays between 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm, visit the Imagination Studio on the Museum’s lower level for a make-and-take craft. The crafts are suitable for most ages, offering families and individuals a fun opportunity to be creative. Program runs July 9 – August 29.
  • Gallery cart activities: Thursdays from 12:00 noon – 2:00 pm, the Museum mobile cart will be in a featured gallery with fun, hands-on activities related to the exhibitions. Program runs July 10 – August 28.

Science Under the Stars: Let there be light - how spectroscopy connects us with the universe

Science Under the Stars

Sunday, July 13, 4:15PM

Join us in the Planetarium on Sunday (instead of Saturday!) for this free talk with Dr. Ben Zhang, Princeton University.
In an intergenerational relay spanning three centuries, craftsmen, philosophers, teachers, explorers, and publishers around the world revealed a wealth of information contained in sunlight and starlight, telling a story of the universe that goes far beyond what meets the eye. Along the way, they also changed our concept of vision itself. Today, scientists have even more sophisticated ways of using light, or radiation, to study the material world. They work every day to unravel the mysteries of everything from invisible germs to distant exoplanets.
Reserve your seat.

Planetary Defenders – Exclusive showing!

Planetary Defenders

August 16, 4:15 pm – 6:00 pm

Join us for an exclusive free showing of NASA’s brand-new original documentary “Planetary Defenders,” which dives into the high-stakes world of asteroid detection and planetary defense. Journey alongside a team of astronomers and scientists working tirelessly to track and monitor near-Earth asteroids, aiming to protect our planet from potential impacts. This documentary captures the efforts of these unsung heroes, blending cutting-edge science with personal stories to reveal the human spirit behind this critical endeavor. Witness the drama, the challenges, and the triumphs of those on the front lines of planetary defense. After the movie there will be time for Q & A. Please note: Movie run time is 1 hour, 15 minutes. Suitable for General Audiences.

Reserve your seat.

Small Explorers Program

Small Explorers Series

Update June 2025: Our Small Explorers sessions have ended for the season. We look forward to launching a new season of learning in the fall. Look for updates to our schedule and registration process over the summer. If you have participated in the past or been added to our mailing list you will receive an email with the details for the new season. Families are welcome to help us plan for the new season by completing this survey.

The Small Explorers program is for families with children up to 5 years old. They meet in the Discovery Den monthly. This playgroup is an opportunity to explore the Museum with your child and connect with other families for support. If you are not on our mailing list but would like to learn more please contact Amy Stevens at amy.stevens@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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