Examine real fossils, engineer a home or express your artistry! Enhance your field trip with these hands-on experiences, designed around New Jersey's curriculum standards.

Workshops are 45 minutes long and are offered Tuesday through Friday. 15-30 students per session; larger groups will be divided into multiple sessions. Minimum group size is 15. Groups of over 200 students cannot be accommodated all on the same day but may be divided into two days if needed.

Reservations and Information: Email njsm.reservations@sos.nj.gov

Cost: $5.00 per student

Junior Paleontologist (Grades 2-8)
New Jersey is a fantastic place to find fossils! We'll explore the state's fossil record through games and examine real fossils - some hundreds of millions of years old.

Wide World of Weather (Grades K-4)
Explore Earth's dynamic weather and climate patterns, and experiment with an electrifying weather phenomenon!

Hearth & Home (Grades 4-8)
Looking to the Lenape for inspiration, student teams construct home models designed to combat the climate challenges of North American ecosystems.

Lenape Artistic Traditions (Grades K-5)
Delve into Delaware Lenape art and cultural expression to connect with New Jersey's first people, past and present.

The New Jersey State Museum welcomes Pre-K visitors with gallery guides specifically designed for them, Planetarium shows appropriate for their age and a special natural sciences play space, Discovery Den, designed just for kids pre-K through 2nd grade. In Discovery Den, explore nature in New Jersey through touchable specimens, games, books, puppets, costumes and more! Maximum 15 students at one time with adult supervision in this self-guided space.

Our guided programs focus on exploring science, art and history with Pre-K & Kindergarteners through creative play, crafts and storytelling.

Workshops are 45 minutes long, and are offered Tuesday through Friday. 15-20 students per workshop session; larger groups will be divided into multiple sessions. Minimum group size is 15.

Reservations and Information: Email njsm.reservations@sos.nj.gov

Cost: $4.00 per student

Dino Motion
Discover how dinosaurs and prehistoric reptiles moved through their environments as we combine science, imaginative play and detective work!

Paint Me a Story
Art and storytelling go hand in hand as we tour the Fine Art gallery and discover how the art on display tells stories and engages our minds and bodies.

Stars & Shapes Forever
Meet our favorite star and the planets that orbit in our solar system, and design your own special planet! Pair a planetarium show like “Little Star that Could” with this workshop (additional cost applies).

The New Jersey State Museum not only collects and preserves the story of New Jersey, we also actively participate in science every day!

Visit the Paleo Lab to take a peek at our latest fossil discoveries! Follow the progress of our scientists and volunteers, preparing fossil specimens from sites in New Jersey, Wyoming and Montana. We invite you to ask questions and observe their work. Open to the public every day, no reservation needed.

Scientist-led talks are 45 minutes with a Q&A session. Ask the Experts Live Science Talks are offered Tuesday-Friday. These talks are appropriate for students in grades 3-12. In person Ask the Experts talks can accommodate groups of up to 150 students. Minimum group size is 15.

Virtual options available - Zoom our expert into YOUR classroom! For better student participation, groups larger than 50 students may wish to split into multiple virtual sessions.

Reservations and Information: Email njsm.reservations@sos.nj.gov

Cost: $5 per student.

People of the Past: Archaeology in New Jersey
How do artifacts help archaeologists understand the lives of prehistoric humans? Archaeologist Dr. Gregory Lattanzi leads this exploration of the unique artifacts found here, and what they tell us about the lifestyle of New Jersey’s first people.

Fossil Hunters in New Jersey
New Jersey abounds with fossils! Paleontologist Dr. Dana Ehret shares exciting fossil discoveries from throughout the state, what fossils tell us about ancient ecosystems, and the challenges paleontologists face in this adventurous field.

The New Jersey State Museum offers students 4 floors of exhibits exploring the Natural and Cultural history of the State, Archaeology and the Lenape people and a remarkable Fine Art collection. Each long-term exhibit gallery offers printed guides for both pre-K and older students to explore on their own.

Groups may also choose to reserve a guided tour of a specific gallery, led by our expert docent corp. Groups larger than 30 students may be split into multiple tours. Minimum group size is 15 students. Cost: FREE, advanced reservations required.

Reservations and Information: Email njsm.reservations@sos.nj.gov

Live theater returns for the 2022/2023 school year with two performance in the spring. We will announce the shows in our newsletter and on social media when they are confirmed.

To reserve a seat in the show, the fee is $5.00 per person (students and chaperones). The theater seats 384 so large groups are easily accommodated.

Reservations are required for all programs and must be made at least 2 weeks (10 business days) in advance. To reserve group programs, email njsm.reservations@sos.nj.gov. Many programs have minimum group sizes for participation; see specific program details for group size requirements.

The Museum requests 1 chaperone per 10 students, to be included in your group count. Chaperones are require to have paid seats in the Planetarium and for Live Theater.

All completed reservations will receive a confirmation and an invoice. If you did not receive these forms please follow up to make sure the reservation was completed. Confirmations contain important information for your visit including bus parking and Museum rules. Please distribute this information to all chaperones and bus drivers.

If you must cancel your field trip, please email njsm.reservations@sos.nj.gov as soon as possible. No refunds will be made if payment has already been processed. However, we will work with you to reschedule your visit, apply payment to a virtual program or receive credit to be used the following school year.

Please Note: All in-person programs are subject to change per COVID-19 health and safety regulations. We reserve the option to reschedule or cancel programs if we are unable to safely serve you.

The Museum is accessible for visitors with special needs. To arrange accommodations for your visit, please contact Diane Watson at (609) 292-5420.

All lunches must be brought – there is no food available to purchase at the Museum.

Lunch bins are available at the main entrance or Planetarium lobby for your group to store lunches and backpacks during your visit. Food and drink, including water bottles, are not permitted in the gallery spaces.

Groups may reserve Riverview Court in advance for brown bag lunches. Contact reservations email njsm.reservations@sos.nj.gov.

Weather permitting, outdoor eating space is available. Picnic tables at the Museum entrance are available on a first come first serve basis. Lawn space is available in front of the Museum, near the Planetarium, or in Capitol Plaza Park located between the State House Annex and the State Library. If you plan to picnic outdoors, please bring blankets for seating and clean up all trash.

Group Payments are required 2 weeks (10 business days) in advance. Groups must pay in one transaction, we do not accept deposits or individual payments. Groups providing a PO within the 2 week deadline will be able to pay in full directly after the field trip date. We accept checks made out to Treasurer, State of New Jersey and mailed to PO Box 530, Trenton NJ 08625 or credit card payment over the phone. We cannot accept credit card payments in person the day of the trip.

Payments MUST be made in full 2 weeks prior to your program date. The Museum reserves the right to cancel non-paid reservations within this 2 week window.

Final head counts, including teachers and chaperones, must be confirmed with the Museum no later than 2 weeks prior to the visit. Refunds will not be issued for decreased attendance; persons added on the day of programs may not be accommodated.

Safety Guidelines
In accordance with the State of New Jersey’s updated guidelines, general masking is not required but recommended based on the CDC’s Community Level data. The Museum’s community is Mercer County.

Guidance for all Community Levels is as follows:

Masks will be available free of charge to both Chaperones and Students upon request.

Please have students organized into groups with chaperones prior to your visit. Your leader should have an accurate count of teachers, students and chaperones, and will be asked to check in at the Information Desk at the main entrance.

Buses must drop off and pick up in front of the Museum on West State Street.

We STRONGLY recommend your group arrive at least 15 minutes before the start of your first activity. This will give you time to check in, drop off lunches and bags in the available bins at the main entrance, and use the restroom.

Planetarium shows begin promptly at the scheduled time; groups arriving late may miss their show. The Museum does its best to accommodate late groups; however, if a conflict with other programs or groups arises, the Museum reserves the right to adjust, change, shorten or cancel the scheduled program. No refunds will be issued for programs missed due to late arrival.

Groups coming from the New Jersey State House tours should allow extra travel time between the Museum and the State House entrance due to ongoing renovations.

Please give a copy of the Bus Map to your driver(s) so they know where to drop off, park and pick up your group.

Buses must park in the lot at the corner of Perry Street and Route 1 (about 1 mile from the Museum).

Metered street parking for cars is available on weekdays, as is parking in paid lots throughout the downtown Trenton area. Limited visitor parking is also available in the State House Parking Garage next door to the Museum with entrances on West State Street.

If your group is coming in separate vehicles, please plan a meeting spot; we suggest the Information desk at the main entrance, or in the Planetarium lobby.

Chaperones are required to remain with their students at all times and are responsible for appropriate behavior.

Leaders should share the day’s learning objectives and itinerary, including program times and locations, with chaperones.

It is the responsibility of the teachers and chaperones to enforce the Museum rules during a visit. These include:

• No food or drinks are allowed in Museum galleries.
• Photography is encouraged; use of flash, tripods, or selfie-sticks is not permitted.
• Use indoor voices and refrain from running in the Museum.
• Students must be accompanied by chaperones at all times.
• Backpacks and large bags must be placed in the bins; small bags may be carried on the chest.
• No touching or writing on artwork, cases or walls in the Museum.