With 80 galleries and an art collection gathered from around the world, the Newark Museum is considered the largest museum in New Jersey. With its amazing collection and various activities for all ages, the Newark Museum is a great place to bring your family and to  enjoy and appreciate art and different cultures while having a great time.

In the art galleries, there are pieces of art from Africa, Asia, America and the Native Americans. There is also classical art from Mediterranean cultures, and contemporary art from the mid-1980s onward. The museum also includes the original Ballantine house, a landmark Victorian home in Newark. Visitors can walk through the house and see how each room looked back in the 1800s and also admire its functional art, which includes pieces like vases, furniture, and jewelry.

In addition to enjoying the many art galleries, the Newark Museum is also a great place because there are many activities. For children, there are interactive galleries. For instance, the museum has an exhibit on science where children may look, touch, and activate things to see how the world of science works. For teens, there are workshops where participants can work with a professional artist to develop their arts skills. Also, in the summer, there is Saturday classes and camping programs for kids and teens. There are also activities adults may enjoy too.  There are art workshops that adults may attend and in the summer, the museum will offer live jazz in the garden and a Black Film Festival, which will show films that reflect the full diversity of the black experience in America, from the past and present.

A day at the museum also includes a tour of the first firehouses that ever existed in Newark. The Newark Museum also offers a planetarium where families may enjoy the science of astrology. There are also science exhibits, a fitness generation section, and an outdoor garden.

Sophomore English teacher, Alyssa Schlossberg, visited the museum last year with her family. She says that it’s a “hidden gem,” and that it’s “truly beautiful.” She also states that her younger cousin had her wedding there, and that it was beautiful as well.

For spring break, this trip is the perfect place for any family. The museum is in Newark’s Downtown/Arts district at 49 Washington Street, Newark, NJ. The suggested admission price is $10, but because the museum receiveds government funding, anyone may enter by offering any donation, even just $1. On the website at www.NewarkMuseum.org, you can also find more information on activities and exhibits  and upcoming events.