The Newark Museum of Art

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Must-Visit Gem in Newark — The Newark Museum of Art! 🎨✨ So, my cousin called me on a random weekday asking if I could do her a favor — be the auntie-on-duty and chaperone my niece’s school field trip since the parents weren’t available. I checked my calendar, saw a free day, and immediately said, “Yes, I’m in!” Come Wednesday morning, I met my niece at her school, hopped on the school bus with the students, and off we went to The Newark Museum of Art around 9 a.m. Everything was impressively organized — from check-in to the tour itself. The museum staff and tour guides were friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate about art and history. They walked us through each section, explaining the cultural background, artistic value, and historical stories behind every exhibit. I genuinely learned so much and gained a deeper appreciation for both global and local art. As someone who loves visiting art museums, I was amazed to see familiar pieces I’d once seen at the Atlanta Art Museum — right here in New Jersey! It’s like art finds a way to connect us wherever we go. The museum is very accessible and family-friendly. Parking was convenient, ramps and facilities were well-designed for visitors with disabilities, and all directions were clearly provided. Just a tip: book your tickets in advance, especially if you’re coming as a group of 10 or more. It saves you time and ensures a smooth experience. Due to privacy and safety, I didn’t take many photos inside since I was focused on keeping the kids safe, but trust me — the visuals, the vibe, and the educational experience are unforgettable. If you haven’t been, find time to visit The Newark Museum of Art. It’s a great opportunity to immerse yourself in art, culture, and history — and to truly understand the stories behind each masterpiece. Whether you’re a parent, educator, or just an art lover like me, this place is absolutely worth it! 💡 Highly recommended for school trips, families, or anyone looking to reconnect with creativity and culture right here in Newark.

Nice museum. The preservation of the Ballantine house as part of the museum is an interesting way to combine and preserve the historic house. The detailed woodwork was great to see. On the top floor of the museum there was also a piece from George Nakashima. I have seen pictures of his work before but it was the first time I saw one in person. The planetarium was unfortunately closed when I visited. I also really liked the colorful glassware.

Came to the Newark Museum of Art for their Art After Dark: Drip & Dagger event. This was my very first time ever getting to explore the Newark Museum of Art. My favorite part of the event was getting to tour the Ballantine House and getting to do the escape room during the event. They also have quite a few art installations to check out. Coming to one of there events was a good opportunity to see the Newark Museum. I noticed that they always have something going on at the museum. There are activities for the kiddos as well as adults. If you are looking for things to do around Jersey I definitely suggest checking out the Newark Museum of Art and looking at their social media page for upcoming events.

This is a great museum. It has three floors and a lot of different exhibits like native artists of North America innovators of the southwestern jewelry, the ballantin house, art of global Asia, Tibetan alters, Buddhist, and many more. They do have a small eatery. I didn't try it. I instead went outside to eat and then returned to finish the museum. The planetarium doesn't open until late November so I will be going back to check it out. I payed 10.60 with a student discount, if not it's 12 something. Overall, it's a great place to visit, catch up on history and see things from all over the world. It's also cute for kids because they have interactive activities for them.

Really well curated museum. Perhaps because it is relatively small, each gallery/room/exhibit is so well done. For example, in the Ballantine house (which is gorgeous) there is a room with a billiards table. And there is an audio track playing softly the sounds of a game of pool being played. So you really feel immersed. In the mammals area there are some fantastic, interactive exhibits that made me sorry that my kids were now adults (although my daughter, now in college, still partook) you can draw and color a sea creature and have it appear animated on this HUGE 3-wall- wide screen. And there is a "cave" where you can identify different cave drawings. Everything worked really smoothly. And the technology enhanced rather than distracted from the experience. There is also a very nice gift shop!

With a few hours to spare before leaving Newark, I slipped into the Museum of Contemporary Art—and it turned out to be time exceptionally well spent. I meandered from gallery to gallery, first soaking in bold American contemporary works, then unexpectedly pausing before early Mediterranean artifacts. In another space, a wall of 19th-century slave advertisements confronted me with the stark reality of people bought and sold little more than a century ago—an arresting reminder of history’s proximity. One room dazzled with explosions of color; the next offered a contemplative display of African art. In the span of a short visit, the museum delivered a remarkable breadth of art and emotion, transforming a quick stop into a far richer journey.

Newark Museum was wonderful. The exhibits are outstanding. They had a excellent collection of topics represented by the material on display. The café had great coffee and the museum was not very crowded. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

Had an amazing time here celebrating my Twinny 's TINA Birthday ... The Made us so comfortable ... The hospitality was out of this world. They took care of each of us during the fun activities and we got to leave with a beautiful kente cloth ♥️🖤💚 It was a great time had by all. Felt like it was all of our birthdays 😀

Came to the Newark Museum of Art for their Art After Dark: Drip & Dagger event. This was my very first time ever getting to explore the Newark Museum of Art. My favorite part of the event was getting to tour the Ballantine House and getting to do the escape room during the event. They also have quite a few art installations to check out. Coming to one of there events was a good opportunity to see the Newark Museum. I noticed that they always have something going on at the museum. There are activities for the kiddos as well as adults. If you are looking for things to do around Jersey I definitely suggest checking out the Newark Museum of Art and looking at their social media page for upcoming events.

Such an extraordinary museum!! Came on a week where it was free entrance and I absolutely loved how historical this place was. So many different parts of history were shown with very detailed descriptions. You definitely find yourself spending many hours learning and consuming what's presented. Chairs are provided all around the museum, it was well kept up and staff was especially friendly when it came to informing certain pieces, they seemed very knowledgeable about these items. Will 100% come back and I recommend this place to locals and visitors.

Impressed with local museum . Enjoyed the planetarium show. Great for children. Exhibits were nice. Eat access. Good cafe. Reasonable pricing especially if you buy yearly pass .

Enjoyed seeing and learning history .. lots of different exhibits. Definitely a museum worth visiting .

The Newark Museum of Art was established in 1909 and has occupied the neoclassical building on Harriet Tubman Square (formerly, Washington Park) since the 1920s. The museum incorporates space in several adjacent buildings -- the original 1920s structure, the former YMCA building, and the historic (and allegedly haunted) 1890s Ballantine House. The museum's art collection is broad (if not particularly deep) and contains a wide range of American art, African art, and a surprisingly large collection of Asian art. There is also an extensive natural science display -- with 170,000 objects including exotic seashells and minerals to a mastodon skeleton and animal specimens. Most of the museum's art is housed in the North Wing. The first floor is dedicated to American artists with a collection that runs the gamut from portraits by Colonial and Federal artists, Hudson River landscape paintings, folk art; the second floor is dedicated to contemporary art from emerging artists; and the third floor houses the extensive Asian collection including a full Tibetian Buddhist altar. Although the museum's collection features pieces from well-known American artists including Andy Warhol, Edward Hopper, and Georgia O'Keeffe, as well as pieces created by lesser-known local and emerging artists and the museum's artist-in-residence, it isn't overwhelming and it's easy to cover it all in about two hours. During our visit in December 2024, I was disappointed that many of the exhibits -- including the Newark Fire Museum and the Old Stone School House in the museum's outdoor space -- were closed. The museum is closed Monday through Wednesday. Admission is free for residents of Newark; admission is $10 for non-residents and must be purchased on the EventBrite app (which tacks on $2.51 per ticket for tax and an administrative fee). Pro Tip #1: Don't drive to the museum. The museum no longer offers on-site parking since the latest expansion project started in January 2025. Metered street parking is available in the neighborhood. Bring change or use the ParkMobile app for the meters ($1 per hour; maximum of 2 hours) Monday through Saturday from 8am til 6PM; all street parking is free Monday through Saturday after 6pm and all day on Sunday. Take Newark Light Rail to the Washington Park station located one block from the museum or take New Jersey Transit to the Newark Broad Street Station located two blocks from the museum. Pro Tip #2: The museum is available for rent to host private events, such as weddings and corporate events in a variety of indoor and outdoor spaces including the Beaux-Arts Engelhard Court and the modern Billy Johnson Auditorium.

Def a hidden gem in Newark. Free if you're a Newark resident or employee. Located near the university heights area and downtown. There are three floors and a lot to see throughout all. A lot of Newark specific history that covers different populations and periods of time. It's clean and easy to flow at your own pace. I loved the interactive wall on the 3rd floor. You color in a picture of a fish, turtle, or shark, then it gets scanned and applied to the interactive all! So cool! They have a cafe but no real food options, but it's walking distance to Halsey street which has a few options. Highly recommended for those looking for a past time!

A medium sized art museum that you can indulge for 2 hours without getting overwhelmed. During our visit the Ballantine House was closed. The South Wing is mainly staff offices; so that leaves only the North Wing (main building in the middle). There are 3 floors of exhibits in the North Wing. First floor focuses on 18th and 19th century America, composed mainly of recent African American and Indian American arts and artifacts. Second floor is a bit more light, with a lot of abstract art. The third floor houses Asian collections mostly from Japan, China, Tibet, and India. I'd definitely recommend coming on a Sunday. If nothing else, street parking would be free. We were able to park directly across the street from the museum!

I went to the museum for an event. It was my first time there. It is a really nice space. It's by no means huge but it has a really nice character about it. And have some really nice artwork by I'm assuming some local artists. It's on a main strip. I went in the evening but I would imagine parking could be rough in the day. There's a nice atrium which is sunken. Makes for a really cool event space. The staff was friendly and the event was really nice. I would return

This was a great place to spend an afternoon. The layout of the space is a little confusing, so be sure not to miss any rooms. I was a little bummed that sections were closed off so I didn't get to see as much as I could have. However, there was still so much there to enjoy. The descriptions of the artwork were very interesting and informative. I really loved the Arts of Global Asia rooms and the Tibetan Buddhist Altar, which has been blessed by the Dalai Lama himself. It's kind of amazing this stuff is in a museum in Newark. Parking wasn't difficult- we got a spot on the street the museum is on. It's definitely worth a visit!

This is a really nice museum inside with some priceless artworks and artifacts. Even better is that they provide free entry to Newark residents. There are multiple floors with multiple wings separating the exhibits. They have a nice courtyard out back with a historic school house where you can get some fresh air and sit in the shade. You can spend half a day here looking at all the exhibits.

The Newark Museum of Art has a fascinating combination of art and science. As a Rutgers Newark student, I receive free admission with my RUID so I wind up returning to this museum once almost every semester. My family members received free admission today through Bank of America's Museum on Us program. I appreciate the thoughtfulness of the exhibits: The Seeing America exhibit on the first floor was closed today and will reopen starting March 9, with the addition of slavery and Black and Indigenous history. I also previously saw the Carlos Villa exhibit, which also incorporated the story of local Filipino Americans through the recording of their oral histories. A few pieces of the Carlos Villa exhibit are still available at the Museum, including a video of what the full exhibit looked like. My favorite exhibit today was Sketch Aquarium: Connected World, where you can draw your own sea creatures and have it join the underwater digital aquarium. The Museum provides you with a paper with an outline of a sea creature -- there are various ones to choose from: my group picked seahorse, shark, and squid. We used the crayons provided by the Museum to color them as we wished, scanned them, and then immediately saw them join the other sea creatures in the aquarium! I had fun watching our seahorse, shark, and squid swimming around, especially since they are programmed to act exactly as how those animals would act in reality: The shark quickly swam around the entire aquarium, while the squid and seahorse took their sweet old time to swim around. Definitely an enjoyable activity for all ages that is available until May 26. The Museum has events on the weekend that is typically free with general admission. It also has a planetarium: We watched the program and then had a lesson about the constellations visible tonight at a certain time by a friendly and knowledgeable staff member. The Museum's permanent exhibits include art from various Asian countries, and its Tibetan collection is the largest in North America. Among my favorites from this section are the Tibetan Buddhist altar and Nam June Paik's "Spinning Buddha." Regrettably, the Ballantine House is closed for restoration until Fall 2023, but the Museum has enough to occupy your time. I recommend that you schedule at least two hours for a visit.

Hi my names is Katherine Mary, me and my little Karen went to the mesuem and it was great till we went to the ballentine house we saw ghosts wich was unectapleble please get the ghost busters and get off your asses but anyway it was okay my Karen wrote a review at the place so enjoy it everyone and i hope you have an amazing day Love yours truly Katherine mary

Great museum in the Newark area. Loved the exhibits on African culture and history. The Ballentine House was a great added bonus to the entire experience.

I am ASTONISHED at this HIDDEN GEM! Very underrated and with some 4-floors and several wings there is a broad selection of works and areas to experience. European, Americas, Asia, Pacific.... My only criticism is that each area has a fairly shallow and broad treatment. But in a sense that makes it a GREAT place for an INTRODUCTION to all of these areas of art and culture. Perfect for teens or pre-teens that DONT need to see 10 rooms of Chagall from birth to death... but that can see a WIDE range of styles, historical context and regional/cultural foundations. This is no Louvre or MET... this should be judged by a different standard and appreciated for what they ARE trying to accomplish in the shadows of the greats only a few train stops away. With little to no crowd, take the young-ones here to get a start in the arts.

Adorable museum. I only made it to one floor but I loved it and would return. I came here for the Pride ball last week and the event was amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed the show and the gift shop. They had a lot of cute and quirky items. Can't wait to return!

We knew nothing about the existence of this museum as it doesn't get a lot of press until one of my partner's colleague mentioned to him. Established in 1909, the Newark Museum is one of the oldest cultural institutions and the largest in the state of New Jersey which we paid a visit this morning. Reservation was made easily through Eventbrite last night . Complimentary admission was given to me as a Bank of America card holder, but check the museum website for further discounts. There was parking adjacent to the museum but discovered it afterwards at a reasonable price. Upon arrival, we were greeted cordially by the staff at the front desk whose surrounding area was bright, open, and clean. The museum consisted of four main buildings: the main building, the Ballantine House built by the beer brewing family and contained overwhelming memorabilia (temporarily closed for renovations), the North Wing, and the South Wing. Interesting enough, this museum has quite a broad range of art from American, Asian, African to contemporary and decorative. If you take your time it's easy to spend the better part of the day here. I liked the Tibet collection on the 3rd floor with the beautiful Buddhist altar truly in awe. Like any world class museum, it cannot be fully appreciated in one visit. This is the best little hidden gem of a museum this side of the Hudson which we can recommend and need a repeat performance.

I used to love this museum. When I had meetings in Newark, I would visit often from about 1990 to 2015. I have visited less frequently in recent years. The quality of art exhibitions has declined significantly. The museum has been selling off masterpieces of American art like Cole's "Arch of Nero" to pay the huge salary of the director who knows nothing about art. Now, the museum is using their property to build apartments! Contrast this with MOMA in NYC that bought apartment buildings to expand the art museum. Short term solutions to bring in money today will be regretted in the future when the current director is gone. And what a loss to art lovers from Newark and elsewhere.

It was a diamond in the rough. I am so glad that my family and I were able to make a visit. I think the fan favorite was the animal kingdom virtual aquarium attraction.

I hadn't been to the Newark Museum in years. Just a short fun -- yes, I said fun -- Path train ride away from Manhattan, this museum was practically empty on a Saturday morning. That's great for me but sad for the museum because there is so much to see. There is the stellar Tibetan collection and shrine. (There isn't a lot of Tibetan art at US art museums so it's a pleasure to dive into it here.) The quality of Native American items -- the basketry is a highlight -- and the small gallery of Pacific Northwest art is superb. Romping through the attached the 19th century opulence of the Ballantine House is a treat because the rooms are decked out and it's a walk back in time to see how the one-percent used to live. This museum is a mishmash of great buildings that always makes visits an exploration. The 15-minute walk from Newark Penn Station is a breeze. It's worth the effort.

This is one of the most underrated of any museum I have visited. I have no idea why the millions of tourists who visit New York every year will crowd into the museums there but won't take the 30 minute train ride over here and view this wonderful collection. I think that the fact it's in a city with a high crime rate keeps people away, but there is really no reason to avoid this place. They have a really extensive collection of Asian art in the North wing. They even have a whole Buddhist temple that they transported inside. They also have many paintings in the North wing by underappreciated American painters. You will find lots of pottery and housewares made right in New Jersey, back when New Jersey had a huge manufacturing base. All the times I have been there I didn't realize that the Ballatine House, which is a Victorian mansion attached to the museum, was the former home of the Ballatine family that brewed the beer by the same name. Anyway, it is very cool to walk through that, as well. Much of it is intact with the furnishings the family had.

Who would have thought such a lovely museum would have been in Newark? We'll worth the visit. Wonderful docents.

The Newark Museum is often underrated despite its world-class collections. It's a wonderful cultural institution and resource for students, young people near University Heights - let alone the City of Newark and the surrounding area. It is the State of New Jersey's largest museum. It's Tibetan art collection is one of the best in the world. The Ballentine House is also really cool. It's a Dutch Renaissance mansion built in 1885 and is a National Historical Landmark. It was owned by the scion of Peter Ballantine, founder of Ballantine Beer Brewery (one of the oldest brands of beer in the United States). The Dreyfuss Planetarium and the Victoria Hall of Science are great for parents to bring their little ones. The MakerSpace is also great for kids. My favorite things to check out at the Newark Museum are the sculptures by Andy Warhol and by Louise Nevelson... Go visit the Newark Museum and find out what draws your interest!

First time here. This is a hidden gem. We loved it! Staff was friendly, helpful, and welcoming. Every employee we encountered throughout the museum was informative and happy to help you. Parking next to the museum (entrance to the lot is on Washington St. just to the left of the Bamberger main entrance) is only $10 via online instructions you receive once inside, and was very easy (credit/debit card required). Museum is large enough that even if crowded there's plenty of room for everyone. Is was not busy when we visited on a Sunday afternoon. Very good selection of art pieces from different time periods. Great for people of all ages and a great introduction for kids and teens to the arts. There's also a few kid friendly interactive exhibits. We visited the gift shop in the lobby and made a few purchases. We look forward to returning and highly recommend visiting.

A beautiful, small museum in the heart of Newark. A small museum where it can take just a couple of hours to see it in its entirety, but definitely a nice visit. It also has a cute cafe and gift shop.

Wow! This place was amazing! A friend of mine mentioned it years ago and I finally had the opportunity to go before everything closed. Let's just say there is so much to see there that it can keep you busy for hours. There are multiple floors with so many different artworks from so many different parts of the world and also representing so many different periods of time. So many examples from Asia, Africa, Europe. Portraits, sculptures, just so much to see. I'm not a huge Art Museum fan but this place was definitely worth it. They also let you get in free if you have a Bank of America card. Really worth visiting! Parking was just next door and very fairly priced with a guard there at all times.

What a great spot In Newark! This museum exceeds expectations. From the friendly staff, the great selection of works from NJ and NY artists, to the neat little interactive science exhibit, there's so much to see that I'm going to have to go back. The museum is $12 for adults, but $8 for students and free for Newark residents. I loved that they have everything from portraits to landscapes to ceramics and examples of traditional clothing for the indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest. I also loved some of the film that they had from the early 1900s in New York. The Ballantine Mansion was also a really cool exhibit that showed how Newark's upper class lived in the city's heyday. I didn't even have time to see the Asian and African art or the Fire Museum. I need to go back soon!

Great hidden gem in Newark. Brought my kids & they also enjoyed it. The Ballantine House is interesting though I'm not certain how they slept in such tiny beds & used small chairs! The Tibetan Altar was also a pleasant surprise. Parking easy right down driveway of museum off of Washington St.

So i went to school in Rutgers Newark and barely visited the museum even though i walked by almost every day. Recently i started going back for their workshops, specifically the wheel throwing pottery workshop, and found it to be an integral part of the community. I can't speak for others but I've met some great people in this class and learned a lot about pottery. The classes here are a hidden gem and quite frankly the membership is a great investment! Please please go if you can. You won't be disappointed!

Been coming here since elementary school and have loved it since. Great place to bring the family to see world class collections.

The Newark Art Museum holds a wonderful collection of American art. This is a collection well worth seeing. Especially famous is the exceptional sculpture by Hiram Powers called 'The Greek Slave'. The Newark Art Museum also has the largest collection of Tibetan art in the United States. A Buddhist altar dedicated in person by the Dalai Lama is beautiful. In the ground floor galleries there is room for a special exhibition and on this occasion it was one focusing on Islamic Art. Probably the most unique feature of the Newark Museum is its incorporation of the impressive Ballantine House which is located right next door to it. This is one of the finest examples of a Victorian house and furnishings in the United States. Tip - The museum is located right on Washington Park in downtown Newark with metered street parking in front of it. It is also a short walk from the Penn and Broad Street train stations.

There is a time and a place for everything. And when the time is right, then the Newark Museum of Art will open again. It has been a long time, but it is worth the wait. This is a great museum that is filled with history, education, learning and understanding. There is fine art work, paintings, items and education. It is also attached to a home. This is actually the Ballantine House at The Newark Museum of Art. You go into the museum and enter from inside. Then you can actually review the historic home of one of the great brewery manufacturers at the special time. It is worth the visit. But it is also worth the visit of the museum. There is everything. Art, contemporary and more. There is work from the Eskimos and select regions of the world. There is Asian specialties that need to be seen. Yes, the one small section is the Egyptian collection. I wish this was bigger. But go to attend the section on astronomy and the heavens above us all. This is a good visit when they are open. Inside you will even find a hidden treasure. It is a small temple room that was blessed by the Dali Lama. And having visited his shrines in Asia it is amazing to see one here at this museum. The museum also has areas for education and learning, Whether you are a student or an adult you can learn more. Finally, even the shop is worth the visit. It has select items that you cannot fine elsewhere. I cannot wait to go back when it is open. It is worth the trip. Learn. See. Do. Understand.

Who knew that New Jersey had its own little Met ? The Newark Museum has art and artifacts from around the world and from various time periods. It has African, Native American, and Asian collections, and even a small section of classical /ancient antiquities; there are two American wings, for the 18-19th and 20th- 21st centuries. In addition, the museum has modern exhibitions and installations. The current featured installation is a string exhibit, which is fun to see and walk around. It's there until January 10th. I took a tour of the Ballantine wing. The building itself is the former home of a brewery owner, and part of the museum is devoted to showing the home. There's a reception room, front hall, library, parlor, dining room, game room, music room, and bedrooms. They had also decorated the rooms as they would've been for the holidays. For example, it was customary to tie ribbons from the chandelier to the dining table. I had come for the string installation, but was glad I went on the Ballantine tour because it was more enriching. The tour of the installation was a non-starter. I kind of wish I had stayed til four for the next show at the planetarium, but it's probably better that I didn't do everything at once. Save something for next time. Yes, there's a bit of Museum of Natural History in there, too-- half of the third floor is earth science with an emphasis on New Jersey's natural history. I love the size of this museum. The Met gives you an existential crisis. You should never know so much history that you can see that you're just a speck in the universe. Keep the magnification on 10-100x. Anyway, this museum is a good size. You can wander around and see everything in a couple of hours.

Wow. Really? You are this close to me and I just found out about you? The Ballantine House is a must. The Ballantines were a super wealthy family from Newark that really garnered their wealth through the Ballantine Brewery. Their house has been renovated to replicate the original and reflects Victorian life. Most of the furnishings both wood, metal and porcelain are relics from when New Jersey produced it all. Who knew?! Glass from Jersey City, furniture from Newark, rugs from Central Jersey... I can't speak more highly of what a great experience this was. The Museum itself is beautiful. I was there for a private event which was extremely well done but, again the space they are working with is beautiful; with really large collections of great classic art. I got a peep at a more modern exhibit of "women behind the lenses" and it seemed that most of the photographers featured were Jersey centric. Again, can I get an amazing? This isn't the most massive of places but definitely a great staycation, Jersey centric way to spend the day.

Great museum to check out! It's not big so you can see everything in one shot. There's a good variety - paintings, sculpture, Eastern art, African art, beautiful glass art, metal art, as well as a couple kid-friendly exhibits. I came with my friends and their 5-year-old son and he was very entertained. There was a great little nutrition/exercise exhibit for kids with all sorts of interactive ways to learn about proper diet and exercise. Also, the hall of science had a bunch of interactive exhibits (cave, alternative energy, hurricane simulation, etc). Additionally, there was a special exhibit on comets that had a ton of hands on stuff for kids. There's a planetarium too - costs a few bucks extra to enter - we didn't go in. Basically, everyone was happy -- adults got to see their art, kid got to play. Also, make sure you check out the Ballantine house - it's right next door to the museum. You enter through the museum. They do tours but we just walked around - it's a very beautiful, restored Victorian home. There is also a garden, which includes a small fire museum (which paid a tribute to firefighters lost in 9/11 and acknowledged the Newark firefighters that helped after the attack). There's also an old schoolhouse in the garden, which was locked when we went - it might be by tour only. Museum shop was cute and had a good selection of items. This museum has a "suggested" admission. I definitely recommend it if you are in the area.

This museum is perfect for kids, 3rd floor is science , mezzanine they have "maker space" where kids can play and create, the current exhibit of African art is amazing my kids loved it I will came back for sure still need to check many exhibits.

I'd prefer giving 3.5 stars, but it deserves 4 more than 3. Anyway; we'd gone there way back in the late 80's - and since we had an errand to do in downtown Newark yesterday, it was a good opportunity to revisit the museum. One of the highlights is the interior of the Ballantine home, and we also liked the "Art of the Americas" section & the Asian galleries. Our favorite painting at the museum was Joseph Stella's "Voice of the City of New York Interpreted". The museum's collection is varied and there's a little bit of many different things. The gift shop - although small (unsurprisingly) - has a nice selection of "folk art" crafts and jewelry. There's also a café (open from 12-3:30 p.m.) and my husband had a turkey sandwich that was tasty. The museum's staff were particularly friendly and it's a great museum for children (including teenagers, and in fact there was a large group of them visiting when we were there). Note that AAA members receive a 2-for-1 admission. Also, photography isn't allowed.

I was the bridesmaid of a bride who had her wedding at the museum, so this review is only based on the museum as a wedding venue and what I observed helping the bride through the whole process. At first the museum and museum's event coordinator was very friendly and on task. But as soon as the wedding neared the end she became cold and domineering. Everyone was rushing to clean up and she walked around with a scowl on her face and even followed us outside to rush us off the museum premises when everyone was just waiting for their family members to get their cars. We did not stay longer than what the venue was booked for and I thought this was very unprofessional. Additionally,the couple was charged a "staff fee" that was based on a guest count that was higher than the final guest count which the museum knew about weeks before the wedding. I don't understand how the Newark Museum could still have the gall to charge them the same fee when there was a smaller # of guests attending the wedding. THEN they came after the couple for these "outstanding" charges nearly half a year later with months of radio silence. The bride was really upset when she told me that they even put a $200 "late fee" on her invoice on top of the overinflated 'staff fee.' What a shame. The museum is a lovely place and the staff is nice. Because of the deceptive pricing and how their customer service AFTER the wedding unfortunately I cannot recommend this place as an event venue. P.S. For the wedding ceremony I gave their in-house AV tech an ipod with a playlist and he didn't know how to access it. Really??

We just went there today with our 5th graders on a class trip. We did two parts of the museum- the ballentine house which was beautiful. It was great to see the different rooms and learn about the history of the house. The guide was very informative. Then we went on to the Egyptian section, and i'm always curious to learn more about ancient Egypt so i found it to be quite interesting. The lunch room was air conditioned (ahhhhhh) and clean. The gift shop was closed so the students were a bit disappointed. Overall, its a nice place for students to learn about some history.

I can't remember the last time I went to any museum. Museum's and I are not close friends, but I understand that museums like The Newark Museum are important educational facilities. They offer art, knowledge and the history of us on the planet. The Newark Museum is small, but with a wealth of art for all ages. I must state that, I was there for a Super Bowl function and The 1967 version of the Vince Lombardi Trophy. While the function was nice; the Trophy was awesome. The design of the trophy is very interesting in that if you look at the trophy from a distance, it seems the football is floating in air. This is due to the concave of the three sides of the trophy stand. As the trophy rotates the allusion of a floating football was impressive. I did take the time to view "The Art of Glass" which is a very beautiful display of glass art. Small pieces, large ones; all very intricate pieces of glass with vibrant colors and glass perfection. If your in Newark, stop by The Newark Museum. Knowledge is important and The Newark Museum offers a plethora of history.

Beautiful museum and good size. Not too small but not too big. Could finish in about 2 hours. Nice service and attitude and very cleaned and organized place, but the carpet is pretty old so does have that old carpet smell at certain areas or most staircases. Alright admission prices and a nice garden with a couple different sculptures. Would definitely go again and do highly recommend for people to check it out. A little further but still walkable to Newark Penn Station and a couple different bus stops before that and around that area too.

Amazing exhibits for little ones especially the planetarium where the room transforms into a place out of this world! Narrators tell you about the galaxies and the stars and show you as they speak how to navigate them in the sky. Art is great here, not extensive but still great. Science and art camps are wonderful. They are rolling week to week with a theme like maker's week, etc. It's for various age groups and they have a performance culminating their camp each Friday of the summer. The best part about these camps is the free access to tours of the museum and the knowledgeable staff. I highly recommend.

This museum is so beautiful and underrated. It's clean inside and the staff at the front are so welcoming and friendly. They have really good exhibits and in the middle area, they sometimes have people playing music! I highly recommend going to their planetarium too. It's cheap and informative.

This museum is amazing, it's actually huge and odds are that you might have to come back to see it again, their open hours are from noon to 5 so it's hard to see everything on one day like I said, other than that this place blows my mind, it needs to be on the spotlight like other big museum in the NYC area. Please go there.

Currently, the museum has four main attractions for adults: 1 the Ballantine House, which is a preserved Victorian mansion 2 a large collection of Tibetan art, presented well and consecrated by the Dalai Lama, and Native American art (explained by bright a.) 3 a walk through American images, featuring a rich collection of American impressionist paintings collected as they were painted 4 the Planetarium shows (which I haven't seen yet) A few areas are under construction, so I'll report back in a little bit about those. Some might say this museum is designed for kids--I would say it's designed for students of art. Aren't we all students of art? If you do have kids, there are hundreds of little learning opportunities for them written in simple English, and even whole exhibits devoted to them. If you live in Newark, bring your driver's license or phone bill or something with your address, because admission is free! Otherwise just bring $7 for adults and $3 for kids. (planetarium costs around $4 extra). They have a little cafe and gift shop which are worth a visit. I didn't buy anything but it looked good.

What a gem! I must admit, a museum in Newark has it rough - 1) white people are scared to go to it and 2) museums in NYC are bigger and have much better funding. Obviously their Egyptian collection is going to be the size of one fraction of a fraction of the Met's, but if this museum was in a different part of the country, it would be considered a pretty substantial collection. Although I didn't see all of the museum, my favorite part was the Tibetan exhibit with their model temple which was actually blessed by the 14th Dalai Lama back in 1981. Their American art exhibition was also very nice. The planetarium is ok - movies for kids are shown on the weekends. You might fall asleep in there though (my mom did). After the show, they did a little tour of the winter night's sky and pointed out which planets and constellations we can see at different times of the night, which was pretty neat. There's a little bit of everything going on at this museum - definitely check the website to see what temporary exhibits are going on. The gift shop is for old ladies with lots of money. Watch out for the swarms of fourth graders on field trips. AAA members get two tickets for the price of one - this isn't posted, so remember to show your card!

I came to the Newark Museum for the first time last week, and I've already been back for a second time. The mix of natural history, art, science, and interactive exhibits makes this almost a one stop shop for anything you'd like to see. The art collection is truly impressive, spanning the globe and going back centuries. They have art from some names you may recognize - Andy Warhol, Georgia O'Keeffe, among many others. The current featured exhibition, "The Shape of Light" by Gabriel Dawe, is breathtaking. I've never considered myself to be a huge fan of art, but I enjoyed the art sections quite a bit. I spent most of my time in other sections that were very interesting, including an Egyptian section, African section, Asian section, and Native American section which all featured many different artifacts and items. There is also a Tibetan Buddhist Altar that was consecrated in 1990 by the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and was very eye-opening to learn about. The part of the museum that really stood out for me was The Ballantine House, which was built in 1885 for the Ballantine family (you may recognize their name from Newark's own Ballantine beer). It's a stunningly beautiful Victorian home that you can walk around and explore each room in, and it's connected to the actual museum and included in admission. I would pay the admission cost to see the house alone. Overall, I had a great experience and learned a lot. There's no way I could include everything in this review. Knowing that there's a museum of this caliber only 10 minutes from where I live is great, and I'll absolutely be back.

I made the pilgrimage to the Newark Museum solely to see my art on display (the narcissist in me). Perhaps it was the weather but it seemed that there were not that many patrons on a lazy Sunday afternoon. The museum reminded me of the Oakland museum, a desolate yet contemplative structure in the midst of older blighted buildings. The staff was professional despite the fact that there were hardly anyone there. My art piece was lent to the Museum for the Quiet Gesture Exhibit. The Exhibit was officially over the day before so I was relieved to find everything still up. The four artist featured are Zhang Huan, Zhan Wang, Wang Jin, and my artist, Lu Shengzhong. The museum did a great job with the large sculpture exhibits in the garden and I found my work well displayed in the cafe lounge. It was pretty funny as I had to sneak a picture of my own art work as cameras were not allowed. [I did not want to get into it with the ladies who are only doing "their" job.] A father and daughter came by while I was looking at my piece and he actually started to reach out to touch it....which of course I had to remind him "no touching".

Had never heard of the Newark Museum before- Came to see the Christmas installation in the Ballantine House which is similar to other Victorian era homes. Restored beautifully. We were lucky to have arrived just as docent Sue was about to begin a tour. She was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Sue really made the trip to the museum memorable. Also worth checking out the kimonos currently on exhibit while you are there. The museum was a nice surprise.

The Newark Museum is the largest museum in New Jersey. Underrated to say the least, one can view 19th century American Art, contemporary art. It is mind boggling how the N. Museum even has the greatest Tibetan galleries outside of Asia. It doesn't just stop there; let's add the "John Ballantine House" is a National historic landmark. The house sits adjacent to the museum, as you enter it is preserved as if one was transported to the 1900s, simply remarkable! I recall coming here as a child it's the first museum I have ever been too. So it definitely holds special place in my heart. We took the NJ Transit bus to get here, pretty gangster. I remember the small zoo but that is no longer present as of 2010. As a child I was amazed by the Dreyfuss Planetarium just spectacular and interactive. Folks bring your kids, they will have hours of fun here, and learning experience for the parents, versus going to chucky cheese. Visiting the museum now I see things differently in my adult eyes. So, what stands out you ask? Easily the Alice Ransom Dreyfuss Garden, undervalued it is a sanctuary, a place to escape the busy days of work. Relax and sit on one of the benches listens to the birds chirping. I even saw a wedding done here. When I saw the wedding I couldn't believe it. If you didn't know better you would have thought they were at the "Cloisters Medieval Garden" at Fort Tryon Park. They also have jazz in the Garden cost $3.00 you cannot beat that. I have tried to get my friends to come, they say why Newark, sooner or later I will convince them to accompany me to this museum whether they like or not. It is worth it to see this. Newark Museum is a simple escape from going to the NYC museums for a change. The admission is $10.00 if it's the beginning of the month try BofA museum on us program. Guys great date spot, She will be amazed on your knowledge. Please read up before you go there, stuttering the information that I have written here is not a good look!