(TRENTON, NJ) -- The New Jersey State Museum (NJSM) has announced that the New Jersey State Museum Foundation is the recipient of grant funding from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities (NJCH) to support the a component of the exhibition "History Beneath Your Feet: Archaeology in the Capital City,” which will explore the social, cultural and environmental evolution of Trenton through archaeological artifacts.
Beginning in April 2023, the Museum will present "History Beneath Your Feet: Archaeology in the Capital City." Cities have countless stories to tell and Trenton is no exception. Excavations performed throughout the city provide evidence of New Jersey’s original inhabitants, settlers and colonists, up to and including the city’s rich industrial past. The exhibition will detail the stories that shaped Trenton, the state and country. Since the 1960s, archaeological projects within Trenton have uncovered thousands of artifacts which show that prehistoric and historic life is evident and preserved in some of the most unlikely places, such as a 2,000-year-old prehistoric site at the New Jersey Department of Labor building and under New Jersey's first Secretary of State's office in front of the State House.
The grant awarded $15,732 to create a self-guided walking mobile phone tour of sites in Trenton. The tour will provide a unique perspective while exploring the city's history beneath the current landscape. It will also provide context to the stories told within the exhibition, and participants with smartphones will also have access to images.
The New Jersey Council for the Humanities awarded a total of $402,514 in grant funding to 33 organizations across the state for spring 2022. For 50 years, NJCH has explored, cultivated and championed the public humanities. They are dedicated to fostering appreciation for the field across New Jersey’s diverse community, in every district in the state. To learn more about upcoming grant opportunities and NJCH’s other exciting work in New Jersey, visit njhumanities.org.
Located at 205 West State Street in Trenton, the New Jersey State Museum encompasses three buildings including a state-of-the-art Planetarium and holds over 2 million artifacts in its collections in Archaeology/Ethnography, Cultural History, Fine Art and Natural History. The New Jersey State Museum is a center for the exploration of science, history and the arts. We preserve and share stories that inspire curiosity and creativity for the enrichment of our communities. The Museum is open Tuesday - Sunday, 9:00am to 4:45pm.
The New Jersey State Museum Foundation was founded in 1968 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) to support the Museum's collections, exhibitions and programs through fundraising, volunteerism, advocacy and marketing. The New Jersey State Museum Foundation received an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State. The Foundation has received an Action Grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. In recent years, the Foundation has received generous support from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, PNC Foundation, NJM Insurance Group, and Princeton Area Community Foundation. The Foundation also operates the Museum membership program, as well as the Museum Shop which sells merchandise related to the Museum's exhibitions and collections, and New Jersey history and culture. Proceeds support the New Jersey State Museum's collections, exhibitions and programs.
