New Jersey State Archives Gallery Opens to the Public

TRENTON, NJ - Lieutenant Governor Dale Caldwell has announced the public opening of New Jersey State Archives' gallery at 225 West State Street, Trenton, on Tuesday, July 7, at 11:00 a.m. The gallery complements the State Museum, Planetarium, State House, Old Barracks Museum, and other cultural exhibitions and destinations in downtown Trenton.

"Commemorating the 250th anniversary of both the United States and New Jersey in multiple ways welcomes visitors to learn more about the treasures held within the State Archives and the story they tell about our founding and the years since," said Lieutenant Governor Caldwell, who oversees the Archives as Secretary of State. "The State Gallery is home to priceless documents that help us understand New Jersey's history and guide our role in shaping the future."

The Archives' inaugural exhibition, Revolutionary Lives: Living the American Experiment Then and Now, explores the experiences of a wide range of New Jerseyans who participated in the Revolution-as Patriots or Loyalists-including women, enslaved people, and native communities whose political choices and personal stories reflect the complexity of that time. The exhibition uncovers these long-overlooked stories and draws meaningful connections to the present.

Joseph Klett, the State Archives' Executive Director, is excited to see the envisioned gallery come to fruition. "For centuries, the invaluable charters, manuscripts, and other resources now at the State Archives have been carefully preserved in the State's vaults," Klett said. "While we have always made them accessible to researchers, we have not had an opportunity, until now, to display them on a large scale for school children, families, and scholars. It is an exciting time for history!"

The State Archives holds nearly 100 million records documenting the events, families, and historic sites that comprise New Jersey's fascinating history. They span the whole of the colony and State's history, from its founding as a British province in 1664 to the present. Visit the Archives website, https://www.archives.nj.gov, to learn more about its resources and programs.

To attend the opening ceremony and ribbon cutting for the new gallery, please RSVP to Veronica Calder, [email protected].