The New Jersey Historical Society

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What's in Our Museum Collections?

In total, today the museum collections include over 32,000 pieces from the past and from the present that document the material culture and visual history of the people of New Jersey. More than 240 portraits represent notable figures in the state’s past. Over 3,700 costumes and accessories—from hats to underwear—form an outstanding collection of men and women’s clothing. Over 460 pieces of furniture demonstrate the work of local cabinetmakers and nationally known artisans, and provide insight into the corporate and private worlds of New Jersey. Many of the ceramic and glass pieces in the Historical Society’s collections are made not only by New Jerseyans, but are made from the state’s natural resources—red, yellow, and white clays, and finely-grained sand. And that’s not all: besides paintings, prints, clothing, furniture, ceramics and glass, there are over 90 other categories of objects, including everything from license plates to toys.