Old Barracks Museum in Trenton Credit: Edwin J. Torres/ NJ Governor’s Office

Museums are one of the most important institutions in any country. They don’t just show us our past, they contextualize it—allowing visitors to better understand cultures and ourselves. Good museum displays lead to reflection, generate ideas, and create a sense of appreciation for who has come before. In many towns and cities, museums are jewels of the public, and often rank highly for tourist visits. Stacker compiled a list of the museums in New Jersey on Tripadvisor.

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#30. Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (161 reviews)
– Type of activity: Historic Sites, History Museums
– Address: 37 Christie St, Edison, NJ 08820-3860
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#29. Sea Isle City Historical Museum

– Rating: 5.0 / 5 (9 reviews)
– Type of activity: History Museums
– Address: 4800 Central Ave Located in Sea Isle Library building, Sea Isle City, NJ 08243-1727
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#28. Long Beach Island Historical Museum

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (23 reviews)
– Type of activity: History Museums
– Address: 129 Engleside Ave, Beach Haven, Long Beach Island, NJ 08008-1762
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#27. Insectropolis, the Bugseum of New Jersey

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (79 reviews)
– Type of activity: Speciality Museums
– Address: 1761 Route 9, Toms River, NJ 08755-1207
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#26. Dey Mansion Washington’s Headquarters

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (30 reviews)
– Type of activity: Points of Interest & Landmarks, History Museums
– Address: 199 Totowa Rd, Wayne, NJ 07470-3108
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#25. Friar Mountain Model Railroad Museum

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (19 reviews)
– Type of activity: Speciality Museums
– Address: 240 Demarest Rd, Sparta, NJ 07871-3481
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#24. Paterson Museum

– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (77 reviews)
– Type of activity: Speciality Museums
– Address: 2 Market St, Paterson, NJ 07501-1726
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#23. The Museum of American History at Deptford, NJ

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (3 reviews)
– Type of activity: Natural History Museums, History Museums
– Address: 138 Andaloro Way, Deptford, NJ 08093-1627
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#22. Noyes Arts Garage of Stockton University

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (25 reviews)
– Type of activity: Art Galleries
– Address: 2200 Fairmount Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401-4080
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#21. Boxwood Hall

– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (5 reviews)
– Type of activity: History Museums
– Address: 1073 E Jersey St, Elizabeth, NJ 07201-2503
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#20. African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (17 reviews)
– Type of activity: History Museums
– Address: 2200 Fairmount Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401-4080
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#19. Decoys & Wildlife Gallery

– Rating: 5.0 / 5 (3 reviews)
– Type of activity: Art Galleries
– Address: 55 Bridge St, Frenchtown, NJ 08825-1229
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#18. Angry Fish Gallery LLC

– Rating: 5.0 / 5 (3 reviews)
– Type of activity: Art Galleries
– Address: 624 Bay Ave, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742-2535
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#17. Avalon History Center

– Rating: 5.0 / 5 (7 reviews)
– Type of activity: Speciality Museums, History Museums
– Address: 215 39th St, Avalon, NJ 08202-1648
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#16. World War II Lookout Tower

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (308 reviews)
– Type of activity: Military Museums, Historic Sites
– Address: 536 Sunset Blvd, Cape May, NJ 08204
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#15. Montclair Art Museum

– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (130 reviews)
– Type of activity: Art Museums
– Address: 3 S Mountain Ave, Montclair, NJ 07042-1747
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#14. Baps Shri Swaminarayan Mandir

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (183 reviews)
– Type of activity: Speciality Museums, Points of Interest & Landmarks
– Address: 112 N Main St, Robbinsville, NJ 08561-3209
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#13. Liberty Science Center

– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (761 reviews)
– Type of activity: Science Museums
– Address: 222 Jersey City Blvd, Jersey City, NJ 07305-4636
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#12. Museum of NJ Maritime History

– Rating: 5.0 / 5 (121 reviews)
– Type of activity: Military Museums, History Museums
– Address: Dock Rd. and West Ave, Beach Haven, Long Beach Island, NJ 08008
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#11. Historic Cold Spring Village

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (316 reviews)
– Type of activity: Historic Sites, History Museums
– Address: 720 Route 9, Cape May, NJ 08204
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#10. Emlen Physick Estate

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (693 reviews)
– Type of activity: Historic Sites, History Museums
– Address: 1048 Washington St, Cape May, NJ 08204-1737
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#9. Old Barracks Museum

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (236 reviews)
– Type of activity: Military Museums, Historic Sites
– Address: 101 Barrack St, Trenton, NJ 08608-2007
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#8. Ripley’s Believe It or Not!

– Rating: 4.0 / 5 (411 reviews)
– Type of activity: Speciality Museums
– Address: 1441 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, NJ 08401-7144
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#7. Garden State Discovery Museum

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (248 reviews)
– Type of activity: Children’s Museums
– Address: 2040 Springdale Rd, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003-2064
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#6. Princeton University Art Museum

– Rating: 5.0 / 5 (731 reviews)
– Type of activity: Art Museums
– Address: McCormick Hall, Princeton, NJ 08544-0001
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#5. Newark Museum

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (285 reviews)
– Type of activity: Historic Sites, Art Museums
– Address: 49 Washington St, Newark, NJ 07102-3176
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#4. Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (906 reviews)
– Type of activity: Military Museums, Speciality Museums
– Address: 500 Forrestal Rd Rio Grande, Cape May, NJ 08204
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#3. Battleship New Jersey

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (551 reviews)
– Type of activity: Historic Sites, History Museums
– Address: 62 Battleship Pl, Camden, NJ 08103-3302
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#2. Silverball Retro Arcade Asbury Park

– Rating: 5.0 / 5 (624 reviews)
– Type of activity: Speciality Museums, Game & Entertainment Centers
– Address: 1000 Ocean Ave, Asbury Park, NJ 07712-6289
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#1. Cape May Lighthouse

– Rating: 4.5 / 5 (2,096 reviews)
– Type of activity: Speciality Museums, Lighthouses
– Address: 215 Lighthouse Avenue Cape May Point State Park, Cape May, NJ 08204
Read more on Tripadvisor

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