New Jersey Museum of Agriculture facts for kids
The New Jersey Museum of Agriculture was a cool museum in North Brunswick, New Jersey. It taught visitors all about how farming has changed in New Jersey over time.
Inside, you could see lots of interesting things! There were old farm tools and big machines. You could also find household items, science tools, and even early electric appliances. A pretend general store showed how people used to shop. The museum also had displays about important New Jersey crops. These included yummy apples, cranberries, tomatoes, blueberries, corn, and potatoes.
About the Museum's History
The museum first opened its doors in 1990. It was located on the campus of Rutgers University in a special school called the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences.
A big part of the museum's collection came from Professor Wabun C. Krueger. This included a very old and important tool called the Deats plow. This plow was invented way back in 1828 by John Deats from Hunterdon County. His son, Hiram Deats, later made more of them.
Sadly, the museum closed in 2011. This happened because of money cuts from the state government. After the museum closed, some of its old photos of farms and barns were given to the Monmouth County Archives.
What Happened to the Building?
After the museum closed, the building and land went back to Rutgers University. For a few years, Rutgers used the building for classrooms and storage.
From 2016 to 2019, a theater group called the George Street Playhouse used the building. They needed a place to perform while their own theater was being rebuilt.
In 2019, Rutgers announced exciting plans for the building. They decided to turn it into a modern "Makerspace" or Hackerspace. This means it will be a place where people can create and build things. It will have tools for woodworking, metalwork, and 3D printing. There will also be areas for textiles, a kitchen, and arts and crafts.
This new Makerspace will be open to university students. But it will also be available to the public, much like a gym where you can get a membership.
