New Jersey Museum of Agriculture facts for kids
| Established | 1990 |
|---|---|
| Dissolved | 2011 |
| Location | North Brunswick, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Type | Agriculture |
The New Jersey Museum of Agriculture was a special place in North Brunswick, New Jersey. It was a museum all about how farming, or agriculture, grew and changed in New Jersey over many years. It helped people understand where their food comes from and how farmers have worked through history.
The museum showed many interesting things. You could see old farm tools and big machines that farmers used. There were also items from homes, science tools, and even early electrical appliances. A display of a general store showed how people used to shop. The museum also taught visitors about important crops grown in New Jersey. These included tasty apples, juicy cranberries, sweet tomatoes, fresh blueberries, useful corn, and filling potatoes.
Contents
Museum History: A Look Back
When the Museum Opened and Closed
The New Jersey Museum of Agriculture first opened its doors in 1990. It was located on the campus of Rutgers University, a big school with a special part called the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. The museum was at 103 College Farm Road.
Sadly, the museum closed in 2011. This happened because of state budget cuts, which meant there wasn't enough money from the government to keep it running.
Special Collections and Exhibits
One of the most important parts of the museum was the collection from Professor Wabun C. Krueger. This collection included a very old and famous tool called the Deats plow. A plow is a farm tool used to turn over soil before planting.
The Deats plow was invented in 1828 by John Deats from Hunterdon County. His son, Hiram Deats, later made these plows. This invention was a big deal for farmers back then.
After the museum closed, some of its collection found new homes. Many photographs of farms and barns from Monmouth and Mercer Counties were given to the Monmouth County Archives. This helped preserve these important historical pictures.
What Happened to the Museum Building?
After the museum closed, the land and the large 30,000 square foot building went back to Rutgers University. For several years, the university used the building for classrooms and storage.
Later, from 2016 to 2019, a theater group called the George Street Playhouse used the building. They needed a temporary home while their own theater was being rebuilt in downtown New Brunswick.
In 2019, Rutgers University announced exciting plans for the building. They decided to turn it into a modern "Makerspace" or "Hackerspace." This is a place where people can go to create things. It has many tools like CNC equipment (for computer-controlled cutting), a woodshop, metalworking tools, and 3D printers. It also has areas for textiles, a commercial kitchen, and arts and crafts. This Makerspace is available for university students and also for the public, like a gym where you can get a membership.
See also
- Agriculture in the United States
- List of museums in New Jersey
