Old Bridge, NJ – October 31, 2017 – The Old Bridge Public Library has expanded its popular museum pass program with the addition of the Battleship New Jersey and Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms venues.
The country’s largest and most decorated Battleship, known as the “Big J,” The Battleship New Jersey is located on the Delaware River, along the Camden Waterfront across from Philadelphia. Museum tours cover many areas, including the Bridge, the crew’s mess, and the communications room. Guests not only view artifacts from the ship’s past, but are also immersed into the exhibit as they walk through the tour route. Visitors can climb inside the massive 16 inch gun turret and learn how the projectiles were loaded, and enter the Combat Engagement Center to see a simulated launch of a tomahawk missile. They can also sit in the chair from which Admiral Halsey commanded the fleet, and stretch out on the bunks where the sailors slept. Permanent exhibits include “New Jerseyans on the Big J,” “A Sailor’s Life,” and “Keepers of the Sea.” There is also a Fire Power self-guided tour. The Library’s pass admits two adults and three children to the museum free of charge. The Battleship’s hours of operation vary seasonally; more information can be found at www.battleshipnewjersey.org.
The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms is a 30-acre National Historic Landmark and the centerpiece of Gustav Stickley’s early 20th century country estate. Stickley was a major figure in the American Arts and Crafts movement, a designer, manufacturer, architect, publisher, philosopher, and social critic. The historic house museum is located at 2352 Route 10 West in Morris Plains, NJ and is open Thursday through Sunday. Tours of the Log House are available year-round, and the Museum also offers lectures, workshops, and numerous educational programs. The Museum’s collection includes numerous Stickley furnishings, many of which are original to the Log House, plus textiles, pottery, metalwork, and archival materials. In addition to the priceless objects on view in the Log House, an original Stickley bungalow has been furnished with touchable Arts and Crafts furnishings. The Library’s pass admits two adults and all family members under age 18 to the museum; more information can be found at www.stickleymuseum.org.
Currently, patrons must call or visit the Library to reserve their museum passes. However, the Library will soon be implementing an online reservation system that will allow patrons to reserve and print many of the passes through its web site. The museum pass program currently includes the following venues: The Grounds for Sculpture, The Newark Museum, The Academy of Natural Sciences, Garden State Discovery Museum, Insectropolis, the Intrepid, the Morris Museum and WheatonArts & Cultural Center. The Liberty Science Center also offers a discount to visitors when they show their library card.
The Old Bridge Public Library was recently voted one of the three Best Public Libraries in Middlesex County by the readers of the Home News Tribune. The Library is open seven-days-a-week and is located at 1 Old Bridge Plaza at the corner of Rt. 516 and Cottrell Road in the Municipal Center. More information about this and other Library programs can be found at www.oldbridgelibrary.org or by calling 732-721-5600 x5033. The satellite Laurence Harbor branch is located at 277 Shoreland Circle; phone: 732-566-2227.
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