Visit the NJ State Museum in October for science celebrations and more!

Trenton, NJ - October is a busy month at the New Jersey State Museum! The programming kicks off on October 13 for Earth Science Week, followed by activities on October 16 for National Fossil Day, October 18 for a free evening sky-observing event, a second Earth Science Week event on October 19, and finishing up on October 27 with the Museum's annual Halloween Spooktacular.

On Sunday, Oct. 13 and Saturday, Oct. 19 from 12 noon - 3 pm, the Museum will celebrate Earth Science Week. Visitors are invited drop-in to the STEAM Center to try our augmented reality sandbox and explore rocks & minerals at the gallery cart stationed in the "Written in the Rocks" exhibition.

National Fossil Day takes place on Oct. 16. Stop in to the Museum from 10 am - 12 noon to play a Bone Wars game in the STEAM Center and explore the fossil show & tell.

On October 18, we'll host a free sky observing event. Come to the Planetarium for a sky talk at 7 pm, after which guests will form a convoy to drive up to the observatory at Washington Crossing State Park in Titusville, NJ (about a 20-minute drive) for star observations with members of the Amateur Astronomy Association of Princeton. Please dress accordingly for the weather. If viewing conditions are poor, participants will stay at the Planetarium for a free showing of "5000 Eyes: Mapping the Universe with DESI" following the talk. Doors open 6:15 pm for the sky talk.

The Museum's annual Halloween Spooktacular event will take place on October 27 from 12 noon - 4 pm. Guests can enjoy Halloween-themed games and crafts in the Museum's Riverview Court. Children in costume may participate in trick-or-treating on the Museum's front lawn at 1:30 pm. Following the trick-or-treating, there will be a raffle for Museum-themed prizes. Event participants will receive one raffle ticket each when they check in for the event. Free planetarium shows will be offered at 1 pm and 2 pm. Tickets for those shows will be available on a first-come basis at check-in. In the event of inclement weather, the parade and outdoor activities will take place in the Museum's Auditorium.

The New Jersey State Museum is open Tuesday - Sunday, 9:00 am to 4:45 pm; closed on all State holidays. General admission is free. For additional information visit www.statemuseum.nj.gov, like the Museum's Facebook page (@NJStateMuseum), and follow us on X (njstatemuseum), Instagram (nj_statemuseum), Threads (nj_statemuseum) and YouTube (@newjerseystatemuseum1895.)

About the New Jersey State Museum
The New Jersey State Museum is a center for the exploration of science, history and the arts. We preserve and share stories that inspire curiosity and creativity for the enrichment of our communities. Located at 205 West State Street in Trenton, the New Jersey State Museum has the largest museum collection in the state and encompasses three buildings including a state-of-the-art Planetarium. Established in 1895, the State Museum's collections in Archaeology/Ethnography, Cultural History, Fine Art and Natural History contain over 2 million objects.

About the New Jersey State Museum Foundation
The New Jersey State Museum Foundation was founded in 1968 as a non-government, non-profit 501(c)(3) to support the Museum's collections, exhibitions, programs and research through fundraising, volunteerism and advocacy. In recent years, the Foundation has received generous support from the PNC Foundation, NJM Insurance Group, Department of State/New Jersey Historical Commission, New Jersey Council for the Humanities, The Henry Luce Foundation and Princeton Area Community Foundation. The Foundation also operates the Museum membership program, as well as the Museum Shop, which sells merchandise related to the Museum's exhibitions, collections, and New Jersey history and culture. Proceeds support the New Jersey State Museum's collections, exhibitions and programs.