Things to Do at Newark Museum of Art

The Newark Museum of Art, founded in 1909, is actually one of the largest museums in New Jersey and tends to surprise visitors with its impressive scope. What started as a modest community institution has grown into something genuinely special - you'll find everything from American paintings and contemporary works to one of the country's most significant Tibetan art collections. The museum sits in a complex of historic buildings that gives the whole experience a pleasantly intimate feel, quite different from the overwhelming scale of Manhattan's mega-museums. this place has always punched above its weight. The museum was progressive from the start, being one of the first to actively collect contemporary art and to focus on both fine and decorative arts. Today, you might find yourself wandering from ancient Egyptian artifacts to cutting-edge installations, which honestly gives you a pretty good sense of how eclectic and thoughtful the curation tends to be.

The museum sits in Newark's University Heights neighborhood. You can walk there in 15 minutes from Newark Penn Station, which runs NJ Transit trains to Manhattan in about 20 minutes. Street parking exists but gets competitive on weekends. Several NJ Transit bus routes serve the area. The neighborhood has improved dramatically in recent years and feels safe during museum hours.