Join us on Friday, February 11, 2011 anytime between 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM for our annual Chocolate Tasting and Tour.  Thanks to the generosity of area businesses you can begin your tour with a champagne toast (sparkling cider or water) and then tour the Museum’s newest exhibits and sample different chocolates.

This is the first celebration of the Museum’s 50th Anniversary and we hope you will join us.  There is a $20/adult ($10/child) donation at the door.  No reservations or advance tickets necessary.  Just come and eat chocolate!  Chocolate is said to have many curative powers – it may even make you forget how much snow is outside – at least for a little while!

Remember the smiley face and peace signs?  Their use began in the 1960′s just when the Museum was also beginning.  As we celebrate our 50th anniversary in 2011 we want to do an exhibit of what life was like in our NJ Meadowlands Area during the 60′s.  We need some help!

We are hoping that you have some 1960′s items stored away that you might want to either donate or loan to the Museum for our exhibit.  Can’t quite remember what was going on in the 60′s.  Here is a list to help refresh your memory!

Toys and Games: Ants in the Pants, Colorforms, Rock em Sock em Robots, See ‘n Say, Slime, Don’t Break the Ice, Easy Bake Oven, Etch a Sketch, Stratego, Twister, Battleship, Spirograph, Gumby, Slip n Slide from Wham-O, Rummikub, Lawn Darts and Mr. Machine.

Dolls: Chrissy, Cricket, Tressy, Ken, Tammy, Velvet and G I Joe.

Items from TV and Movies: Charlie Brown’s Christmas, The Sound of Music, Star Trek, The Smother’s Brothers, Laugh-In, American Bandstand, Addams Family, Ben Casey, The Beverly Hillbillies, Bewitched, The Brady Bunch, Car 54 Where Are You, The Dating Game, The Dick Van Dyke Show, Gentle Ben, Gidget, Gilligan’s Island, Gomer Pyle, Green Acres, Hawaii Five-O, Hogan’s Heroes, I drem of Jeannie, I Spy, The Jetsons, Lost in Space, Man from U.N.C.L.E., The Munsters, My Mother the Car, My Three Sons, Petticoat Junction, Dr. Kildare, F Troop,The Flintstones, Flipper, The Flying Nun, McHale’s Navy, The Mod Squad, The Monkees, Mr. Ed, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea and The Wild, Wild West.

Clothing and Popular Culture Items: Mood Rings, Lava Lamps, The 1964 World’s Fair, Bell Bottom Pants, Granny Glasses, Slot Car Racing, Paisley, Go-go boots, Mini Skirts, Op Art, Tie-Dye, Neru Jackets, Afro hair styles, the “Mod” look, Hippies, etc.

Music: Motown: Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross & The Supremes, the Jackson 5, the Temptations, the Four Tops, The Beatles, Joan Baez, The Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Peter Paul and Mary, Pete Seeger

So….have any items that will help us to tell the 60′s story?  Do you have any photographs from local 1960′s events or of  you dressed in typical 1960′s clothing?  Let us borrow the photographs and scan and make copies for our exhibit.
Give us a call or send an e-mail.  Thanks for your help.

Check out our summer schedule for children’s programs for 2010!  It is listed under the “Programs” tab  and then under “August Days“.  Our schedule includes special once a week programs for children ages 8 years old and up in woodworking and quilting.  Our week long programs are for children 6 and 7 years old, 8 and 9 years old, and children ages 10 and up.  These programs teach basic skills such as sewing, weaving, candle making and book making all in the frame of historic crafts.  Our programs are fun as well as educational and the crafts we do all result in high quality projects.    The cost for each program is $75 per child which includes all supplies.  Call or e-mail to sign up today!