Liberty Hall Museum

Liberty Hall Dance Festival
2021-09-25 13:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Join Liberty Hall and Bugge Ballet for the 4th Annual Dance Festival!
Spend an afternoon outside walking through the beautiful museum grounds, enjoying10 site-specific professional dance performances inspired by moments in history. Program recommended for all ages. Reservations suggested. Walk-ins allowed. Raindate: Sunday, September 26, 2021
This arts program is made possible in part by a 2021 HEART (History, Education, Arts Reaching Thousands) Grant from the Union County Board of County Commissioners.

Afterschool Adventures: Apprentice, Journeyman and Masters, Trades at Liberty Hall
2021-10-05 15:30 - 17:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Many members of Early American communities were tradespersons, all providing necessary goods and services that made it possible to build a house like Liberty Hall. We will learn about the roles of the different tradespersons who worked together to form an interdependent community web.
Drop-off Program. Designed for students grades 1 through 5. Program includes a snack.

NJ Paranormal Ghost Tours
2021-10-09 19:00 - 23:00, 2021-11-06 19:00 - 23:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Join us as we welcome New Jersey Paranormal back to Liberty Hall. Using the latest in ghost hunting technology, the team from New Jersey Paranormal will investigate some of the strange phenomena observed within the museum and carriage house. Staff and visitors have reported seeing full body apparitions, unusual orbs, and have heard disembodied voices. This four-hour long event will make a believer out of you!
Must be 18 or older to attend. Tickets are extremely limited.

Afterschool Adventures: Fairy Tales and Trails
2021-10-12 15:30 - 17:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
The fairies of Liberty Hall have left a string of clues on our trails. Join us as we unlock the secrets in each clue and search for the fairies. We will also make some enchanted fairy crafts and hear a favorite fairy tale.
Drop of program. Designed for students grades 1 through 5. Program includes a snack.

Four Centuries in a Weekend!
2021-10-16 10:00 - 16:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
All of the historic house museums in Union County will be open with free admission for the weekend!
Visit http://ucnj.org/4c for more information on this wonderful countywide event!
Liberty Hall Museum will have the first floor of the main house open for this special event weekend. Tours will be scheduled on the hour. Recommended for all ages.

Family Fun Day: The Firehouse!
2021-10-16 13:00 - 14:30 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Did you we have a collection of antique firehouse memorabilia at Liberty Hall? Stewart Kean, one of the last permanent residents of Liberty Hall, began the collection as a child, which grew to include three restored fire engines! Join us for a day exploring our firehouse with games and activities as we celebrate Fire Safety Month!

Afterschool Adventures: Games Galore!
2021-10-19 15:30 - 17:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Board games have occupied children and adults alike for thousands of years. We will learn about the history of board games and take a look at some 20th century games left behind at Liberty Hall by the Kean children. Students will use a variety of materials to craft their own original board game.
Drop-off program. Designed for students grades 1 through 5. Program includes snack.

Boos and Booze!
2021-10-20 19:00 - 21:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Join Us for the Boos…stay for the Booze!
Join us, if you’ve got the guts! Get ready to enjoy a Fall night out with friends carving and decorating pumpkins! Learn the legend behind the Jack-o-Lantern while you sit back and enjoy some snacks, wine and beer! This boozy fun night will have Halloween music and prizes for the most creative pumpkin design. Must be 21 years or older to attend.
Admission includes pumpkin, carving materials and refreshments. Reservations Required by October 15.

Third Thursday Virtual Lecture Series: Legends of Liberty Hall
2021-10-21 19:00 - 20:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Join us virtually!
It’s spooky season! Time to explore some of the mysteries at Liberty Hall Museum with our Third Thursday Virtual Lecture Series!
Liberty Hall has 250 years of stories to tell, and some of its most famous stories have become legends. Listen to the legends of the house– stories of ghosts, murder, love affairs, and a secret rendezvous! Discover the elements of truth behind these stories. How did these stories become legends in the first place? Did they even happen at all? Experience Liberty Hall Museum in a whole new light as we explore the secrets of its colonial residents.
This is a virtual program, Zoom links will be emailed to ticket holders.

Afterschool Adventures: Houses and Homes
2021-10-26 15:30 - 17:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Explore the world of architecture! Through hands-on activities, students will gain an understanding of the types of building materials used for houses and homes around the world. By examining the buildings on Liberty Hall’s property, students will learn how different building materials were used throughout time and how climate, building function, and culture affect architecture. Students will spend time in our “design lab” creating their own two and three dimensional structures from a wide variety of materials.
Drop-off program. Designed for students grades 1 through 5. Program includes snack.

Professors & Pints: Vixens, Volcanoes and Vipers; How Mary Shelley Wrote Frankenstein
2021-10-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
The lecture details the harrowing circumstances swirling around in the life of teenager Mary Shelley: estranged from her father and hoodwinked by her sister, while traveling abroad with a man married to someone else. Those personal tragedies wend their way into the topic of her most famous novel. With the writing of Frankenstein Mary Shelley invents the genre of science fiction and creates one of literature’s most original and loathsome title characters in the process.
Light refreshments will be served. Must be 21 or older to attend.

Professors & Pints: Minuteman, Militia and the Modern Military
2021-11-17 19:00 - 21:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
In honor of Veterans Day, this Professors and Pints lecture will focus on the earliest American military in 1775 that fought in the American Revolution. Learn how the Continental Army was created with topics ranging from recruiting efforts, incentives, and reenlistments. 246 years after the “first shot was heard around the world”, how has the force changed? Explore the comparison between the military’s training back then and today.
Light refreshments will be served. Must be 21 years or older to attend.

Third Thursday Virtual Lecture Series: Stitches in Time
2021-11-18 19:30 - 20:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Join Liberty Hall for our Third Thursday Lecture Series for one of our most popular programs! Over the years the descendants of the Livingston and Kean families lovingly preserved and packed away the previous generation’s belongings in attics, basements, closets, drawers and yes, even underneath floorboards. Combined, they tell the story of a way of life that has vanished from the Garden State. This fashionable presentation covers all the fashion dos and don’ts and how fashion has changed over three centuries.
This a Virtual program, Zoom links will be emailed to ticket holders.

Third Thursday Virtual Lecture Series: Under the Christmas Tree
2021-12-16 19:00 - 20:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Discover how Christmas gifts have changed over the years through the eyes of Liberty Hall’s residents . Meet the former children of Liberty Hall, explore Christmas decorations over the centuries, and take a peek at all the gifts under the tree! Accompanied by images of Liberty Hall’s past holiday exhibits. Under the Christmas Tree at Liberty Hall is not to be missed!

Links will be emailed to ticket holders.

Virtual Third Thursday Lecture Series: Quilting over the Centuries
2022-01-20 19:00 - 20:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
It’s cold outside! Let’s bundle up for Liberty Hall’s Virtual Third Thursday Lecture all about quilting! Quilting is one of the oldest forms of women’s crafting. Discover how the history of quilting in the United States provides key insights into the history of women from colonial times to today. Learn about Liberty Hall’s women and view some of Liberty Hall’s oldest quilts.
Links will be emailed to ticket holders.

Lectures & Lagers: A Passion for Orchids
2022-01-26 19:00 - 21:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
What is an orchid? While orchids mean thoughtfulness, refinement, fertility, beauty, charm, and love, they’re the perfect bloom to celebrate all of life’s precious moments. This insightful lecture details, what is an orchid versus other types of plants/flowers, where can orchids grow and what makes them special. Learn about the orchid’s cultural requirements and the different genera seen in stores and what you won’t see in the stores! Grab a lager and learn how you too, can make this blooming beauty a part of your gardening life!

Light refreshments will be served. Must be 21 years or older to attend.

After School Adventures: Pulleys, Levers and Wedges, Oh My!: Simple Machines at Liberty Hall
2022-02-08 15:30 - 17:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Learn about the six different types of simple machines, go on a scavenger hunt of Liberty Hall’s grounds to identify the simple machines on the farm. Discover how these machines make life easier for us everyday and how they have been used for hundreds of years! Finally, design your own simple machine in our design lab!

Program includes a snack. Program is designed for students in grades 1-5.

Family Fun Day: Lunar New Year!
2022-02-12 13:00 - 14:30 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
The Year of the Tiger begins on February 1st and we are celebrating by making lots of crafts- from dragon puppets to “porcelain” plates- that emulate traditional Chinese craftsmanship and icons. Americans have adored Chinese imagery since before the Revolution (what people in the past called chinoiserie), but there are many traditional Chinese symbols that have been used in New Year’s festivities for hundreds of years. Come craft and learn, and begin the New Year with lots of good fortune and prosperity!

Third Thursday Virtual Lecture Series: Uncovering the History of the Enslaved
2022-02-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Join Liberty Hall Museum’s Third Thursday Lecture series and learn about the history of slavery at Liberty Hall. Explore the historic resources that document the lives of the enslaved people who lived and worked at Liberty Hall. Learn about the ongoing research of Liberty Hall and Kean University. Listen to stories and narratives as we uncover the voices of the enslaved people.
Zoom links will be emailed to ticket holders.

Lectures & Lagers: Shakespeare Fact and Fiction
2022-02-23 19:00 - 21:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Shakespeare Fact and Fiction: A Playwright and His Shrew(d) Play presented by Dr. Corey Abate. The lecture takes the myths and misreading’s about Shakespeare that still persist about him today, and applies them to what Dr. Abate refers to as one of Shakespeare’s “most misunderstood plays, The Taming of the Shrew. It’s a complicated love story but a love story nevertheless”. Learn how she re-frames the main character Katherine as much less victimized and much more empowered female character than is often considered.
Light refreshments will be served. Must be 21 years or older to attend.

After School Adventures: Life on the Farm at Liberty Hall
2022-03-08 15:30 - 17:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Discover the lives of children and animals who once lived on Liberty Hall’s farm. Try your hand at colonial-era chores, explore the jobs of the animals who resided here, and design your own farm from recycled materials. Drop-off program is designed for students grades 1st – 5th and includes a snack.
Reservations required.

Third Thursday Virtual Lecture Series: The Fight for the Right to Vote!
2022-03-17 19:00 - 20:00 | Online, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Join Liberty Hall’s Third Thursday Lecture series and learn about the history of the women’s suffrage campaign through the eyes of Liberty Hall’s ladies. Explore how anti-suffragette movements worked to prevent the passage of the 19th amendment. Learn about how the abolitionist movement of the 1860s inspired the suffrage movement of the early 20th century. Enjoy this lively talk filled with images, documents, and stories from inspiring and trailblazing women.
Links will be emailed to ticket holders.

Family Fun Day: Women's History Celebration
2022-03-19 13:00 - 14:30 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Come meet some of the remarkable women in the Livingston and Kean family as we celebrate Women’s History Month! Women have been making history at Liberty Hall for centuries, leaving their individual mark on the property and community at large. Visitors will have the opportunity to connect with some of the previous female residents of Liberty Hall, discussing how their lives joined with the figures around them as they chat about the house they know and love.
Reservations required.

Lectures & Lagers: Hello Girls, Female Telephone Operators of WWI
2022-03-30 19:00 - 21:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Join Monmouth University Specialist Professor of Public History and former US Army Fort Monmouth Command Historian Melissa Ziobro for a talk on how the US Army Signal Corps employed women as telephone switchboard operators during WW1. The “Hello Girls” worked long hours to ensure battlefield communications. Their Chief Operator, Grace Banker, hailed from New Jersey. After the war, the women fought for veteran status, and they are being considered for a Congressional Gold Medal today.
Light refreshments will be served. Must be 21 years or older to attend. Reservations Required.

After School Adventures: Natural Numbers in Nature
2022-04-12 15:30 - 17:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Go on a treasure hunt around Liberty Hall’s 11 acres and discover how numbers are all around us in nature! Measure the age of a tree, study the shape of a beehive, and discover the types and sizes of Liberty Hall’s bird populations. Finally, make a bird feeder from recycled materials that you can bring home!
Drop off Program designed for students in grades 1st – 5th and includes a snack.
Reservations Required.

Virtual Third Thursday Lecture Series: High Tea at Liberty Hall
2022-04-21 19:00 - 20:00 | Online, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Join Liberty Hall’s Third Thursday lecture, and in the grand tradition of Mary Alice’s high teas at her historic home, enjoy a delectable lecture that covers 4,000 years of tea history. Discover how tea was accidentally discovered in early China. Explore how the influence of two British Queens made tea a popular drink around the world. Learn the stories of the famous high teas served at Liberty Hall, and get an up-close and personal look at some of the most incredible tea service pieces in the museum’s china collection.
Zoom links will be emailed to ticket holders.

Family Fun Day: Arbor(etum) Day!
2022-04-23 13:00 - 14:30 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Liberty Hall enjoys the benefit of lots of trees–even before William Livingston moved to the property, he was ordering trees to be planted for enjoyment and study. Although so much has changed at the property over the last 250 years, our love of trees has not! Join us for activities, games, and crafts at our arboretum and continue what the Livingston family began!
Reservations Required.

Lectures & Lagers: Nancy Thompson WWII Scrapbook!
2022-04-27 19:00 - 21:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
In the 1940s, Kean University was called The New Jersey State Teachers College at Newark. It was located on Broadway and Newark Avenue, and students earned a B.S. in different types of Education. After the United States entered World War II in 1941, librarian Nancy Thompson reached out to students and alumni in the armed services. Many wrote back. The letters and other materials were compiled in a scrapbook that we call the Nancy Thompson WWII Scrapbook Letter Collection. Kean’s Head Archivist, Erin Cral Alghandoor, will visually share the re-discovery of this unique collection, describe the campus response to the war, highlight a variety of letters in the collection, and share how recent Kean students are using it to make lesson plans and write research papers.
Reservations required. Light refreshments.
Must be 21 years or older to attend.

Afterschool Adventures: Outdoor Art Nature
2022-05-10 15:30 - 17:00 | Liberty Hall Museum, 1003 Morris Ave., Union, NJ, 07083, United States
Explore the natural beauty of the outdoors by studying landscape paintings, completed by Liberty Hall’s former residents. Conduct leaf prints and bark rubbings and take a nature walk around Liberty Hall’s grounds to find natural objects to design your own masterpiece.
The Program is designed for students in grades 1st to 5th and includes a snack. Reservations Required.
