Liberty Hall Museum

a CILC Content Provider

Liberty Hall Museum, a historic house and gardens museum in Union, New Jersey and the state's premier in-person and virtual field trip destination, offers a diverse array of virtual school programs and lifelong learner experiences designed to enlighten and inform all curious minds.

Whether you are playing with toys from over 200 years ago with your school class, studying the plants in our historic greenhouses with your scout troop, or engaging with a presentation about Liberty Hall’s powerful women at your local library, Liberty Hall Museum provides the unique opportunity to see, touch, and relive history.

Our school programs meet a variety of Common Core and New Jersey Core Curriculum Standards and all our programs are conducted by museum educators who share a genuine love of this museum. Liberty Hall’s historians and staff are dedicated to ensuring that every visitor who visits the museum leaves with a greater appreciation for our nation and our state’s history.

2023-2024

2022-2023

2021-2022

Programs by Liberty Hall Museum

Bon Voyage: The History of Luxury Travel

Join Liberty Hall as we recreate five incredible voyages of the Livingston and Kean family members and learn how luxury travel changed over the course of 200 years. Bon Voyage!

Colonial Days: Childhood and History at Liberty Hall

Step back in time to experience a day in the life of a child in colonial America.

Crown to Country: The History of our Fight for Independence

Students will discover and choose which side of the American Revolution they want to join, all while exploring a revolutionary-era home of a Founding Father.

Documenting the Past: Servants and Enslaved People

Explore Liberty Hall, analyze primary sources and discover the servants and enslaved people who lived and worked at the house.

Flora and Fauna: The History of Liberty Hall's Gardens

Visit Liberty Hall's beautiful gardens virtually. Take a tour of the 23-acres and discover the secrets behind how they were planned, who and what influenced their design, and how we work to keep them pristine today!

Ghosts, Governors, and George Washington: History and Legends of Liberty Hall

Join Liberty Hall for a fun storytelling adventure full of ghosts, love affairs, and mystery! Listen to the legends of this 250 year old home, learn the truth behind some of these tales, and discover how they grew into the legends they are today!

Historian's Apprentice: History, Museums, and Primary Source Documents

Step into the role of a historian, learn how a museum uses objects to tell stories and study primary source documents from our extensive collection.

History In-Person: Live Tour of Liberty Hall Museum

Feel like you have stepped into the past on the live virtual tour of Liberty Hall Museum. Discover the former residents, explore the many rooms of the mansion, and enjoy the mysteries and wonders of this incredible 250 year-old home.

Ladies of Liberty Hall: Women's History in New Jersey

From the Governor's daughter, to an enslaved woman, to the last resident of the house, discover the women who lived and worked at Liberty Hall, shaping and changing 250 years of New Jersey and American history.

Meet and Greet with History 1776: Susan Livingston

Meet and greet with history! Take a tour a Liberty Hall in 1776, with Susan Livingston, Governor William Livingston's daughter. Discover her life in colonial America, how she managed Liberty Hall, and even learn how she defended the home from...

Meet and Greet with History 1840: Julia Kean Fish

Meet and greet with history! Take a tour a Liberty Hall in 1840, with Julia Kean Fish on the eve of an important Presidential election. Discover her work to turn the tide of the election, even while she herself could not cast a vote. The tour is...

Meet and Greet with History 1900: Alize Houseman

Meet and greet with history! Take a tour a Liberty Hall in 1900, with Alize Houseman, the Parlor Maid for the Kean family in the year 1900. Discover a day-in-the life for Alize, how much she made a month, and her routine tasks and duties. The...

Meet and Greet with History 1950: Mary Alice Barney Kean

Meet and greet with history! Take a tour of Liberty Hall in 1950, with Mary Alice Barney Kean, the last resident of Liberty Hall. Learn about post-World War II life and discover her work to preserve her historic home and turn it into a museum...

Ring for Servants: The Roles of Servants in a Country Home

With the help of family ledgers, diaries, and census records, museum educators will bring the servants to life and take you on a day-in-the-life adventure of the servants in the Kean household.

Road to Revolution: The American Revolution in the 13 Colonies

Trace the path to the American Revolution from the first stirrings of discontent to the birth of the nation using primary source documents and artifacts from the museum’s collection.

Stitches in Time: The Crossroads of History and Fashion

Explore 300 years of fashion and textiles belonging to one very powerful and wealthy New Jersey family and discover how clothing has changed and shaped the fashions of today.

Technology Through Time: The History of Childhood at Liberty Hall

Explore how life has changed for three generations of children at one of New Jersey's oldest homes through the lens of technology, clothing, transportation, music, toys, and more! Time travel from 1780 all the way to modern day!

The War on the Doorstep: The American Revolution at Liberty Hall

Visit Liberty Hall Museum virtually and discover what life was like in the Governor of New Jersey's home during the American Revolution. Where did the family flee when the British invaded? How did the governor's daughters manage the household...

Under the Tree at Liberty Hall: The History of Christmas Traditions in the United States

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Join 200 years of children as they unwarp their presents and celebrate the holidays at Liberty Hall's. Get an up-close and personal look at some of the toys in our vast collection and learn about how...

William Livingston: Governor, General, Signer of the Constitution

James Madison once accused William Livingston, New Jersey's first elected governor and signer of the Constitution, of not taking "an active part in the debates at the Constitutional Convention." Was Madison accusing Livingston of being lazy? How...

Type of Organization

Arts/Cultural/Museum

Contact

Hannah Gaston hgaston@kean.edu
1003 Morris Avenue
Union New Jersey 07083
908-527-0400
United States

https://libertyhall.kean.edu/

Primary Disciplines

The programs of Liberty Hall Museum cover:

Literacy
Reading
History & Social Studies
STEM
Writing

Awards, Quotes, Testimonials

"The staff was amazing and patient with the students. The children were engaged and happy to partake in the activities."-Victoria F., 4th Grade Teacher

"Excellent and engaging instructors."-Terri C., Girl Scout Leader

"The garden club members really enjoyed your excellent virtual program. The breadth of historical information and fun details about real people's lives was entertaining, as well as educational, and the program was well illustrated with varied visual images."-Margaret A., Club President

"Hybrid learning can be incredibly repetitive, but this virtual field trip brightened up our day. The class learning from home and the class in front of me equally enjoyed the journey from room to room and interacting with the field trip coordinators. It was a fun way for them to learn and confirm things they have learned during the American Revolution curriculum."- Kristen G., 4th Grade Teacher

"A well organized and presented experience."-Gemma K., 4th Grade Teacher

"Our school has gone to Liberty Hall in previous years. You translated the program to a virtual setting wonderfully."-Jessica P., 5th Grade Teacher

"The students got to experience a social studies class that was interesting and helped deepen their understanding of the time period."-Inga T., 4th Grade Teacher