Museum of Early Trades & Crafts
Winter Newsletter 2024/2025
Grand Re-Opening of our Lower Level Galleries
We are pleased to announce the re-opening of our lower level galleries with the completion of the museum’s new Viewable Storage Facility. After five years of planning and construction, this $1.4 million project provides the museum with a state-of-the-art, on-site facility to house the majority of our artifacts and archival materials, expanding the capacity to preserve the collection and strengthen conservation efforts. This facility offers visitors visual access to observe the conservation of the collection through a large viewing area, creating another opportunity for education. By focusing on collections management and harnessing the museum’s resources and interpretive knowledge, we are paving the way for future digitization of the collection.
Protecting and preserving our cultural heritage benefits everyone and enables access for scholarly research. From the very beginning of this project, we were focused on our responsibility as stewards of this material culture to maintain, conserve and protect it so that each object can tell its story about the people who used these tools, wore the clothing, wrote the letters and journals and left this legacy for all of us.
We are pleased to invite you, our members and donors, to the grand re-opening of our lower level galleries on December 19, from 5-7PM. Join us for a toast!
RSVP at metc.org/event/grand-reopen/
From the Director
As the year comes to a close, I wanted to take this opportunity to reach out to all our generous members, donors, partners, and sponsors to say thank you for being such an integral part of the Museum of Early Trades & Crafts. We count ourselves fortunate to be embraced by a community that cares about history, education, and historic preservation, and we appreciate your ongoing support. I hope you will consider making METC one of your year-end donation recipients. Every single donation has an impact in our daily operations, allowing us to create deeper connections to our past, preserve our historic building, and care for our collection that represents New Jersey’s heritage and history.
Our focus this year has been two-fold expanding our education outreach to schools and ensuring that our collection is properly preserved and cared for. The first goal has been challenging due, in part, to the shifting educational environment. By investing in strategies to provide our professional staff with the tools to more effectively engage students, we are hoping to extend our reach so that more young people can benefit from the extensive educational opportunities our museum provides with a priority to offer free programming for schools in lower income communities. Our second goal has been a work in progress for over five years. We are so excited to have completed our new Viewable Storage Facility this fall. This state-of-the-art space was carefully designed to house our collection of artifacts that tell the stories of the people who lived and worked in our communities. The new facility also provides an opportunity to enhance the visitor experience and extend educational opportunities, showing the behind-the-scenes work of curation, conservation, and cataloging. By investing in this new facility, our history museum not only safeguards its collection but s cultural and educational landscape, ensuring that these historical treasures are preserved and appreciated for generations to come.
We are eager to share with everyone that museums can be so much more than just an outing with the family or a fun field trip with classmates. They connect us with new experiences, different people’s stories, and things that we do not see in our daily lives that give us all a fresh understanding and alternate perspective. And thanks to the generosity of many, METC continues to grow and meet new challenges and encourage new generations of learners.
As we move into 2025, museums like ours continue to be concerned about shifts in philanthropy, and how this uncertainty may affect non-profit organizations with limited support from state and federal agencies. We hope our community of supporters will consider this as they make their own personal decisions about supporting our precious institutions. We are so grateful to all our partners who provide us with funding to fulfill our mission and thank you for your donations and encouragement. It is through your generosity that METC continues to be a beacon for education and historic preservation. If you have not already done so, we encourage you to donate before the year end, which will help us prepare for new challenges and opportunities. You can make your donation online at metc.org/donate.
On behalf of the METC staff and board, we extend our best wishes to you and your family for a joyful holiday season and a happy New Year.
Thank you,
Deborah Farrar Starker, METC Executive Director
2025 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
For more information or to register please visit www.metc.org/upcoming-events
Please note our holiday hours:
• Closing at 12PM on December 18th.
• Closed December 23rd through December 26th and December 30th through January 1st.
January 4 Makerspace
Drop by between 11am and 3pm and let your creativity fly. For ages 5-12, children must be accompanied by a guardian at all times.
January 9 Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge Closing Event
Join us as we toast and take a last look at our Dodge exhibit during this special closing event which includes a screening of “Giralda Behind the Scenes.” Please register in advance.
January 20 School’s Out: Friendship Bracelets
School’s out but fun is in! Spend some time at the Education Annex between 11am and 3pm making friendship bracelets. For ages 5-12.
February 1 Makerspace
Join us between 11am and 3pm for STEM, art, and fun!
February 6 A Discussion of Slavery in New Jersey
We welcome historian Mike Snyder to discuss the impact and history of slavery in Morris County. Mr. Snyder was the recipient of the David Michael Friedlander Award for academic achievement.
February 8 Madison Chocolate Walk
Back by popular demand, we will host another delicious event during Chocolate Walk. Stay tuned!
Thank you for helping us Imagine the Future! Thank you to everyone who attended our gala on October 18 at the Park Avenue Club. This annual dinner and benefit raised over $60,000 to support the museum programs that are focused on providing access to the museum for all.
Upcoming Exhibits
BAR BOOKED 19: PROCESS Opens January 26
Works of art do not spring fully formed from an artist’s hands. They require thought, ideas, time, parts and plans. These steps form a PROCESS that is both figurative and literal. There is the creative process that starts with an idea and ends with a piece of work; and the physical process which requires planning, assembling and crafting with one’s hand. Each artist takes many steps to create their final piece–their work of art, and this exhibit offers us, the lucky audience, a glimpse into their PROCESS and what it means to them.
METC is pleased to partner once again with The Book Arts Roundtable, the museum’s artists in residence, and a modern-day example of using crafts and skills to create beautiful book arts.
Also opening in January—
Albert Einstein: Champion of Racial Justice
Albert Einstein is widely considered one the world's greatest scientific minds, but he was also known as a strong advocate for African Americans. Come learn about his relationships with prominent 20th century figures, and how he used his influence to support the African American community during his time in Princeton, NJ.
This exhibit is a joint project between the Princeton Einstein Museum of Science (PEMS) and the Witherspoon Jackson Historical and Cultural Society (WJHCS) and will be on display from January to March 2025.
Ishill Archives in the Vault Gallery
We are pleased to display the Ishill Archives this January in our Vault. Considered one of the finest independent printers and typographers of the twentieth century, Joseph Ishill ran the Oriole Press until the 1960s. On loan from Berkeley Heights Public Library, these archives have rarely been seen or exhibited and include hand bound books, volumes of poetry, and wood blocks. An anarchist and radical, Joseph Ishill had regular correspondence with Emma Goldman, Havelock Ellis, and other avant-garde thinkers of the era.
Updates from our Education Annex
2024 Wrap Up
• We had a great 2024 with the METC Education Department! We worked with Streamable again to record online classes available to classrooms all throughout the country.
• We were able to use over $19,000 in grant money from OOS to provide free programming to students from the Oranges and Maplewood at our museum.
• In December, our educators were happy to teach the entire first grade at Dickerson Elementary again this year who learned about Early American Toys and Tales! We look forward to working with more elementary schools to bring this fun programming to their classrooms.
What’s New
• After a successful summer of Workspace Wednesdays, our monthly Saturday Makerspace program is back for the school year, plus two new School’s Out crafts this winter.
• We are also offering volunteer and internship opportunities to local college students who are interested in History and Education.
The Importance of Field Trips
Does your child’s school offer field trips to museums? Visiting a museum is an act of imagination where we can imagine what the past was like, how people lived, and what their experiences were.
For students, museums promote critical thinking by helping them imagine different possibilities and use evidence to understand choices. This builds excitement about new ideas and that experience sparks creativity.
If you are a parent or teacher or know a school where the students would benefit from using their imaginations during an educational field trip, contact our Curator of Education today to book a trip. We also offer limited scholarship programs for schools with limited funding. Call us at 973-377-2982 or email Alyssa Beronilla at schools@metc.org.
Welcome new METC staff!
Museum Educator — Isabella Sangaline
Isabella (they/them) joined METC this December. They received their B.A. in History and Sociology from Drexel University in 2020 and received their M.A. in History from Rutgers University in 2022. They have a wide area of interest when it comes to Academic studies, including industrial revolution, gender and sexuality, and cultural history. Creating an accessible space for discussion and knowledge sharing is important to Isabella. They are excited to bring their knowledge and experience to METC and look forward to working with everyone!
Patron Services Associate — Brooke Figueiredo
Brooke Figueiredo is a graduate student at Seton Hall University studying to be a museum educator. Brooke loves the subject of history because there is always something new to learn. Additionally, she is a Taurus who loves reading, listening to music, and the color pink.
Thank You for Your Support*
Nancy Adamczyk
Muhammed Meraj Ahmed
The Boles Family
Anthony Bucco
Virginia Bunnell
Grace Burton
Carteret Public Library
David & Judy Casey
James & Janet Foster
Franklin Township Public Library
Friends of Westfield Memorial Library
Hal Garwin & Meg Wastie
Jeffery Gertler & JoJo Starbuck
Steven Gooby
Andrew Hickman & Samantha Pozner
Melissa Honohan
Sasha Infante
Richard & Judith Jahnke
Frederick Kaimann
Krista Klein
Knowtion
Irene Maroney
Tyler C. Merson & Victoria Vitarelli
Jon Messier
Rebecca Moody
Patricia Morgan
Adrienne Novak
Doug Parker
Parsippany Public Library
Piscataway Public Library
Karen Wong Poy
Michael & Virginia Ranger
Manuel Rendon
Roseland Free Public Library
Stacy & Toni Russo
Nelson & Nancy Schaenen
Judith Seery
Andrea Shenocca
Bill & Sandi Sweeney
Union Public Library
Barbara Weiskittel
Ed Weissner
Museum of Early Trades & Crafts founded by Edgar & Agnes Land in 1969 with their original collection of over 8,000 artifacts.
Our Vision Sharing the past, imagining the future.
Our Mission
To inspire a connection with New Jersey’s history, culture, trades, and crafts.
Acknowledgements
METC gratefully acknowledges generous funding from:
& Watson Foundation • Investors Foundation
Jersey Council for the Humanities
The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts receives an operating support grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission, a division of the Department of State.
METC Board of Trustees
Martin Barbato, Chair
Merson, Secretary
Maroney, Treasurer
B. Boles
Gertler
Librizzi
Wong Poy
Ruckelshaus
Schloff
Traba
Wilson
-Officio
Honorable Bob Conley, Mayor of Madison
METC Staff
Deborah Farrar Starker Jefferson W. Kirby Executive Director Elizabeth Quay Deputy Director
Claudette Stecher Lopez Curator of Collections & Exhibits
Nicole Rowland Finance Manager Amy Reed Communications Coordinator
Alyssa Beronilla Curator of Education
Isabella Sangaline Museum Educator
Stanley Ramirez Museum Assistant
Kathleen Brennan Barrett Education Staff
Catherine Shattuck Patron Services / Curatorial
Brooke Figueiredo Patron Services Associate
