Historic Happenings Blog

Take a Tour Through More than 8,000 Years of History! As we navigate these uncharted waters of living through a pandemic, now's the time to take a virtual tour of more than 8,000 years of Cape May County History.  Please click on the link below and virtually visit a house that has withstood the tests of time for more than 300 years.  As our county's oldest and most comprehensive center for history, we are the premier source of Cape May County's rich heritage. http://cmcmuseum.org/museum_virtualtour.php

Saturday, December 14 – Cape May County Come Home for Christmas     CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE –  In the grand tradition of coming home for Christmas, The Museum of Cape May County will once again celebrate the holiday season by opening its doors on December 14 th  for a holiday open house.     Young and old alike are invited to experience this year’s holiday extravaganza from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m.   Be sure to be on hand when Santa makes his annual appearance at noon to visit with children and share holiday sweets.  Visitors will be able to take a leisurely stroll throughout the house and enjoy magnificently decorated rooms as well as the museum’s beautiful campus – including a visit to the 1780 Smith Barn that houses Cape May County’s crown jewel, the 1859 original first-order lighthouse lens that sat atop the Cape May Lighthouse.     Come enjoy the museum this holiday season. Be awed by the rooms, each expertly...

November 1 through November 15 -- Cape May County Museum Hosts Book Sale CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – The Museum of Cape May County is hosting a  once-in-a-lifetime book sale that will offer bibliophiles and history buffs alike the chance to purchase gently used books at reasonable prices. These books, which focus on the  Civil War and Abraham Lincoln , were recently donated to The Museum with the express instruction that they be sold. Many titles are available, including out-of-print editions as well as books signed by the author. The sale will take place Nov. 1 through Nov. 15, Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. inside the gallery of The Museum, located at 504 Route 9 North in Cape May Court House. Cash and credit cards will be accepted for payment.

Friday, October 18 – Cape May County Walk Through Haunted History     CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE -  Spine-chilling experiences await you this Halloween season when The Museum of Cape May County opens its doors for a paranormal walk through centuries of haunted history.      The museum, nationally recognized for its exquisite collections of Cape May County historic artifacts, also boasts of another kind of collection – a legion of ghosts and spirits who have inhabited it since 1704.     Throughout the years, multiple paranormal investigators brought their equipment and know-how to The Museum   to see if the place was “alive” with spirits. After their extensive investigations, they discovered not only is the museum “alive,” our spirits enjoy interacting with the people who visit them.      On Friday, October 18 at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. teams of investigators from E.V.P. Paranormal and members o...

  Wednesday, May 1 – Cape May County Museum Open House Celebrates Coast Guard History May 1 to Sept. 27      The Museum of Cape May County is proud to announce its newest exhibition, “Always Ready: Always Here,”   that highlights the history of the United States Coast Guard’s impact throughout Cape May County.     This exhibition is one of the most extensive undertaken by the museum. Its mission is to bring to life the history of those brave men and women who have given their service to not only our nation, but to our county. “Always Ready: Always Here” will offer visitors a chance to see artifacts and memorabilia demonstrating the Coast Guard’s deep roots in our county history, including life-saving stations.     Of course, Cape May County’s crown jewel – the historic 1857 first-order Fresnel lens that stood atop the Cape May lighthouse will be lighted and on display in the 1780 Smith Barn. This lens, on lo...

Fridays, July 19, 26, August 2, 9, 16, 23 -- Cape May County Museum Offers Farmor Friday Fun     Now that school’s out and summer activity ideas are waning, why not bring your littlest historian to The Museum of Cape May County for a Friday morning of fun?     The museum, Cape May County’s premier center for historic preservation and presentation, has developed a child-friendly, hands-on activity that will enthrall as well as educate its youngest visitors.     This summer, the museum is pleased to announce a new program that will bring smiles to the faces of children ages 3 to 10. Farmor Fridays will offer children the opportunity to not only learn about a child’s life on a colonial farm but will allow them the opportunity to touch artifacts that will bring history to life.      Held inside the charming historic Cape May brick building (now called The Farmor Cottage) that sits adjacent to the Cress...

Friday, August 9 – Cape May County Museum Hosts Haunted Tour  CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE - Spine-chilling experiences await you this summer when The Museum of Cape May County opens its doors for a paranormal walk through centuries of haunted history.      The museum, nationally recognized for its  exquisite collections of Cape May County historic artifacts also boasts of another kind of collection – the legion of ghosts and spirits who have inhabited it since 1704.     Throughout the years, multiple paranormal investigators brought their equipment and know-how to the museum   to document the spirits who inhabit it. After their extensive investigations, they discovered not only is the museum “alive,” our spirits enjoy interacting with the people who visit the museum.     On Friday, August 9 at 6 p.m. or 8 p.m. teams of investigators from E.V.P. Paranormal will take you on a tour of the historic Cresse-Holmes h...

July 30, August 6 – Cape May County Museum Kids Club Offers Summer Fun CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE - The Museum of Cape May County will celebrate Summer of 2019 with a club created especially for kids.      It’s time to “Rock ‘n’ Roll” on July 30, at 11 a.m. when we learn about Cape May diamonds. Enjoy a story about Cape May diamonds, with a discussion about Cape May diamonds including a comparison of polished and unpolished stones. A rock polisher will also be on display. Children will be able to make a Cape May diamond pendant. Cost is $15 per child, space limited to 12 children.     On August 6, kids can celebrate National Lighthouse Day by taking an adventure beneath the sea. “Of Shipwrecks and Mermaids” will offer an exciting look at what lurks on the bottom of the ocean. After a story about mermaids and shipwrecks, children will tour of The Museum’s incredible shipwreck exhibit as well as visiting the 1859 fi...

Thursday, April 18 – Cape May County Museum Presents Civil War Lecture CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – The Museum of Cape May County, in conjunction with the Cape May County Civil War Round Table, will present a free lecture Thursday, April 18.      Presented by Mike Kochan, this lecture will delve into the details of one of the most famous naval battles in American history, the March 9, 1862 Battle of Hampton Roads that took place between the U.S.S. Monitor and the C.S.A. Virginia. This battle was the first ever fought between two armored warships.     Sunk off the coast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina on Dec. 31, 1862, the wreckage of the Monitor was discovered on Aug. 27, 1973. Since that time divers and volunteers, including Kochan, have worked tirelessly to document and raise artifacts from the wreckage.     This lecture will take place inside the museum’s historic Smith Barn on Thursday, April 18 at 7 p.m. Admission is ...

Thursday, March 21 – Cape May County      The Museum of Cape May County will present a lecture that will take you to the depths of the northern Atlantic Ocean and discover the secrets of what lies beneath.     Captain Gene Peterson of Atlantic Divers, a division of SeaGear Outfitters, has been exploring and discovering Nova Scotia shipwrecks since 1980. His expeditions include the discovery of dozens of unknown wrecks such as the British Freedom, the Anna, the Sonja Maersk, and the Zoe, among numerous others.      On Thursday, March 21 Peterson will tell the stories of his diving adventures off the Canadian coast as part of his shipwreck lecture series, “To Halifax and Beyond.”  According to Peterson, noted shipwreck author and pioneering diver Gary Gentile “first touted the phrase, ‘If you can hook it, we can dive it.’ With the breakers surrounding us and an alarmed captain manning the helm, we bowed out lest we...

Saturday, February 16 – Cape May County Experience the tales of haunted love.  On Saturday, February 16th at 6 p.m., The museum will open its doors for a special ghost tour,  "The Love That Never Died."   Join us as we walk through The Museum with experts from E.V.P. Paranormal and meet our resident ghosts. We know they'd love to meet you!   Space is limited and by prepaid reservation only. Cost is $20 pp. For info or reservations, call 609-465-3535. The Museum of Cape May County, 504 Route 9 North, Cape May Court House, NJ 08210

Through January 22 – Cape May County Museum Invites You to Listen, See, Enjoy CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE –  Now’s the time to enjoy the sights and sounds of a time gone by as The Museum of Cape May County presents its newest exhibition, “The Sights and Sounds of a Victorian Christmas.”      This free exhibit showcases the sweet sounds of Victorian music boxes and gramophones. Included in the exhibition is a rare Capital Cuff music box made in New Jersey in the 1880s. Visitors will be able to listen to many of the music boxes and gramophones as they make their way through The Museum’s gallery.     Collected by one man over the course of decades, these music boxes have never before been seen on public exhibition.     This event will run from Dec. 7, 2018 through Jan. 22, 2019 in The Museum’s gallery. The Museum is located at 504 Route 9 North in Cape May Court House.  Exhibition hours are limited and ...

Friday-Saturday, December 7-8 – Cape May  County Come Home for Christmas CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE -  Cape May County’s centuries-old tradition of coming home for Christmas will be celebrated in grand style when The Museum of Cape May County opens its doors to welcome the holiday season. Housed in a home that has continuously sat on its property since 1704, The museum serves as the ancestral home to every citizen of Cape May County.     Young and old alike are invited to this year’s holiday extravaganza that begins on Friday,  December 7  from 6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Be sure to be on hand at 7 p.m. when Santa makes a special appearance to light the enormous Christmas tree on the front lawn followed by visits with Santa and holiday sweets. Throughout the evening visitors will be able to take an evening stroll through The Museum and see the magnificently decorated and lighted rooms and be taken back to the Christmases of long ago. On Saturday, De...