Fire House Tours

Saturdays 12-5 pm

The Fire House will be open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays.

Hoboken Fire Department Museum, 213 Bloomfield St.

Admission $2 for Adults. Children Free!

Sweets Tours

Saturdays 10am

Sweets Tours start at the Museum.

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

Tickets: $15 per person / $12 for Members.

Black Maria Film Festival

February 7, 2011

The Hoboken Historical Museum is proud once again to serve as one of the first host venues for New Jersey’s own Annual Black Maria Film and Video Festival, an international competition and award tour featuring cutting-edge works from independent film and video makers. Now in its 30th year, the festival will bring a handful of works to the Museum on Monday, February 7, at 7 p.m.

“The Lure of the City”

March 20, 2011

Ask any 12 Hobokenites why Hoboken is endearing to them, and you’re likely to hear a dozen different answers. But what draws in the newcomer? Historian Randall Gabrielan suggests that history is a major part of Hoboken’s appeal. It’s arguably the most historic square mile in New Jersey. But before someone gets to know the details of the city’s rich history, Gabrielan says, it’s apparent in the city’s built environment—its streetscapes and architecture—which even at first glance suggest that Hoboken is well preserved and yet has effectively undergone change and possesses an urban vibrancy.

Gabrielan visits the Museum on Sunday, March 20 at 4 p.m. to discuss “The Lure of the City,” and to sign copies of his latest book, Hoboken—History and Architecture at a Glance, which focuses on Hoboken’s rich collection of historic structures.

“Remembering the Twin Towers”

March 27, 2011

On Sunday, March 27, at 4 p.m., the Open River program will bring in Rutgers University American Studies professor Angus Gillespie to discuss the World Trade Center towers and their role as a national symbol. In the 1990s, he was intrigued by the twin towers and their symbolic meaning. When he discovered there were no books about them, he delved into the subject on his own, applying his expertise as a folklore researcher, who has studied myths, legends, tales, and ballads across the United States.

In 1999, Rutgers University Press published his book, Twin Towers: The Life of New York City’s World Trade Center, which became a bestseller in the weeks after the attacks. When he learned that most of the buildings’ original records vanished with the buildings, he donated his research notes and primary materials to the Rutgers Library so that others can use them, too.

Tootsie Tales from Candy Land Book Talk

April 10, 2011

Rutgers professor Samira Kawash is writing a book about the origins and evolution of candy, and blogs about it at candyprofessor.com. Dr. Kawash visits the Museum on Sunday, April 10, at 4 p.m. to give a talk she’s calling “Tootsie Tales from Candy Land.” Her premise: For the past century, America has been famous as a “great candy-eating nation.” Less well known, she says, “American inventors and dreamers have given us many new ways of getting our candy fix.” The early decades of the 20th century were an especially exciting time for candy. Dr. Kawash will cover the beginnings of American candy as we know it today, how it started off as “good food,” and how it made its way into the American kitchen.

A Full Cup: Sir Thomas Lipton Book Talk

April 23, 2011

Long before millionaire entrepreneurs Sir Richard Branson or Larry Ellison fascinated international audiences with their panache and sailing exploits, there was Sir Thomas Lipton, whose name graces the Tea Building at the north end of Washington St. Author Michael D’Antonio, whose book, A Full Cup: Sir Thomas Lipton’s Extraordinary Life and his Quest for the America’s Cup, debuted last year to rave reviews, will visit the Museum on Sunday, April 23 at 4 p.m., for a talk and book signing about “The Great Lipton.”

Ferry History: “Two Sides of the River”

May 8, 2011

New York harbor was once a ferryboat mecca, boasting numerous fleets of railroad, public, and privately owned vessels that carried millions of passengers and vehicles. For over a century, the ferry was the primary way to cross the mighty Hudson and other waters surrounding Manhattan Island. Each line boasted its own colorful vessels, supported by a unique shore-side infrastructure unrivaled to this day.

Engineer and historian Frank Vopasek IV, who spoke during our Up & Down the River exhibit in 2009, returns on Sunday, May 8, at 4 p.m. to present a program that pays homage to a way of life that disappeared almost overnight. He will highlight the nautical landmarks of New York harbor along with other long-retired vessels, telling a historical narrative from a nostalgic perspective, illustrated with 35 mm slides.

The 10th Annual Hoboken Baby Parade

May 15, 2011

Spring heralds the return of a century-old community tradition, the Hoboken Baby Parade, in which Hoboken’s babies venture out in their finest attire, toddlers flaunt their cutest costumes, and parents create amazing mini-floats balanced atop carriages and wagons.

The Parade begins at Sinatra Park—located at Fifth Street and the Hudson River—and proceeds south along the waterfront to Pier A. The Parade is free and registration begins at noon. Parents are encouraged to dress up their babies, toddlers and older siblings—and, of course, themselves and their strollers. Trophies are awarded for Best Dressed Child, Most Creative Carriage, and Best Dressed Family (the latter category has been awarded to twins and triplets, families with multiple children, parents and children, cousins, and even playgroups).

“The Legacy and Lessons of Ground Zero”

May 22, 2011

While the nation still mourns the victims who died nearly 10 years ago in the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, countless other people continue to suffer illnesses resulting from the collapse of two of the largest buildings on Earth. This lingering tragedy stems from some of the critical decisions that were made in the chaotic aftermath of the event, according to City of Dust: Illness, Arrogance, and 9/11, the latest book by Hoboken-born author Anthony DePalma, former foreign correspondent and environmental reporter for the New York Times.

In the book, DePalma describes the intensity of Ground Zero and the vortex of dust that confounded scientists and destroyed public trust. “It was the nightmare scenario of one of the busiest and most crowded places on Earth being exposed to an unprecedented mix of known and suspected hazards,” says DePalma, who is a writer in residence and teacher at Seton Hall University, and continues to contribute to the New York Times.

Secret Garden Tour

June 5, 2011

Hoboken’s row homes hide lush, carefully tended green spaces that reflect the diverse interests of their inhabitants: Japanese Zen gardens, English cottage gardens and even a Moroccan courtyard. Indulge your curiosity and garden fantasies with the annual Hoboken tradition, the 14th Annual Secret Garden Tour, on Sunday, June 5, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Eight to ten homeowners will share their “secret gardens” and their gardening secrets to support the Museum’s fund-raising efforts, with assistance from the Hoboken Garden Club and title sponsor, Hufnagel Landscaping. The Tour includes a wide range of garden designs by both dedicated gardening enthusiasts and professional designers, with clever solutions to such challenging issues as shallow soil and deep shade.

It’s your chance to peek behind Hoboken’s facade into spaces that reveal gardeners’ creativity and determination to stay in touch with nature in an urban environment. Guided tours depart from the Museum on the half-hour, and last about two hours.

Sweet Family Fun Day

June 12, 2011

Make history! Join us at the Museum for an afternoon of fun, history, and sweet celebrations, on Sunday, June 12, from 12 – 4 p.m. Special guests will demonstrate how to make some of the sweet treats featured in our current exhibit, Yum-Yum, Tootsie Rolls, and Chocolate Bunnies on Motorcycles…A Sweet History of Hoboken.

Sweet-shop owner Mario Lepore will revive the traditional Hoboken ice cream flavor, Yum-Yum. And expert carver Nestor Lagman will ply his knife skills on fruit. It’s free, and all ages are welcome.

Play Ball 19th-Century Style

June 18, 2011

One of Hoboken’s “100 Firsts” is hosting the first officially recorded, organized “base ball” game played under Alexander Joy Cartwright Jr.’s rules, on June 19, 1846. According to historical records, the New York Nine defeated Cartwright’s Knickerbockers, 23 to 1, in four innings at Hoboken’s Elysian Fields, which were located near the Hudson River, about where the former Maxwell House Plant was located.

The Museum will commemorate the event again this year with a re-creation of a mid-19th century game, on Saturday, June 18, at 1 p.m. at Stevens Institute of Technology’s Dobbelaar Baseball Field. This year, one of those teams will be a new team of Hoboken volunteers, who will learn how to play by 1873 rules for a competitive match with the Flemington Neshanocks. Anyone interested in playing on the Hoboken side should contact the Museum at 201-656-2240.

New York Harbor, “Steam & Splendor”

June 26, 2011

Frank Vopasek IV returns on Sunday, June 26, at 4 p.m. to give an overview of “New York Harbor: Memories from the Age of Steam.” From being the birthplace of commercial steam navigation through the end of business of the excursion steamers, New York Harbor has a nautical history as none other. This program, presented in an artistic and nostalgic manner, highlights this wonderful era with scenes of both the vessels and life aboard them from the pilot house to the engine room.

Included are 35 mm slide images of many tugs, lighters, ferries and liners that shared the waters with various passenger and excursion operations. The program includes a special tribute to the Hudson River Dayline steamers, as well as the final disposition of many New York harbor favorites. The demise of the steamboat era will be momentarily brought to life in all its splendor.

Final Tour of Macy’s Parade Studio

July 14, 2011

All aboard for the last Macy’s Parade Studio tour! On Thursday, July 14, at 6 p.m., the Macy’s Parade Studio director has invited the Museum to bring 30 people for a guided tour of the facility before it moves to Moonachie. Since 1968, Macy’s talented parade float designers have made their fantastic creations at the former Tootsie Roll factory building at 1515 Willow Ave.

Immigrants in Hoboken: One-Way Ticket, Book Talk

July 17, 2011

Hoboken was a sleepy village of about 2,600 people in 1850, a popular destination for landscape painters and day-trippers from Manhattan seeking a leafy refuge and stunning views. In just a decade, however, waves of European immigrants more than tripled the population to 9,662 in 1860 and then tripled again by 1880 to nearly 31,000. Another 20 years later, in 1910, the city’s population had swollen to more than 70,000.

Just who made up these waves of newcomers and how the different ethnic groups shaped Hoboken’s cultural and economic landscape from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s are among the topics covered in a fascinating new book by local historian Christina Ziegler-McPherson, Immigrants in Hoboken: One-Way Ticket, 1845–1985 (The History Press, 2011). Dr. Ziegler-McPherson will visit the Museum on Sunday, July 17 at 4 p.m., for a talk and book signing.

9/11: Hoboken Remembers

Wednesday, September 14, 2011, 7pm

A moderated discussion presented by the “9/11: Hoboken Remembers” Organizing Committee, at All Saints Church. The event is supported by the Hoboken Historical Museum, Hoboken Public Library and All Saints Parish.

Location: Trinity Church(All Saints), 700 Washington St.

Free

Uptown Storytime at the Museum

Thursday, September 22, 2011, 10am

For children ages 2 to 5 years and their caregivers.

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

$2 donation; HHM members free.

Opening reception for Unfolding Landscapes

Sunday, September 25, 2-5pm

Opening reception for Unfolding Landscapes: Books and Boxes by Barbara Mauriello, in the Upper Gallery of the Museum.

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

Free

Hoboken’s Fall Arts and Music Festival

Sunday, September 25, 11-6pm

Hoboken’s Fall Arts and Music Festival, visit the Museum’s booth near United Decorating, 421 Washington St.

Washington St. from Newark to 7th Street, Volunteers needed!

Free

8th Annual Hoboken Pet Parade & Fair

Sunday, October 2, 2011, 12pm

The Museum’s 8th Annual Pet Parade and Fair will be bigger and better than ever this year, taking place on Sunday, October 2, from 12 - 4 p.m. The event moves uptown to Maxwell Place Park and Pier, between 11th and 12th Streets on the Waterfront Walkway, and will feature costume contests, talent competitions, and an area where local pet service professionals will dispense advice and demonstrations. The event is free, thanks to the support of our title sponsors, Cornerstone Pets 105 9th St., Hoboken, and Boca’s Play-n-Stay of Jersey City, and other supporting sponsors. The Hoboken Dog Association will sponsor an AKC Responsible Dog Owner Day, and Liberty Humane Society will bring some adoptable pets.

Maxwell Place Park and Pier

Free.

Artist Talk by Barbara Mauriello

Sunday, October 2, 2011, 4pm

If you missed the opening on September 25 of the Upper Gallery exhibit, Unfolding Landscapes: Books and Boxes by Barbara Mauriello, stop by the Museum on Sunday, October 2, at 4 p.m., for a talk by the artist about her craft. “I got hooked on bookbinding the first time a bowl of freshly cooked paste passed under my nose,” Mauriello recalls. “And the lovely, fat paste brushes…then a ‘bonefolder,’ the bookbinder’s essential tool, fell into my hands and that was that. I was in love: with my tools, my materials, paper, cloth, leather, thread, paint.”

She learned the bookbinding trade through an apprenticeship at the Center for Book Arts in New York City, in the tradition of centuries of craftspeople before her. Thirty years later, the Hoboken-based artist is just as passionate about making books, if not more so. She now makes her living creating and repairing books, as well as colorful boxes in innovative shapes. She also teaches bookbinding and has served as a consultant in book conservation to major institutions. The Upper Gallery exhibits are made possible by a block grant from the State/County Partnership program for the Arts administered by the Hudson County Division of Cultural and Heritage Affairs.

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

Free

Uptown Storytime at the Museum

Thursday, October 6, 2011, 10am

For children ages 2 to 5 years and their caregivers.

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

$2 donation; HHM members free.

Fall Family Fun Day

Sunday, October 9, 2011, 12-4pm

This event will offer several all-ages, hands-on activities, such as making candies and carving fruit, relating to our current main gallery exhibition, “Yum-Yum, Tootsie Rolls and Chocolate Bunnies on Motorcycles: A Sweet History of Hoboken.”

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

Free

The 4th Annual Heirloom Garlic-Tasting Festival is Canceled

Sunday October 16, 2011

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

Uptown Storytime at the Museum

Thursday, October 20, 2011, 10am

For children ages 2 to 5 years and their caregivers.

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

$2 donation; HHM members free.

Annual HHM House Tour

Sunday, October 23, 2011, 10am-4pm

In a nod to the Museum’s 25th anniversary this year, the Annual Hoboken House Tour on Sunday, October 23, will feature several of the favorite homes from years past among the eight to 10 homes and condos graciously opened to visitors by Museum supporters to help us raise funds.

Every year, the tour offers a fresh selection of traditional and contemporary homes and condos furnished in a wide range of styles. From turn-of-the-century craftsmanship to the beautiful views from a waterfront loft apartment, the tour allows Hoboken to show off its eclectic array of home spaces. Some homes display a designer’s touch; others feature the unique tastes and collections of the homeowners.

Begin your self-guided tour from the Museum.

Sponsored by PNC Real Estate

Starts at the Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

Advance-purchase tickets are $25, $30 day of tour, $25 for HHM members..

Uptown Storytime at the Museum

Thursday, November 3, 2011, 10am

For children ages 2 to 5 years and their caregivers.

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

$2 donation; HHM members free.

GalaPalooza25

Friday, November 4, 2011, 7 pm

A fun and elegant evening at Hoboken’s W Hotel to celebrate the Museum’s 25th anniversary. Visit www.galapalooza25.com

The Hoboken Historical Museum turns 25 this year, and we are truly grateful for the support we continue to enjoy from people and businesses across the community. Come toast the health and achievements of the Museum at our biggest fundraising event of the year, GalaPalooza25, our 25th Anniversary Party at the W Hotel Hoboken, on Friday, November 4. This exciting evening will offer an open bar, delicious hors d’oeuvres, live music, dancing, and special guests, plus our exciting annual live auction of one-of-a-kind experiences.

While state funding has declined, the Museum has been working harder than ever to continue to fulfill its mission and grow our fan base. Each year we offer engaging exhibits and expert speakers on Hoboken’s history, a gallery space for local artists, an oral history program with the Friends of the Hoboken Library to preserve cultural history, education programs that touch thousands of children, and fun events that help bring diverse members of the community together.

W Hotel

“Vanishing Hoboken” oral history

Sunday, November 6, 2011, 2-5pm

“Vanishing Hoboken” oral history chapbook, “In the Terrace,” featuring Joan Cunning’s recollections of growing up in Hoboken’s tight-knit Willow Terrace neighborhood. Look for more information on the book in our fall newsletter.

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

Free

Reception: Opening reception for Walkabout, Photographs & Mixed-Media Works by Liz Cohen

Sunday, November 13, 2011, 2-5pm

In the musuem's Upper Gallery

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

Free

Uptown Storytime at the Museum

Thursday, November 17, 2011, 10am

For children ages 2 to 5 years and their caregivers.

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

$2 donation; HHM members free.

Uptown Storytime at the Museum

Thursday, December 1, 2011, 10 am

For children ages 2 to 5 years and their caregivers.

Hoboken Historical Museum

1301 Hudson St.

$2 donation; HHM members free.

7th Annual Winter Holiday Family Concert with Dave Lambert & Howard Olah-Reikenin

Sunday, December 4, 2011, 3 pm

Catch the holiday spirit with a fun, family-friendly concert by Dave Lambert and Howard Olah-Reiken on Sunday afternoon, December 4, at 3 p.m. The event will take place again in The Shipyard Playroom in the neighboring Independence building on the south side of Shipyard Park.

The pair of singers have entertained Hobokenites and led sing-alongs of favorite holiday and winter-themed music at the Museum for the past six years. You may have also seen the duo on lead vocals and guitar for the Gordys, a collective of musicians who performed in the city’s summer concert series at Sinatra Park in August.

Shipyard Playroom, SW corner of Shipyard Park, in the Independence

Admission: $5 per family.

Artist talk by Liz Cohen, on her exhibit, Walkabout: Photographs & Mixed-Media in the musuem's Upper Gallery

Sunday, December 4, 2011, 4pm

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

Holiday Crafts Fair at the Museum

Saturday & Sunday, December 10-11, 2011, 12-5pm

Meet local artisans and craftspeople selling jewelry, candles, home decorations and more.

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

Uptown Storytime at the Museum

Thursday, December 15, 2011, 10am

For children ages 2 to 5 years and their caregivers.

$2 donation; HHM members free

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.

Holiday Crafts Fair at the Museum

Saturday & Sunday, December 17-18, 2011, 12-5pm

Meet local artisans and craftspeople selling jewelry, candles, home decorations and more.

Hoboken Historical Museum, 1301 Hudson St.