New Jersey State House Museum

Address: New Jersey State House, Trenton, NJ, USA

Website: https://www.nj.gov/state/archives/

Hours: Legislative offices operate weekdays; guided tours by appointment (check official site)

Admission: State House tours may be free or small-fee-check official state website for current tour schedules

The New Jersey State House is the state capitol building in Trenton, New Jersey, with origins dating to 1792; it is noted for being one of the oldest state capitols in continuous legislative use in the United States.

The complex contains the legislative chambers for the New Jersey Legislature - the Senate and the General Assembly - plus offices and meeting rooms used by lawmakers and state officials. Public galleries overlook the chambers and the grounds include memorials and ceremonial approaches. The site is primarily visited for its historic architecture, legislative sessions, and civic functions.

Construction began in the late 18th century and the building has been enlarged and altered several times over the 19th and 20th centuries to add office space, an annex, and modern utilities. It has continuously housed the state legislature and related executive offices since its original construction.

The State House sits in downtown Trenton, Mercer County, adjacent to other state government buildings. Trenton lies roughly midway between New York City and Philadelphia and serves as New Jersey’s capital city.

• Historic continuity: The building is one of the oldest state capitols in continuous legislative use in the United States.
• Legislative chambers: Legislative chambers seat the 40-member State Senate and the 80-member General Assembly, with public galleries for observation when the legislature is sitting.

What to See#

• State House Building: Contains the main legislative chambers used by New Jersey’s legislature, office space, and support rooms for committee meetings and staff.
• State House Annex: A connected Annex that houses additional offices and administrative functions for the state government.
• Grounds and exterior viewpoints: Public grounds and memorials around the capitol building providing views of the exterior architecture and access to the building’s principal entrances.

The State House is in downtown Trenton near the state capitol complex. From Trenton Transit Center, it is a short taxi ride or a 15-20 minute walk. NJ Transit and Amtrak serve Trenton; local buses also connect the area.

• If interested in legislative history, check the calendar for public session viewings which are sometimes open to the public.
• Security procedures apply-allow time for bag checks and identification on entry.