History museums instill wonder in children who have become bored with their own closets full of skeletons. Discover a body of knowledge with this Groupon.

Choose From Three Options

$7 for a planetarium sky show and museum visit for two (up to a $14 value)

$12 for a planetarium sky show and museum visit for four (up to a $28 value)

$22 for a one-year family membership for up to four (a $60 value)

• Members-only sales, special events, and trips; program registration discounts; and advance trip notice and registration
• 10% off at the museum store
• One planetarium show for four<p>

Admission to the New Jersey State Museum’s archaeology and ethnography, fine art, cultural history, and natural history exhibits are always free. See the planetarium schedule.<p>

New Jersey State Museum

Rather than focusing on one angle of its state’s history, the New Jersey State Museum encompasses four: archaeology, fine arts, culture, and natural history. Since 1895, the American Association of Museums–accredited complex’s staff has been dedicated to expanding field research and, more recently, public-school outreach. These efforts have culminated in collections of more than 2 million archeological specimens, 2,000 ethnographic artifacts, 12,000 works of art, and 13,000 state cultural artifacts. These pieces pique viewer curiosity in themed exhibits, exploring periods in local art, relationships between native Americans and European settlers, and the state flower’s childhood diaries.

The archaeology collections—assembled by museum staffers and university archaeologists—highlight textiles, beads, and hide works from Delaware Indians and other North American–natives. The fine art collection assembles works by American modernists and abstract artists. Massive Trenton-made furnishings, Civil War–flags, and maritime artifacts populate the cultural exhibits.

Though focused on history and art, the museum also immerses visitors in science with its 150-seat planetarium, which dazzles eyes with images of the solar system, faraway stars, and astronaut training during shows. Audiences witness traditional sky projections and laser-created programs comprised of 6,000 stars on the ceiling of the full 360-degree dome.

_Though New Jersey State Museum sometimes features a discounted price online, this Groupon still offers the best deal available._