Heading down the shore? New Jersey's beautiful beaches are anchored by culturally rich towns with year-round attractions. At the state's southern tip, the historic beach town of Cape May is home to the prized Cape May Stage, a professional theatre company known for both classic and contemporary works. You’ll also be greeted by the East Lynn Theater Company, one of the top equity professional theaters in the state, delighting audiences since 1980 with endearing classics and contemporary plays based on America's heritage.
North of Cape May you can catch amazing live performances at the Stockton Performing Arts Center in Galloway. And be sure to visit Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton University in nearby Hammonton or the Noyes Museum Art Garage in the Atlantic City arts district. In Red Bank you can stroll the downtown arts district, rich with galleries, shops, restaurants and impressive live performance venues including the Two River Theater and the Count Basie Center For The Arts.
Head inland to Millville, where the art of glassmaking has shaped the town for centuries and continues to draw an international crowd. Set on 45 wooded acres, WheatonArts and Cultural Center includes the Museum of American Glass, Down Jersey Folklife Center and daily demonstrations in the pottery, glass and flamemaking studios. For country and bluegrass concerts, visit the Albert Music Hall in Waretown, declared “The No. 1 Thing to Do at the Jersey Shore” by the Asbury Park Press and one of “52 Things Every New Jerseyan Must Do” by New Jersey Monthly.
If you're traveling to Central Jersey, make a stop in Princeton, home to the Tony Award-winning McCarter Theatre Center for the Performing Arts, presenting a thrilling roster of live performances and events annually. While you’re there, you’ll also want to explore the galleries and inspiration on display at the acclaimed Princeton University Art Museum as well as the sounds of the world-renowned Westminster Choir, just minutes away on the Rider University campus in Lawrenceville.
For a truly unique experience, take the whole family to nearby Hamilton and stroll the stunning Grounds For Sculpture, a beautifully landscaped, 42-acre outdoor sculpture park featuring more than 300 contemporary works of art on site.
North of Hamilton, you'll find the dynamic New Brunswick Performing Arts Center and "theater row," featuring George Street Playhouse, with productions that have garnered attention both on and off-Broadway. Right next door is Crossroads Theatre Company, one of the nation's premiere African American (and Tony Award-winning) theater companies and State Theatre, a major venue for performing arts and entertainment. You may also want to visit the Zimmerli Art Museum at Rutgers University, which features one of the most distinguished (and largest!) university-housed art collections in the country.
If you're bound for North Jersey, be sure to catch a show at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in Newark. One of the nation's largest performing arts centers, NJPAC attracts the brightest national and international stars year-round. Just a few steps away, explore the Newark Museum of Art, the state's largest museum, featuring American art, decorative arts, contemporary art and arts of Asia, Africa and the ancient world. If plays are more your thing, check out the Madison-based Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey, one of the leading Shakespeare theatres in the nation, or Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, recipient of the 2016 Regional Theatre Tony award.
New Jersey is home to some of today’s most cultured destinations with unique artistic offerings at every corner. Whatever your pleasure, New Jersey's arts scene is ready to welcome you. Come explore your passion!
Discover even more arts and culture in New Jersey, and stay on top of all there is to do in the state by downloading a free official travel guide or signing up for our e-newsletter. And as always, be sure to check the websites and social media pages of your planned location before you go, to ensure you have all the need-to-know info.
