Morven, 1959. Dudley Morris (1912–1966). Oil on canvas. Morven Collection. Gift in memory of Bayard Stockton III by his children and grandchildren.
(PRINCETON, NJ) -- What do George Washington, Grace Kelly, and Buzz Aldrin have in common? They were all guests at Morven Museum & Garden, a home that has played a role in the history of New Jersey and the nation for more than 200 years. Opening on April 26, 2024, Morven Revealed: Untold Stories from New Jersey's Most Historic Home will shed light on lesser known stories of this historic home and its residents. It will be on view through March 2, 2025.
As they celebrate their twentieth anniversary as a museum, they are taking this opportunity to dig into their collections and commemorate Morven's unique past. What do we uncover when we consider the everyday moments that made Morven a home for over two hundred years? By showing rarely exhibited objects and newly discovered photographs, the museum’s second floor galleries will take a thematic look at subjects recognizable to many American families: childhood, hosting guests, pets, fashion, and more.
Visit the exhibition to find out what it was like to be a child in a bustling historic home. How did different residents celebrate holidays? What were the names of the dogs and cats that lived at Morven? What did Morven look like when the Governors called it home?
Morven Museum & Garden is located at 55 Stockton Street in Princeton, New Jersey, and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10:00am to 4:00pm. The gardens are open daily until dusk.
Most historic sites celebrate one notable resident. Morven is unique in that it was home to many remarkable people. Built in the 1750s and home to one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, Richard Stockton, Morven was home to five generations of Stocktons, then Robert Wood Johnson, Jr. before becoming New Jersey’s first Governor’s Mansion and home to five New Jersey governors, their families and staffs, witnessing nearly 300 years of history.
Funding for this exhibition has been provided, in part, by Liza and Schuyler Morehouse, Robert N. Wilson and Michele Plante, George H. & Estelle M. Sands Foundation, Marti Evans and William Laskowski, Lisa and Michael Ullmann, Stephen K. West (in memoriam) as given by the West Family, Sheila and Francois Brutsch, Ashley and Brian Formento, Mark Herr Communications Inc., Jill M. Barry, Robert O. Carr, Kim P. Gallagher, Barbara and Thomas Israel, NJM Insurance Group, Eileen and Robert O'Neil, Barbara and Richard Pierce, Dorothy and Charles Plohn, Jr., Georgia and Reeve Schley, Ann and Austin Starkey, Martha F. Stockton, Alexandra Tatnall, Daphne A. Townsend, and Jay Vawter.
