Where-To-Go Wednesday - The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park

 

What: The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park


Where: 37 Christie Street
              Edison, NJ

Who: 10 and up

Our view: The Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park is located at the site of Edison's laboratory. It consists of a museum and and The Thomas Edison Memorial Tower. The tower, however, is currently undergoing renovation and is closed to the public. The museum while quite small is very interesting and informative. Many artifacts related to Thomas Edison are located here, such as, some of his patents, phonographs and light bulbs. There are also many photographs of Edison, his family, his inventions and the property as it existed during Edison's time. A particular highlight of the museum is the opportunity to listen to phonographic recordings made during Edison's time. The museum is small and only consists of two rooms. It is expected to eventually be renovated into a much larger museum. However, while the renovation of the tower has begun work on the new museum has not been started nor has a date been given for starting on the project let alone when it is expected to open. However, even in its current state the museum is still worthwhile. Guided tours of the museum are optional. Even though the museum is very small, we would still recommend the tour because it is very informative. We would not recommend the tour for small children or people with short attention spans, however although they still might enjoy looking at some of the exhibits and listening to the phonographs. There is no fee for visiting the Center. However, the center is supported by donations. The museum is open Monday-Saturday 10:00 to 4:00.

And that's our view. Tune in to tomorrow's Talking Topics post for more about the Thomas Edison Center at Menlo Park.