Where-To-Go Wednesday - The Merchant & Drovers Tavern Museum

What: The Merchant & Drovers Musem 

Where: 1632 St. Georges Ave

             Rahway, NJ

Who: All ages

Me - The Merchant & Drovers Tavern Museum was interesting. They had a lot of fascinating artifacts. They had some really pretty blue pottery. They were some really old playing cards and other game pieces. There was also a fun game you could actually play using a spinner and some magnets. The object was to get from Philadelphia to New York. It was pretty easy but still fun. There was another place where you could plan your own town using magnets with pictures of different places on them There were a lot of old clothes including boots, other shoes,  and hats. One of the hats was a bonnet. It was not in the best condition. You could tell it was really old  

It was cool that they still had the bar from when the building was a tavern. That made it easier to picture what it was like then. In the room with the bar, there was a picture of George Washington. Allegedly,  he had stopped at the Tavern at some point. There were some other rooms too including an old kitchen and a bedroom. The bedroom was upstairs. All in all, it was an enjoyable and very historic place to visit and I would recommend going.

Mom - The Merchant & Drovers Tavern Museum was once a working tavern that was an important stop in the route between Philadelphia and New York in the days before the advent of the railroads. The tavern room is set up exactly like it would have been in the days when the building actually was a tavern. Suprisingly, the bar area is a lot smaller than what we are used to. There are also other rooms including a kitchen and a bedroom. The kitchen is still used for special events and functions that are held in the building. 

The building houses exhibits on Taverns in general as well as an exhibit on stagecoach travel. The exhibits include numerous artifacts, antiques, maps, and works of art. A few parts of the exhibits are interactive.

The building is in the process of undergoing renovations and a new Girl Scout exhibit will be opening that will pay homage to another chapter in the building's history. After it was a tavern and then a hotel and bar, it became the headquarters of the Girl Scouts for a number of years before becoming a museum.

Merchant & Drovers Tavern Museum is currently open two days a week Thursdays from 10:00 to 4:00 PM and either the first 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month or the 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month from 12:00 - 4:00 PM. However, it is best to call before you go to make sure someone will be there. The phone number is (732) 381-0441. Socially distancing and mask-wearing  are required, and your temperature will be taken upon arrival. For more information, visit https://www.merchantsanddrovers.org.

Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.