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News Category: Announcements

Patriots Week 2024 at The Old Barracks

Written by bmclendon on .

Patriots Week
December 26 – 29, 2024

The Old Barracks Museum is open for tours December 26-29 from 10 AM – 5 PM.
​Patriots Week is a celebration of Trenton’s revolutionary role in America’s history!

The full schedule will be available on patriotsweek.com

Below are the events hosted by the Old Barracks Museum

Friday, December 27

​Museum open 10 AM – 5 PM
Admission – $10 adults, $8 students and seniors; free for children 5 and under and Active Duty Military

7 PM: Colonial Ball at the Masonic Temple across the street from the Old Barracks Museum
The Colonial Ball is your chance to mingle with the soldiers of the Battle of Trenton and learn their favorite dance steps! You’ll be whisked away into the past as you learn the dance steps from Sue Dupre while John Burkhalter, Timothy O’Connor, and Ridley and Anne Enslow perform music. Refreshments will be served. Advanced tickets required. Purchase Tickets Here

Saturday, December 28

Museum open 10 AM – 5 PM
Admission – $5 per person with unlimited reentry throughout the day; free for children 5 and under and Active Duty Military

11 AM: First Battle of Trenton Reenactment at the Battle of Trenton Monument
Meet at the Old Barracks Museum to see the troops rally before they march to the Battle of Trenton Monument at the top of Warren and Broad Streets. Experience the excitement of the Battle of Trenton live! Following the all-night crossing and nine-mile march from McKonkey’s Ferry with a sleet storm at their backs, Washington’s little army of 2,400 men and 18 cannons arrived in Trenton around 8 AM on the morning of December 26th, 1776. Generals Washington and Greene surrounded the northern part of town while General Sullivan struck the town along what is now West State Street, cutting off escape to the south over the Assunpink Creek. After a running street fight lasting little more than an hour, Hessian Colonel Rall and more than 90 of his men were dead and 900 of his 1,500-man garrison surrendered to Washington. The morning reenactment represents the fighting along King St. (today’s Warren St.) and the surrender of part of the Hessian garrison near today’s Mill Hill Park. This event is free to the public. Follow troops back to the Old Barracks Museum for “The Spoils of Victory” and a musket demonstration.
Following the First Battle Reenactment: “The Spoils of Victory” Follow the victorious Continental soldiers back to the Old Barracks Museum after the Battle to see them strip equipment, gear and souvenirs from captured Hessian soldiers, before crossing the Delaware back to Pennsylvania. Included in $5 admission.

12 PM: Puppet Show: The Trouble with Trenton at Warren Street Plaza
A mini historical look at some amazing American history presented with marionettes and rod puppets – and lots of help from the audience! The show includes live music, large puppets and props, and plenty of “revolting” action. Free.

2 PM: “Puppet Show: The Trouble with Trenton at Warren Street Plaza”

3 PM: Second Battle of Trenton Reenactment at Mill Hill Park
Having abandoned Trenton shortly after the battle on December 26, Washington re-crossed the Delaware River with a much larger army later in the week upon learning the British had not re-occupied Trenton. On the morning of January 2, 1777, he dispatched a small brigade up what is now Rt. 206 to reconnoiter toward Princeton. They were met by a very strong column of British, Hessians, and Highlanders under General Cornwallis and driven back along a bitterly contested, afternoon-long retreat into Trenton proper. The Second Battle of Trenton (or the Battle of the Assunpink) is reenacted in Mill Hill Park at 3 PM – witness the action live! Free.

Fall Lecture Series 2024

Written by bmclendon on .

Lectures will begin at 6pm at the Old Barracks Museum, followed by a Q&A and book signing. Admission is free. Light refreshments will be available. Copies of these titles will be available for purchase in-store or at www.barracks.org. All proceeds go towards supporting the Old Barracks Museum and its mission.

October 10th: Michael C Harris “Germantown”
Today, Germantown is a busy neighborhood in Philadelphia. On October 4, 1777, it was a small village on the outskirts of the colonial capital whose surrounding fields and streets witnessed one of the largest battles of the American Revolution. The bloody battle represented George Washington’s attempt to recapture Philadelphia, but has long been overshadowed by better-known events like Brandywine, Saratoga, and Valley Forge.

October 17th: Catherine Kerrison “Jefferson’s Daughters” 
Thomas Jefferson had three daughters: Martha and Maria by his wife, Martha Wayles Jefferson, and Harriet by his slave Sally Hemings. Although the three women shared a father, the similarities end there. Martha and Maria received a fine convent school education while they lived with their father during his diplomatic posting in Paris. Once they returned home, however, the sisters found their options limited by the laws and customs of early America. Harriet Hemings followed a different path. She escaped slavery—apparently with the assistance of Jefferson himself. Leaving Monticello behind, she boarded a coach and set off for a decidedly uncertain future.

Old Barracks Museum Receives American Alliance of Museum’s Accreditation

Written by bmclendon on .

The Old Barracks Museum is pleased to announce that it has achieved accreditation by the
American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition afforded the nation’s museums.
Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community as well as high standards in stewardship,
ethics, and innovation.

This is a proud moment for the museum, our city, and the region as only 3% of museums nationwide
achieve accreditation from the AAM.

“I am exceptionally proud that the AAM has recognized the dedication and work of the Old Barracks staff and Board of Trustees,” said Michelle Doherty, Executive Director of the Old Barracks Museum. “The staff works together to bring history to the public through interpretive programs, exhibits, and preservation. Through this accreditation process, the museum had a chance to examine its methods and practices and ensure that we are meeting our mission in the best possible manner. The Old Barracks is a unique site that can provide living history demonstrations as well as exhibits and programs that tell the story of not just the barracks itself, but also of New Jersey from 1758 through the present both on and off the battlefield.”

“The Old Barracks Museum is a National Historic Landmark and a premier historic site in Trenton” said Lisa Willever, President of the Old Barracks Association. “This accreditation highlights the museum’s unique ability to share the importance on New Jersey’s history through interpretation, education, and preservation.”

The process of accreditation is rigorous and rewarding. Taking over a year, it seeks to answer two main questions:
1. How well does the museum meet its mission and goals?
2. How well does the museum meet national standards and best practices?

The process includes an in-depth, internal self-study, as well as a site study by peer reviewers.

The Old Barracks is one of thirty-three museums across the nation awarded accreditation this round.

Read the AAM’s press release for more information.