THE STONE MUSEUM
The Stone Museum represents many things to many people, but it isn't an easy place to define or pin down. As our name
suggests, we are a museum of minerals and fossils with a host of indoor and outdoor displays that are “hands on”, enabling
visitors of all ages to actually touch specimens from 80 countries. One of our most popular exhibits is the Fluorescent Room, where
visitors witness a display of hundreds of rocks (most from the Garden State) that glow in a vibrant array of colors. Recently we
have acquired a dinosaur egg from China as well as a leg bone from one of the largest carnivorous dinosaurs—the African Spinosaurus.
Kids also love our “recycled dinosaur”, Monroe, a giant twenty-foot-tall reptile replica who roars with real ferocity.
Yet we are more than a user-friendly geology and natural history museum. We are also a showcase of “practical masonry,” with
hundreds of full-size displays of all types of stone products used in building construction and landscape design set in a continuous
wall around our man-made lake (there's no guess work when you can see finished walls and walkways in “the outdoor showroom”).
Our museum also depicts the tools and techniques used in past and present stonework. Many visitors have thanked us for helping them
choose the right material for their project.
Education is the “touchstone” of our outdoor display. Displays teach homeowners how to build a fireplace, install veneer
brick and stone products. But that still doesn't tell the entire story of The Stone Museum. Some guests don't come to be educated
about minerals or stonework; rather, they come to walk or meditate on the lovely arcaded walkways, while listening to the sounds of
rushing water that emanate from six stone waterfalls found on the grounds. The lake area is decorated with metal sculptures and striking
landscape boulders, many of which derive from the American Southwest.
Visitors who don't want to leave The Stone Museum at the end of the day can bring a small piece of it home by shopping at our Rock and Gift Shop, where we sell a hundred different polished gemstones and a wide variety of jewelry, fossils, collectibles and carved objects. We hope this short explanation of The Stone Museum is helpful in describing what it is about; of course, the best way to comprehend it is to visit us in the near future. Then try to explain it to a friend—you'll see it's not that easy.
All tours are given to groups by the Curator, Gerald Kleiner, and must be booked in advance. Tours are contoured toward the specific
educational requirements of the visiting group (schools, scout groups, philanthropic organizations) and generally are geared toward
goals that have been discussed with the instructor. All guests on guided tours are given a free fossilized shark's tooth as a memento of
their visit.
Special Exhibits
The Stone Museum has created a memorial to the brilliant and acclaimed sculptor Jim Gary (1939-2006), whose "20th Century Dinosaurs" have been exhibited in museums around the nation and the world. Jim, a longtime friend of The Stone Museum, combined and crafted used automobile parts into anatomically accurate dinosaur sculptures, which are infused with a spirit of imaginative realism. Our exhibit focuses on the genius of his technique as well as the highlights of his storied career. Three Gary creations are on display as part of our permanent collection.
We've also added an exhibit of a true-to-life cobbler's shop, which was transported piece-by-piece to the grounds of our museum. Original equipment, hand tools, and supplies highlight this fascinating glimpse into the craft of shoe repair.
Monmouth University has donated their rock collection that is now on display at The Stone Museum.
