Holidays and Community on Display at Museum

An old- fashioned Christmas tree lit with candles and handmade ornaments is the first thing you see when you enter the .

As you look around, trains and toys, place settings and old-fashioned ornaments beg for your attention.

And at the center of it all are contributions from three East Brunswick organizations, the New Jersey Antique Bottle Club, the Raritan River Chapter of the National Railway Historic Society and New Jersey Easter Seals.

“We invited outside groups to come in and do a display case or a tree display,” said Susan Luczu. “It introduces the groups to the museum, and the museum to those groups.”

From the Historic Railway Society is a display of several small toy trains along with some the area’s railway history. The Antique Bottle Club’s display is a variety of clear and colored glass bottles, and the Easter Seal’s display includes homages to fall and winter holidays.

The museum also will have a “Toys From the Attic" exhibit featuring antique and collectible items from several members and the museum collection.

With dolls and books, to games and antique ornaments, Christmas tree stands and more, there is something for almost everyone who wants to take a trip down memory lane.

“We have all kinds of contributions, it’s a ‘remember when’ kind of thing. People come in and say, ooh, I remember that,” said Luczu.

In the rear of the building is a tree decorated with hand made angels crafted by the late Alberta Yuhas, a founding member of the East Brunswick Museum and Historic Village of Old Bridge group.

“Most of them are handmade and signed by her,” said Luczu. “They’re

made in the style of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and we just wanted feature a tree for her.”

The museum will be open during regular hours while the new exhibit is being prepared.  The permanent museum collection will be on display throughout the transition period. In addition, the James Crawford Thom paintings are on permanent display, year-round. The museum is open Saturday and Sunday from 1:30 to 4 p.m.