The Newark Museum of Art Reviews

Reviews

• Kathlee Sent on 09/06/2023
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  Unique Wedding Venue

  The Newark Museum of Art is a not so hidden gem in Downtown Newark. I attended an event there when I first moved to Newark and immediately fell in love with it. The museum was the first venue we visited and we immediately said yes due to its affordability as well as the opportunity it provided for us to have a unique wedding experience. The museum hosts many events and has a team that will support you throughout the planning process. We had our ceremony in their beautiful outdoor courtyard and our reception was indoors. Our guests loved being able to view art exhibits during cocktail hour and we got so many compliments on the venue! The only thing that poses a challenge is that you can only host after museum hours, which means that you only get 5.5 hours for your event. We had so much fun that we wished we could stay there longer! This did not take away from our event but is something to consider. I highly recommend!

  The Newark Museum of Art is a not so hidden gem in Downtown Newark. I attended an event there when I first moved to Newark and immediately fell in love with it. The museum was the first venue we visited and we immediately said yes due to its affordability as well as the opportunity it provided for us to have a unique wedding experience. The museum hosts many events and has a team that will support you throughout the planning process. We had our ceremony in their beautiful outdoor courtyard and our reception was indoors. Our guests loved being able to view art exhibits during cocktail hour and we got so many compliments on the venue! The only thing that poses a challenge is that you can only host after museum hours, which means that you only get 5.5 hours for your event. We had so much fun that we wished we could stay there longer! This did not take away from our event but is something to consider. I highly recommend!
• Erin H. Sent on 11/08/2020
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  Night at the Museum!

  My husband Joel and I got married at the museum last November and we had an amazing experience. The museum has a fantastic events department that helped us organize and prepare for our wedding as easily as any wedding hall. We had a beautiful ceremony in the outdoor garden, enjoyed a fabulous cocktail hour in the foyer, and enjoyed a fun-filled night of dinner and dancing. Our guests loved getting to visit some of the exhibits during the cocktail hour as well. Getting married at the museum felt unique and special and we couldn't be happier with our choice.

  My husband Joel and I got married at the museum last November and we had an amazing experience. The museum has a fantastic events department that helped us organize and prepare for our wedding as easily as any wedding hall. We had a beautiful ceremony in the outdoor garden, enjoyed a fabulous cocktail hour in the foyer, and enjoyed a fun-filled night of dinner and dancing. Our guests loved getting to visit some of the exhibits during the cocktail hour as well. Getting married at the museum felt unique and special and we couldn't be happier with our choice.
• Suzanne Sent on 10/29/2015
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  We had our reception at the Newark Museum and it was magnificent. (The wedding itself was in the Cathedral.) If you've always dreamed of having a party at the Met or the Frick, but you're not a billionaire - the Newark Museum is for you. It's a beautiful space, with a first-rate collection of American art, from Copley to Warhol and beyond, an outstanding Tibetan/Asian gallery (the Dalai Lama visits when he's in town), and a lavishly restored Victorian mansion attached. But because it's in Newark not Manhattan, you can knock a zero off what you'd imagine you'd have to spend to close a museum for your own private party (and you're helping to support them too!). Carol Blunda, their events coordinator, is fantastic to work with, incredibly detail-oriented (don't bother with a separate wedding planner), and open to considering any good idea you may have. We had a two-hour cocktail "hour" with all three floors of galleries open for our guests (we paid extra for that of course). Our reception was set up in the elegant central glass-roofed courtyard. (You hire a caterer from the museum's approved list - we used Encore Catering in East Hanover, which was excellent.) Everyone was stunned by how beautiful the museum was; I hope that a lot of them will go back.

  We had our reception at the Newark Museum and it was magnificent. (The wedding itself was in the Cathedral.) If you've always dreamed of having a party at the Met or the Frick, but you're not a billionaire - the Newark Museum is for you. It's a beautiful space, with a first-rate collection of American art, from Copley to Warhol and beyond, an outstanding Tibetan/Asian gallery (the Dalai Lama visits when he's in town), and a lavishly restored Victorian mansion attached. But because it's in Newark not Manhattan, you can knock a zero off what you'd imagine you'd have to spend to close a museum for your own private party (and you're helping to support them too!). Carol Blunda, their events coordinator, is fantastic to work with, incredibly detail-oriented (don't bother with a separate wedding planner), and open to considering any good idea you may have. We had a two-hour cocktail "hour" with all three floors of galleries open for our guests (we paid extra for that of course). Our reception was set up in the elegant central glass-roofed courtyard. (You hire a caterer from the museum's approved list - we used Encore Catering in East Hanover, which was excellent.) Everyone was stunned by how beautiful the museum was; I hope that a lot of them will go back.
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  User1352173 Sent on 09/27/2013
  5 out of 5 rating

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  We had such a positive experience choosing the Newark Museum as our reception venue (and with their terrific staff!) and wanted to share! I happened to know about the museum because I went to graduate school in the area, but because they are a non-profit, the museum is not allowed to advertise it's services publicly -this place is such a best kept secret! So many guests were buzzing about how excited they were to come to an art museum for the wedding and were blown away by how beautiful the space was on the reception day with all the dramatic uplighting and table arrangements in place -breathtaking (I don't think pictures could do it justice)! The Museum will also open up a gallery for wedding guests to walk through during cocktail hour, which many of our guests took advantage of and also loved. In addition to the gallery being open, they gave each of our guests a complimentary free re-entry ticket to come back and visit the museum another day. Our cocktail hour was in the sculpture garden lawn and the reception was in Englehard Court -we were really happy with both spaces. The icing on the cake with all of this beauty and delightfully unique reception space is the staff -I hope Carol and Erin see this review -you guys did such an amazing job on the wedding day! On the weeks leading up to the wedding, Carol was so responsive with every email and inquiry that we sent and got back to us right away. She is extremely thorough and really went out of her way to make sure everything was in order leading up to our event. On the day of, Carol came into the museum (on her off day) just to make sure things were running smoothly & stayed through the cocktail hour; Erin was there for the entire event and was also beyond spectacular! My parents, brother and bridal party members all came up to my husband & I after the event and commented on how great Carol and Erin were throughout the night - (Thanks so much to you both :)). Amazing experience -highly recommend!

  We had such a positive experience choosing the Newark Museum as our reception venue (and with their terrific staff!) and wanted to share! I happened to know about the museum because I went to graduate school in the area, but because they are a non-profit, the museum is not allowed to advertise it's services publicly -this place is such a best kept secret! So many guests were buzzing about how excited they were to come to an art museum for the wedding and were blown away by how beautiful the space was on the reception day with all the dramatic uplighting and table arrangements in place -breathtaking (I don't think pictures could do it justice)! The Museum will also open up a gallery for wedding guests to walk through during cocktail hour, which many of our guests took advantage of and also loved. In addition to the gallery being open, they gave each of our guests a complimentary free re-entry ticket to come back and visit the museum another day. Our cocktail hour was in the sculpture garden lawn and the reception was in Englehard Court -we were really happy with both spaces. The icing on the cake with all of this beauty and delightfully unique reception space is the staff -I hope Carol and Erin see this review -you guys did such an amazing job on the wedding day! On the weeks leading up to the wedding, Carol was so responsive with every email and inquiry that we sent and got back to us right away. She is extremely thorough and really went out of her way to make sure everything was in order leading up to our event. On the day of, Carol came into the museum (on her off day) just to make sure things were running smoothly & stayed through the cocktail hour; Erin was there for the entire event and was also beyond spectacular! My parents, brother and bridal party members all came up to my husband & I after the event and commented on how great Carol and Erin were throughout the night - (Thanks so much to you both :)). Amazing experience -highly recommend!
• Amity Sent on 07/13/2012
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  I cannot even begin to express how happy I was with the staff of the Newark Museum, especially Carol Blunda. Their hard work and enthusiasm resulted in a wedding day that exceeded my expectations. Carol was extremely responsive during the entire process and ensured that everything we planned became a reality on the wedding day. Our maitre d that day, Dina, was also fantastic. As distracted as we were she made sure we ate and were well taken care of...if it weren't for her I don't think we would have been able to even enjoy all of the wonderful catering.
  
  If you are looking for a unique location with a very dedicated staff, then look no further than the Newark Museum!

  I cannot even begin to express how happy I was with the staff of the Newark Museum, especially Carol Blunda. Their hard work and enthusiasm resulted in a wedding day that exceeded my expectations. Carol was extremely responsive during the entire process and ensured that everything we planned became a reality on the wedding day. Our maitre d that day, Dina, was also fantastic. As distracted as we were she made sure we ate and were well taken care of...if it weren't for her I don't think we would have been able to even enjoy all of the wonderful catering.
  
  If you are looking for a unique location with a very dedicated staff, then look no further than the Newark Museum!
• Suzanne Sent on 10/14/2010
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  I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT CAROL BLUNDA, AND HER STAFF AT THE NEWARK MUSEUM! OUR WEDDING WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE THANKS TO HER. EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT. SHE EVEN HAD A SPECIAL ROOM FOR MY FATHER, WHO IS NOT WELL, SO HE DID NOT HAVE TO LEAVE THE RECEPTION. SHE IS TRULY A WONDERFUL PERSON TO WORK WITH, AND I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE MUSEUM FOR YOUR WEDDING, OR NEXT EVENT. I AM THINKING WE NEED TO CELEBRATE OUR FIRST ANNIVERSARY THERE!
  I WILL REMEMBER THE DAY FOREVER! THANK YOU.
  SUZANNE MURPHY BREEN

  I CANNOT SAY ENOUGH ABOUT CAROL BLUNDA, AND HER STAFF AT THE NEWARK MUSEUM! OUR WEDDING WAS ABSOLUTELY INCREDIBLE THANKS TO HER. EVERYTHING WAS PERFECT. SHE EVEN HAD A SPECIAL ROOM FOR MY FATHER, WHO IS NOT WELL, SO HE DID NOT HAVE TO LEAVE THE RECEPTION. SHE IS TRULY A WONDERFUL PERSON TO WORK WITH, AND I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND THE MUSEUM FOR YOUR WEDDING, OR NEXT EVENT. I AM THINKING WE NEED TO CELEBRATE OUR FIRST ANNIVERSARY THERE!
  I WILL REMEMBER THE DAY FOREVER! THANK YOU.
  SUZANNE MURPHY BREEN
• Emily Sent on 07/27/2019
  4.8 out of 5 rating

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  Amazing Wedding Experience at Newark Museum

  I cannot say enough good things about this amazing venue. I am so glad we picked it for our wedding. I highly recommend it.
  
  The details:
  
  The staff
  Carol (the museum’s special events coordinator) was so organized and detail-conscious from the second we sat down with her. It’s clear this isn’t her first rodeo and she had the flow of the event entirely thought through. Her planning sheets really helped guide me through the planning process. She was very responsive throughout the process as well.
  
  The staff member in charge for the day of the wedding, Shalaina, was a dream to work with. She actually was hired by the museum part of the way through our planning process, but she is the absolute best. She radiates calming energy and she took care every detail from big, like figuring out what to do when our florist had car trouble and didn’t come on time, to small, like finding a comb for my father-in-law’s unruly hair without worrying me.
  
  The venue
  The museum allows you to get ready (no hair or makeup) in the Trustee’s Room of the Old Ballantine mansion. We didn’t actually get dressed there but had food and drinks. It was a beautiful uniquely decorated space with antique décor.
  
  We lucked out with amazing weather in June (not too hot) and had our ceremony in the sculpture garden, which was beautiful. There are lots of different ways the ceremony space can be set up because it is such a large space.
  
  The cocktail hour was held outside as well. Because it was so nice out, not many of our guests actually went to the exhibit that was open at that time but had it rained or been hot, I’m sure people would have enjoyed it. The museum has a great collection.
  
  The Englehardt Sculpture court was the highlight for me. High ceilings, built-in up lighting, marble floors, simple chandeliers that are a beautiful departure from tacky ballroom lighting…it was absolutely perfect for dinner and dancing. The murals on the back wall looked stunning in the photographs and were so unique. The check-in desk turn into a bar and there was a second floor for guests to go up to and hang out if they didn’t want to dance.
  
  The food
  Food is by far the biggest cost with this venue, as the museum works with a list of 10 caterers, but you can figure out different options. What I really appreciated was that when I reached out to several caterers and mentioned I was looking for more budget-conscious options, they told me upfront that they work with higher-end clients. No one’s time was wasted. We ended up using Lighten Up Caterers and had an amazing experience. So many guests told me it was the best wedding food they had ever had. Grace (the caterer) customized the food to fit our theme and made several dishes that were new to her that turned out absolutely amazing. Also, we were able to bring in our own alcohol, which saved us a fortune with our heavy drinking crowd.
  
  The cost
  For what’s included (essentially, a day of coordinator, a stunning venue, entertainment in the form of open galleries, day of staff, lighting, tech for the ceremony, etc.) the museum is very affordable by Northern New Jersey standards.
  
  Highly recommend it!

  I cannot say enough good things about this amazing venue. I am so glad we picked it for our wedding. I highly recommend it.
  
  The details:
  
  The staff
  Carol (the museum’s special events coordinator) was so organized and detail-conscious from the second we sat down with her. It’s clear this isn’t her first rodeo and she had the flow of the event entirely thought through. Her planning sheets really helped guide me through the planning process. She was very responsive throughout the process as well.
  
  The staff member in charge for the day of the wedding, Shalaina, was a dream to work with. She actually was hired by the museum part of the way through our planning process, but she is the absolute best. She radiates calming energy and she took care every detail from big, like figuring out what to do when our florist had car trouble and didn’t come on time, to small, like finding a comb for my father-in-law’s unruly hair without worrying me.
  
  The venue
  The museum allows you to get ready (no hair or makeup) in the Trustee’s Room of the Old Ballantine mansion. We didn’t actually get dressed there but had food and drinks. It was a beautiful uniquely decorated space with antique décor.
  
  We lucked out with amazing weather in June (not too hot) and had our ceremony in the sculpture garden, which was beautiful. There are lots of different ways the ceremony space can be set up because it is such a large space.
  
  The cocktail hour was held outside as well. Because it was so nice out, not many of our guests actually went to the exhibit that was open at that time but had it rained or been hot, I’m sure people would have enjoyed it. The museum has a great collection.
  
  The Englehardt Sculpture court was the highlight for me. High ceilings, built-in up lighting, marble floors, simple chandeliers that are a beautiful departure from tacky ballroom lighting…it was absolutely perfect for dinner and dancing. The murals on the back wall looked stunning in the photographs and were so unique. The check-in desk turn into a bar and there was a second floor for guests to go up to and hang out if they didn’t want to dance.
  
  The food
  Food is by far the biggest cost with this venue, as the museum works with a list of 10 caterers, but you can figure out different options. What I really appreciated was that when I reached out to several caterers and mentioned I was looking for more budget-conscious options, they told me upfront that they work with higher-end clients. No one’s time was wasted. We ended up using Lighten Up Caterers and had an amazing experience. So many guests told me it was the best wedding food they had ever had. Grace (the caterer) customized the food to fit our theme and made several dishes that were new to her that turned out absolutely amazing. Also, we were able to bring in our own alcohol, which saved us a fortune with our heavy drinking crowd.
  
  The cost
  For what’s included (essentially, a day of coordinator, a stunning venue, entertainment in the form of open galleries, day of staff, lighting, tech for the ceremony, etc.) the museum is very affordable by Northern New Jersey standards.
  
  Highly recommend it!
• Carmen Sent on 07/23/2013
  4.4 out of 5 rating

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  I had my 6/22/2013 wedding at the Newark Museum, having secretly known it was my dream venue for years. It’s so much more than a wedding venue but also a conversation starter, a great backdrop for photos, a lush garden, a gem in Newark, and a pretty, peaceful spot for an urban wedding. We had a Saturday wedding ceremony in the garden, followed by outdoor cocktail hour, then a seated dinner and wild dancing in their gorgeous interior court. (They can hold up to 210 with a dancefloor.)
  
  Practically, though they are not a wedding venue by trade, they more than meet the requirements. Their Special Events staff is very organized and attentive, and they are ready with vendor recommendations for you. Parking is easy to manage and plentiful, not to mention the Museum is also easily accessible through public transportation (even my Brooklynite friends had no trouble arriving!). They also organize their own security, and even provide you with a very helpful tech for your ceremony and cocktail hour music. Since their first priority is their museum work, you do have to work around visitor hours and the like for your rehearsal, realize the staff aren’t your bridesmaids, and of course be mindful of the priceless art all around you. However, this is more than worth it when you look up from your dinner to see amazing Gorky paintings, or your guests gush about how much fun they had cooling off and checking out art in the American galleries.
  
  Additionally, the bridal party is allowed entrance for pictures and preparations two hours before the wedding—in the historic Ballantine House!! I can’t say how much fun my family and I had enjoying the historic rooms and the beauty of that space. Again, the whole museum is a unique and picturesque background for your wedding pictures.
  
  We partied until midnight, and my only complaint was that they do have a midnight cutoff that is strictly enforced. (We worked around tby moving the party to a club in Newark’s Ironbound!!)

  I had my 6/22/2013 wedding at the Newark Museum, having secretly known it was my dream venue for years. It’s so much more than a wedding venue but also a conversation starter, a great backdrop for photos, a lush garden, a gem in Newark, and a pretty, peaceful spot for an urban wedding. We had a Saturday wedding ceremony in the garden, followed by outdoor cocktail hour, then a seated dinner and wild dancing in their gorgeous interior court. (They can hold up to 210 with a dancefloor.)
  
  Practically, though they are not a wedding venue by trade, they more than meet the requirements. Their Special Events staff is very organized and attentive, and they are ready with vendor recommendations for you. Parking is easy to manage and plentiful, not to mention the Museum is also easily accessible through public transportation (even my Brooklynite friends had no trouble arriving!). They also organize their own security, and even provide you with a very helpful tech for your ceremony and cocktail hour music. Since their first priority is their museum work, you do have to work around visitor hours and the like for your rehearsal, realize the staff aren’t your bridesmaids, and of course be mindful of the priceless art all around you. However, this is more than worth it when you look up from your dinner to see amazing Gorky paintings, or your guests gush about how much fun they had cooling off and checking out art in the American galleries.
  
  Additionally, the bridal party is allowed entrance for pictures and preparations two hours before the wedding—in the historic Ballantine House!! I can’t say how much fun my family and I had enjoying the historic rooms and the beauty of that space. Again, the whole museum is a unique and picturesque background for your wedding pictures.
  
  We partied until midnight, and my only complaint was that they do have a midnight cutoff that is strictly enforced. (We worked around tby moving the party to a club in Newark’s Ironbound!!)
• Delia Sent on 05/17/2008
  4 out of 5 rating

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  Awesome place to have a wedding. Guests can visit exhibits during cocktail hour.
  
  The only major downside was that you can't have a rehearsal there so things were alittle confusing for the ceremony. Make sure you have a good plan~

  Awesome place to have a wedding. Guests can visit exhibits during cocktail hour.
  
  The only major downside was that you can't have a rehearsal there so things were alittle confusing for the ceremony. Make sure you have a good plan~
• Rachael Sent on 03/12/2013
  3.8 out of 5 rating

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  This place is BEAUTIFUL. As an art teacher, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect venue. I was pleased with the overall results. The only issues I really had we're 1) we were allowed to have guests visit the galleries during the reception. At least that's what I thought. Since it wasn't made clear to me, I was under the impression that the galleries were open for the duration of my reception (after all, I'm paying a staffing fee, so what else would I need staff for). Turns out they were only open for the tiny window of the cocktail hour. And most of my guests were too busy enjoying the cocktail hour to have to wander off to the galleries. They were definitely bummed to find out later that they couldn't go into the galleries. 2) the event staff is a little flaky. While everything worked out in the end, it was a bit of a jumble. I would make payments and then it would take a month for it to get processed. Also, details at the meetings would be discussed only to find out that they didnt write them down or remember them. The biggest issue I had, albeit small in retrospect, was that I had spent countless hours making custom paper cut table numbers for my tables. They were beautiful. I informed the staff that I absolutely wanted them back after the event. The next day, when I came to pick up my things, I was told the numbers went missing and I never saw them again. I was very disappointed and chalked it up to the lack of organization of the events staff.

  This place is BEAUTIFUL. As an art teacher, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect venue. I was pleased with the overall results. The only issues I really had we're 1) we were allowed to have guests visit the galleries during the reception. At least that's what I thought. Since it wasn't made clear to me, I was under the impression that the galleries were open for the duration of my reception (after all, I'm paying a staffing fee, so what else would I need staff for). Turns out they were only open for the tiny window of the cocktail hour. And most of my guests were too busy enjoying the cocktail hour to have to wander off to the galleries. They were definitely bummed to find out later that they couldn't go into the galleries. 2) the event staff is a little flaky. While everything worked out in the end, it was a bit of a jumble. I would make payments and then it would take a month for it to get processed. Also, details at the meetings would be discussed only to find out that they didnt write them down or remember them. The biggest issue I had, albeit small in retrospect, was that I had spent countless hours making custom paper cut table numbers for my tables. They were beautiful. I informed the staff that I absolutely wanted them back after the event. The next day, when I came to pick up my things, I was told the numbers went missing and I never saw them again. I was very disappointed and chalked it up to the lack of organization of the events staff.

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