4/10/26 (Update) After many years, I was so excited to see…read morethe reopening of the refurbished Lambert Castle. You can purchase your tickets online or at the new visitors center. The admission tickets are $10. Zak was a wonderful tour guide. He gave us the history of the castle owners. In 1892, the castle was built by Catholina Lambert (the owner of the Paterson Silk Mills for his wife). Please see my original review for the history. We were informed "Not to photograph any of the interior in order to preserve the interior for future visitors". Upon entering the castle, you will be required to put booties on over your shoes. This is in order to preserve the floors. The castle does have 3 levels along with an elevator. In the foyer overhead, you'll see a magnificent colorful rectangle shaped Tiffany light fixture. It extends approximately 2' Wide and 6' in length. The furnishings were very elegant, yet very homey. All the rooms are filled with stunning sculptures and artwork. Some of items were on loan from different places. For example: The beautiful Grandfather clocks really caught my eye. They were on loan from the Ringwood Manor. (The Ringwood Manor is presently being refurbished and will be reopening soon). Hope everyone gets a chance to see this beautifully refurbished castle. Lambert Castle has two levels of parking.

I usually do not update my reviews but after hearing about the reopening of Lambert Castle in…read moreJanuary 2026 after a 5 year renovation project, I decided to visit and do an update review. Lambert Castle was built by Catholina Lambert in 1892 by an English immigrant who made his fortune in the silk industry in Paterson, New Jersey. The castle reflects the trappings of the Gilded Victorian Era. Lambert accrued a prominent American and European painting and sculpture collection which he showcased in a 100' x 35' art gallery. This luxurious residence was visited by notable rich and famous people of the day which included President William McKinley. Lambert Castle is listed on the New Jersey and National Register of Historical Places in 1976. Admission is $10.

Attended the 20th Anniversary Birthday Bash Tasting celebrating Amanti Vino!…read more Wine tasting was awesome! The food from Turtle and The Wolf restaurant and the Van Hook Cheese & Grocery were delicious! Great accommodations at Museum!!

Small and cute museum. It's perfect for an afternoon to stroll around, there's enough to see that…read moreyou can spend 2 hours

I found Skyscape museum while walking in the area and trying to get out of heavy snow. I wasn't…read morefully sure what to expect but I left really happy we got to experience it. Skyscape is a really engaging and a well designed experience. Theres a lot to see and do, with interactive spy style missions that kept both me and my son entertained the entire time! My son was completely locked in the whole time and I was right there pretending I definitely understood the instructions on the first try. It's mostly a hands on experience, you're not just walking through exhibits, you're actually participating, solving challenges and learning as you go. Even better, it didn't feel crowded, which made it comfortable to move through at our own pace. We were able to go back and redo some of the exhibits we enjoyed, which made the experience even more fun the second (and third) time around. Overall, a great mix of entertainment and learning, especially for kids but enjoyable for adults too. 10/10. My son loved every second. I loved pretending I knew what was going on.

What a fun and interactive place with friends or a date night! The husband and I came here as a…read moreswitch from a typical dinner and drinks date night. On weeknights, it's cheaper than the weekends, which made this experience more worth it at $27pp. Plus, you also save a couple dollars by purchasing your tickets beforehand online. We participated in the Spygames portion, which was worth doing. Once we got a wristband and setup an account, we got to start the games. They also offer free lockers (you'll want to remove any purses, bags, jackets, etc) as you'll be moving a lot. There's 10 rooms of a variety of games although some are similar or duplicates. You'll be very active jumping, climbing, and running around. The hour went by pretty quick but we were both sweating and exhausted by the end of it, so an hour is really all you need.

an incredible and inspiring experience! I can't believe this is based in NJ. it is super affordable…read more ($15) for entrance, and the park rangers are very friendly and knowledgeable about the history of thomas edison. there are live demos and tours, and we got to listen to a phonograph, which was very cool. the workshop and chemistry lab were super interesting as well. it's a well-done spot that is family friendly and a great way to spend 2-3 hours! I wish we had a chance to tour the greenhouse, but it had closed by the time we finished the phonograph session.

12/7/25: (Update) We stopped in the visitors center to pick up a visitors pass to the Glenmont…read moreEstate of Thomas Edison in Lewellyn Park (West Orange, NJ). We had previously purchased Glenmont Estate tickets online. After a visit to estate, we stopped back in again to view several of films: The Wizard of W.Orange The Glenmont Estate Tour The Invention Factory The Great Train Robbery (Silent Movie) The Visitor center has restrooms along with a nice gift shop of cool Thomas Edison souvenirs. A large parking lot is available across from the historical park.

EVENT VENUE REVIEW ONLY:…read more Last night, my husband and I attended a board meeting held at Van Vleck House & Gardens. I've driven past its gates many times over the years, but this was my first opportunity to visit Van Vleck in Montclair. The meeting took place at 6:30pm, but the hour leading up to it was allowed for check-in, picking up name tags, and a light cocktail hour with food and refreshments. The organization had the check-in outside of the main house's entrance way. When we walked inside, there were cocktail tables covered in white cloth and adorned with floral center pieces and tealight candles. There was a buffet table in one of the first floor rooms to the left. There was also a bar setup in that room, as well as some seating. The library was rearranged for another bar setup and more cocktail tables. The library has windows that let in natural lighting and there is also beautiful fireplace. The catering and bartending team did a great job. The food spread was high quality and delicious. My vegetarian husband gave two thumbs up for the butternut squash ravioli, mushroom penne, and goat cheese salad. The bartender in the library was great. The people offering hors d'oeuvres were all professional and kind. It was a lovely hour before the meeting. The meeting was held in the room where most likely wedding ceremonies or event activities take place. That night, they had a stage set up for speakers and performers, and white wooden fold-up chairs for attendees. The room acoustics are good. At this meeting, there was short musical performance from two string musicians, and you could hear every detail of the notes played (i.e. great sound). After the meeting concluded, attendees began to exit. There were desserts by the front entrance for people, which was a nice surprise. It's a very special venue. My only note would be - and it's because I'm always looking out for this stuff - the pathway from the front door to the gate opening has very low lighting. Our meeting ended at 8pm and it was already sundown. While my husband and I were fine, another attendee exclaimed how it was so dark. We offered the flash lighting feature on our phones to help her out and lit up the path to avoid any falls. This may not be the usual for events as I imagine many people have them during the day to enjoy the lush gardens and natural beauty of the property... but I'm just saying should this apply to you.

We went here for Mother's Day, so it was exceptionally crowded as expected. It is a lovely smaller…read moresized garden. There aren't many walking trails available, but nice flowers, trees, and open areas to roam around for a bit. It's a nice spot to go and enjoy some outdoor time. It isn't someplace that you could really get some farther walking in. But nice mini escape.

4/3/26 Visit: Ford's Mansion is just one of many New…read moreJersey's historical sites. The tour is Free! Erik was our tour guide. We started out at the Washington Headquarters Museum. (In the museum, there's a video on Washington's stay in the winter of 1779-80. It'll give you an excellent overview, either before or after your tour). We then walked up a hill to Ford's Mansion. *It's a bit of a hike up the hill. In the mansion, George Washington had established his headquarters during the winter of 1779- 1780. During this winter, there was approximately 96 inches of snow. (I'll never complain about snow again). LOL... The Continental Army camped out about miles away at Jockey Hollow. The home is well preserved and maintained. After the tour of the home, we walked back to the museum. The museum was really wonderful to explore. The museum has a wonderful gift shop. Parking availability is in a small lot and on the street. Whether you're a history buff or not, think you'll enjoy the visit to Ford's Mansion.

PROS: Absolutely amazing! This building is all original and displayed properly. The land is…read morelandscaped well and the tour guide Fred was somewhat friendly. Free parking as well CONS: Almost all of the furniture inside are replicas and you can only come into this building on a tour and not on your own OVERALL: Any history enthusiast will enjoy this house tour! It's free admission, free parking, and there's a lot to see

A dreamy, charming little escape with tons of greenery, statues, structures, and fountains. Even on…read morea weekend it wasn't crowded, so my fam could take pictures without cropping out strangers. Really friendly staff gave the kids a scavenger hunt page that turned our visit into part garden tour, part treasure hunt. Between the terraces, tile work, grottoes, and gardens, the whole place blends European formality with a whimsical, art nouveau vibe. Plenty of benches invite you to sit and talk, while fenced-in chickens, geese, and beehives bring the grounds to life. The gardens feel peaceful, playful, and magical all at once. The beauty here is truly un-beleaf-able! NOTES/TIPS: **Admission is $15 for adults, $10 for seniors/students, and $5 for kids, with free parking close by. **Very limited wheelchair-accessibility: okay for the Main Terrace and some flat areas, but most paths are sloped or uneven, so access is limited. **Restrooms near the entrance.

This place is a true paradise garden hidden somewhere in New Jersey !!!…read more The whole place is so beautiful , very serene , easy to navigate and kept very clean and green . It is definitely somewhere to go for a romantic date . The only issue I found with the place is that we couldn't find the gift shop or the little concession stand - coffee and snack . That was disappointing. Also staff is friendly but doesn't seem to be very good at giving directions . Aside from that it is such a beautiful place to visit

Art Is Bond's owner, Te'Niijah, was wonderful to work with and she was super professional but warm…read moreand caring, with great communication. This venue is beautiful and they offer great packages at reasonable prices as a one-stop shop. Packages include food, drinks and entertainment options. We encountered some personal obstacles during the process of planning our 25th High school Reunion. Te'Niijah was so helpful with helping us figure out solutions which she didn't have to do, which we appreciated so much. This will be my first choice in the future next time I need to throw a party or event.

For me & my husbands 19 year anniversary we had the pleasure of celebrating our journey at Art is…read moreBond, an interactive art gallery based in Montclair NJ. This space was/is in a word Amazing. We entered the space and was greeted by some awesome music & the lovely founder, who gave us a quick review of what to expect while walking through the space. The first interactive feature was the cool red carpet plus step & repeat featuring the name of the space(an ode to the 90's colloquialism "word is bond") Upon entering you can tell the founder was very intentional with the placement of each & every nostalgic piece of black art. It's a beautifully brilliant ode & execution of black culture, our layered nuances, our style, fashions, phrases, beauty & brilliance. This space is a content creation haven filled with endless creative possibilities. Naturally you'd think this was a pop up selfie museum, but it's much more. Not only is this space designed to go down memory lane of the 80's & 90's, you can see and touch some relic gems. You can rent the space for special occasions such as Birthdays, art showcase, book signing, just to name a few, the whole space can be transformed to fit your individual need. From the lovely living room set adorned with animal print wall paper, beautiful black art, quotes, a rotary dial telephone, a cozy couch with colorful throw pillows & last but not least a working record player with plenty of old school vinyl to set the mood. Making your way further inside your met with a wall covered with framed still photos of classic black cinema from the 80's & 90's. As your looking over your fav's, the founder ask's how many of the 24 movies can you name(an absolutely fun prompt). To your left a life size magazine perfectly named "Highly Melanated", to live out your fantasy of being on the cover of a magazine. A nostalgic bedroom scene featuring a wall covered in pictures of black stars from movies, music and iconic tv-shows. A wall covered with books from black authors(it's the intentional thoughtfulness for me). A spot dedicated solely to the one & only Queen Bee Lil Kim, with colorful fur coats, wigs & glasses to perfectly imitate our Queen. Since it's too hard to choose a favorite installation, because each & every one is amazing. I'll share that I absolutely loved the walls honoring black cinema and the opportunity to sit at a cute curated desk & write a letter to your younger self (there's that intentional thoughtfulness)you can leave the sealed letter for someone else to read or take it home! In a nutshell, this colorfully curated establishment is a must to experience & create fond memories that'll last for years to come. PS There's a lot more details, perks & installations I didn't mention 20+ to be exact. Word is bond tell a friend to tell a friend to come skip down memory lane & reminisce about back in the day!

Spotless theater & restrooms, very comfortable seats, also enjoyed the movie"AI doc", very…read moreinformative. Very welcoming ticket takers.

Located in the heart of Montclair on Bloomfield Ave, the Montclair Film is a beautiful space for…read moreyour next event or party. It's more than accommodating for large groups of people, as it provides ample and comfortable seating to kick back and relax. The snack bar in the back has cubbies to store your belongings and also space for food and drinks. It also has a large projector screen to play movies or slideshows, and a loudspeaker system and microphone to more than get the party going.

Small museum in a beautiful building. Interesting. Well curated. Take about an hour to walk through.read more

The building is the star of the show at this tiny museum, a 1900 no-expense-spared masterpiece with…read morea limestone exterior, high-ceilinged oak-trimmed interior, magnificent arches, leaded glass windows and grand spiral staircases. The stenciled and hand-painted brick interior alone is worth the visit, but there are few signs and no brochure about the James building's history of 67 years as the Madison public library. The old book stacks on the ground floor have been converted somewhat crudely to exhibit space, the stacks upper level is dedicated to museum staff. Don't miss the glass floor of the upper level or the enormous safe! The actual exhibits focus on farming and housekeeping implements like plows, butter-making tools and machinery to remove corn kernels from the cob, all very much aimed at children. When we visited the upstairs and lower level were both closed so were done in well under half an hour. Entrance is sometimes free, otherwise $5 for adults. Free parking on the street on the other side of the train tracks.