The Newark Art Museum’s Ballantyne House has just been restored, transforming the beautifully preserved 1885 town mansion into an immersive historical experience.
The Ballantyne House will reopen to the public this week, providing visitors with a new experience with objects that celebrate the vibrant heritage of Newark and the Black and immigrant communities that built it. The museum’s collection of modern and decorative art will also be on display.
Linda Harrison, director and CEO of the Newark Art Museum, will host a public ribbon-cutting ceremony and address Friday.
Ballantine House showcases innovative interpretations of historic architecture, revealing the untold stories of Newark in the 19th and early 20th centuries. As visitors walk through the 1885 mansion, they learn the history of the Ballantyne family, who made their fortune in the beer business, the Irish, English and European immigrants who worked or built the house, and the stories of the African-American community. living nearby.
The main goal of the renovated Ballantyne House was to give Newarker residents a greater sense of civic pride by inspiring them to learn more about their city’s history and feel empowered to participate in its future.
The Ballantyne House, located at 43 Washington Street, is a three-story, 27-room brick and sandstone mansion built for Jeanette and John Holm Ballantyne and their four children. The home is located across the street from Harriet Tubman Plaza. However, the Ballantyne Mansion is the only townhouse of its type open to the public in the area. This is a rare example of a late Victorian mansion. Rarely do homes from this period remain in such original condition, especially in urban settings throughout the United States.
Ballantine House’s interpretive galleries and history rooms will provide visitors with an unparalleled interactive and engaging experience. Audiovisual elements such as soundscapes, illuminated stained glass windows and fireplaces, and period-specific “secret telephones” will provide an enhanced multi-sensory experience, bringing this static space to life. Visitors will feel as if they have stepped back in time, immersing themselves in late 19th century Newark.
Under Harrison’s leadership, the Newark Museum of Art has entered an era of transformation, reimagining the role of art museums in the 21st century in creating engaged citizens. This spirit permeates New Ballantine House’s emphasis on visitor-centered interactivity and accessibility.
Post time: Nov-14-2023