ABOUT US
Who We Are
The Museum of Early Trades & Crafts explores American history with a focus on the life and stories of 18th- and 19th- century craftsmen and artisans. Drawing on its rich collection, METC connects the lives of people and their stories, while providing a bridge from the past to the future. Housed in Madison’s first public library building, this stunning Richardsonian Romanesque Revival building was donated by D. Willis James to the people of Madison, NJ in 1900.
METC contains multiple gallery spaces which include our Permanent Exhibits, Working the Land and Local Community, new Main Gallery Exhibits at least 2 times a year, Special Exhibits in our Vault, and window exhibits in the METC Education Annex. We are also home to a Viewable Storage Facility, which is a state-of-the-art state-of-the-art facility to house our collection of artifacts and archival materials, expanding the capacity to preserve the collection and strengthen conservation efforts. This facility offers visitors visual access to observe the conservation of the collection through a large viewing area, creating another avenue for education.
Our Mission
To inspire a connection to NJ history, culture, trades, and crafts.
Our Vision
Sharing the past, imagining the future.
