Museums & Historic Sites
Explore 15 cultural attractions from quirky landmarks to living history museums. Walk through a 6-story elephant, step back to the 1800s, or discover WWII aviation history.
The Jersey Shore offers much more than beaches and boardwalks. Discover fascinating museums, quirky roadside attractions, living history villages, and nature centers. From Lucy the Elephant (a National Historic Landmark since 1881) to WWII aviation hangars, Victorian estates to coastal wildlife sanctuaries - there's a cultural experience for every interest.
Lucy the Elephant
Walk through America's oldest roadside attraction in Margate! 6 stories tall, 65 feet high, built in 1881.
Featured Attractions
Must-see cultural experiences
Cape May County Park & Zoo
cape-may-court-house · 2-4 hours
FREE admission zoo with 550+ animals, giraffe feeding, and beautiful county park setting.
- ✓FREE admission
- ✓550+ animals, 250+ species
- ✓Giraffe feeding experience
- ✓Beautiful park setting
Pricing
Historic Cold Spring Village
Cape May · 2-3 hours
Outdoor living history museum with 27 restored 1800s buildings and costumed craft demonstrations.
- ✓27 historic buildings
- ✓Live craft demonstrations
- ✓Costumed interpreters
- ✓Country store shopping
Pricing
Twin Lights Historic Site
highlands · 1-2 hours
America's only twin-towered lighthouse with stunning views, maritime museum, and Marconi history.
- ✓Only twin-towered lighthouse in America
- ✓Manhattan skyline views
- ✓Marconi wireless demonstration site
- ✓FREE admission
Pricing
Lucy the Elephant
Margate · 30-45 minutes
Walk through America's oldest roadside attraction! 6-story elephant, National Historic Landmark since 1881, with ocean views from the howdah.
- ✓National Historic Landmark since 1976
- ✓65 feet tall (6 stories), weighing 90 tons
- ✓Only surviving elephant building of 3 built by Lafferty
- ✓Howdah observation deck with 360° ocean views
- ✓Saved from demolition in 1970 by grassroots campaign
- ✓$2 million restoration completed in 2022
- ✓Nearly 1 million pieces of lumber in construction
- ✓America's oldest surviving roadside attraction
Pricing
Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum
Wildwood · 2-3 hours
WWII aviation museum with 20+ restored aircraft, flight simulators, and veteran tributes in a historic hangar.
- ✓Over 20 restored aircraft
- ✓Original WWII hangar
- ✓Interactive flight simulators
- ✓Veteran honor wall
Pricing
Free Admission Attractions
Experience these without spending a dime
Cape May County Park & Zoo
FREE admission zoo with 550+ animals, giraffe feeding, and beautiful county park setting.
Free admission (donations welcome)
Twin Lights Historic Site
America's only twin-towered lighthouse with stunning views, maritime museum, and Marconi history.
Free admission (donations welcome)
Ocean City Historical Museum
Victorian-era museum featuring Sindia shipwreck artifacts and Ocean City's Methodist resort history.
Free admission (donations welcome)
Spy House Museum
Revolutionary War spy outpost and alleged haunted site from the 1600s with ghost tours.
Free admission (donations welcome)
Historic Sites
Landmarks and living history
Lucy the Elephant
Margate · 30-45 minutes
Walk through America's oldest roadside attraction! 6-story elephant, National Historic Landmark since 1881, with ocean views from the howdah.
- ✓National Historic Landmark since 1976
- ✓65 feet tall (6 stories), weighing 90 tons
- ✓Only surviving elephant building of 3 built by Lafferty
- ✓Howdah observation deck with 360° ocean views
- ✓Saved from demolition in 1970 by grassroots campaign
- ✓$2 million restoration completed in 2022
- ✓Nearly 1 million pieces of lumber in construction
- ✓America's oldest surviving roadside attraction
Pricing
Historic Cold Spring Village
Cape May · 2-3 hours
Outdoor living history museum with 27 restored 1800s buildings and costumed craft demonstrations.
- ✓27 historic buildings
- ✓Live craft demonstrations
- ✓Costumed interpreters
- ✓Country store shopping
Pricing
Twin Lights Historic Site
highlands · 1-2 hours
America's only twin-towered lighthouse with stunning views, maritime museum, and Marconi history.
- ✓Only twin-towered lighthouse in America
- ✓Manhattan skyline views
- ✓Marconi wireless demonstration site
- ✓FREE admission
Pricing
Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen's Museum
tuckerton · 2-3 hours
Maritime heritage village with 17 buildings, working artisans, and Tucker's Island Lighthouse replica.
- ✓Tucker's Island Lighthouse replica
- ✓Working decoy carvers
- ✓Bayman heritage preservation
- ✓17 historic buildings
Pricing
Cape May MAC (Museums + Arts + Culture)
Cape May · 1-4 hours (depending on tours)
Victorian estate museum, lighthouse, and trolley tours showcasing Cape May's architectural heritage.
- ✓Emlen Physick Estate mansion
- ✓Historic trolley tours
- ✓Cape May Lighthouse
- ✓Victorian architecture expertise
Pricing
Spy House Museum
port-monmouth · 45 minutes - 1 hour
Revolutionary War spy outpost and alleged haunted site from the 1600s with ghost tours.
- ✓Revolutionary War spy history
- ✓One of oldest homes on Shore
- ✓Paranormal activity reported
- ✓FREE admission
Pricing
Boardwalk Hall (Historic Pipe Organ)
Atlantic City · 1-2 hours (tour)
World's largest pipe organ (33,000+ pipes) in Art Deco landmark, former Miss America venue.
- ✓World's largest pipe organ
- ✓33,000+ pipes (half playable)
- ✓Art Deco National Historic Landmark
- ✓Miss America Pageant history
Pricing
Book Tours Online
Skip the line with advance booking
Cape May Victorian Trolley Tour
Cape May
Explore Cape May's stunning Victorian architecture on a narrated trolley tour.
From $15
per person
via Viator
Emlen Physick Estate Tour
Cape May
Tour the authentically restored 1879 Victorian estate, the only one of its kind in Cape May.
From $15
per person
via Viator
Atlantic City History Tour
Atlantic City
Discover the fascinating history of Atlantic City from its founding to today.
From $25
per person
via Viator
Some links may earn us a commission. Learn more
Nature Centers & Wildlife
Conservation and coastal ecology
The Wetlands Institute
Stone Harbor · 1.5-3 hours
Coastal nature center with touch tanks, marsh trails, observation tower, and terrapin conservation.
- ✓Terrapin conservation leader
- ✓Marsh observation tower
- ✓Hands-on touch tanks
- ✓Kayak eco-tours
Pricing
Marine Mammal Stranding Center
Brigantine · 30 minutes - 1 hour
Marine animal rescue center with live seal and sea turtle rehabilitation viewing.
- ✓5,000+ marine animals rescued
- ✓Live rehabilitation viewing
- ✓Sea turtle and seal patients
- ✓Conservation education
Pricing
All Museums & Attractions
Complete listing of cultural attractions
Lucy the Elephant
Margate · 30-45 minutes
Walk through America's oldest roadside attraction! 6-story elephant, National Historic Landmark since 1881, with ocean views from the howdah.
- ✓National Historic Landmark since 1976
- ✓65 feet tall (6 stories), weighing 90 tons
- ✓Only surviving elephant building of 3 built by Lafferty
- ✓Howdah observation deck with 360° ocean views
- ✓Saved from demolition in 1970 by grassroots campaign
- ✓$2 million restoration completed in 2022
- ✓Nearly 1 million pieces of lumber in construction
- ✓America's oldest surviving roadside attraction
Pricing
Naval Air Station Wildwood Aviation Museum
Wildwood · 2-3 hours
WWII aviation museum with 20+ restored aircraft, flight simulators, and veteran tributes in a historic hangar.
- ✓Over 20 restored aircraft
- ✓Original WWII hangar
- ✓Interactive flight simulators
- ✓Veteran honor wall
Pricing
Cape May County Park & Zoo
cape-may-court-house · 2-4 hours
FREE admission zoo with 550+ animals, giraffe feeding, and beautiful county park setting.
- ✓FREE admission
- ✓550+ animals, 250+ species
- ✓Giraffe feeding experience
- ✓Beautiful park setting
Pricing
Historic Cold Spring Village
Cape May · 2-3 hours
Outdoor living history museum with 27 restored 1800s buildings and costumed craft demonstrations.
- ✓27 historic buildings
- ✓Live craft demonstrations
- ✓Costumed interpreters
- ✓Country store shopping
Pricing
Twin Lights Historic Site
highlands · 1-2 hours
America's only twin-towered lighthouse with stunning views, maritime museum, and Marconi history.
- ✓Only twin-towered lighthouse in America
- ✓Manhattan skyline views
- ✓Marconi wireless demonstration site
- ✓FREE admission
Pricing
The Wetlands Institute
Stone Harbor · 1.5-3 hours
Coastal nature center with touch tanks, marsh trails, observation tower, and terrapin conservation.
- ✓Terrapin conservation leader
- ✓Marsh observation tower
- ✓Hands-on touch tanks
- ✓Kayak eco-tours
Pricing
Atlantic City Aquarium
Atlantic City · 1-2 hours
Hands-on aquarium featuring NJ sea life, stingray touch tanks, and harbor seals at the marina.
- ✓Stingray touch tank
- ✓Harbor seal exhibits
- ✓Local NJ marine focus
- ✓Historic Gardner's Basin location
Pricing
Tuckerton Seaport & Baymen's Museum
tuckerton · 2-3 hours
Maritime heritage village with 17 buildings, working artisans, and Tucker's Island Lighthouse replica.
- ✓Tucker's Island Lighthouse replica
- ✓Working decoy carvers
- ✓Bayman heritage preservation
- ✓17 historic buildings
Pricing
Ocean City Historical Museum
Ocean City · 45 minutes - 1 hour
Victorian-era museum featuring Sindia shipwreck artifacts and Ocean City's Methodist resort history.
- ✓Sindia shipwreck artifacts
- ✓Methodist resort origins
- ✓Dry town history explained
- ✓FREE admission
Pricing
Cape May MAC (Museums + Arts + Culture)
Cape May · 1-4 hours (depending on tours)
Victorian estate museum, lighthouse, and trolley tours showcasing Cape May's architectural heritage.
- ✓Emlen Physick Estate mansion
- ✓Historic trolley tours
- ✓Cape May Lighthouse
- ✓Victorian architecture expertise
Pricing
Silverball Museum
Asbury Park · 1-3 hours
Play 200+ vintage pinball machines! All-inclusive admission at this oceanfront arcade museum.
- ✓200+ playable machines
- ✓Unlimited play admission
- ✓Games from 1930s-present
- ✓Oceanfront location
Pricing
Spy House Museum
port-monmouth · 45 minutes - 1 hour
Revolutionary War spy outpost and alleged haunted site from the 1600s with ghost tours.
- ✓Revolutionary War spy history
- ✓One of oldest homes on Shore
- ✓Paranormal activity reported
- ✓FREE admission
Pricing
Marine Mammal Stranding Center
Brigantine · 30 minutes - 1 hour
Marine animal rescue center with live seal and sea turtle rehabilitation viewing.
- ✓5,000+ marine animals rescued
- ✓Live rehabilitation viewing
- ✓Sea turtle and seal patients
- ✓Conservation education
Pricing
New Jersey Maritime Museum
Beach Haven · 1-1.5 hours
Shipwreck history, lifesaving heritage, and maritime artifacts celebrating Jersey Shore seafaring.
- ✓Restored U.S. Life-Saving surfboat
- ✓Shipwreck artifact collection
- ✓Lighthouse lens display
- ✓LBI maritime history
Pricing
Boardwalk Hall (Historic Pipe Organ)
Atlantic City · 1-2 hours (tour)
World's largest pipe organ (33,000+ pipes) in Art Deco landmark, former Miss America venue.
- ✓World's largest pipe organ
- ✓33,000+ pipes (half playable)
- ✓Art Deco National Historic Landmark
- ✓Miss America Pageant history
Pricing
Visiting Tips
Save Money
Best Times to Visit
- Weekday mornings are less crowded
- Historic Cold Spring Village runs May-September
- Lucy the Elephant offers year-round tours
- Book Lucy tours online in peak summer
Museum Day Budget
Planning a cultural day at the shore? Here's what to budget:
| Attraction | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cape May County Zoo | FREE | Donations appreciated, parking $5-10 in summer |
| Lucy the Elephant | $10-12 | Adults. Kids under 3 free |
| Historic Cold Spring Village | $12-15 | Adults. Combo tickets available |
| Naval Air Station Wildwood | $14 | Adults. Military free. Flight sim extra |
| Wetlands Institute | $10 | Adults. Kayak eco-tours extra |
| Cape May MAC (combo) | $25-35 | Multiple sites, best value for Cape May |
| Lunch (casual) | $12-18 | Budget for food near attractions |
Common Visitor Mistakes
First time exploring shore museums? Avoid these pitfalls:
Trying to hit 4+ museums in one day
Museum fatigue is real. By site three, everyone's exhausted and cranky. Kids melt down. You rush through and remember nothing.
✓ Pick 2 museums max per day. Add a beach break or lunch between. Quality over quantity.
Visiting Lucy the Elephant in July without booking ahead
Tours sell out by mid-morning in peak summer. You drove to Margate only to be turned away.
✓ Book Lucy tours online in advance during summer (June-August). Off-season you can usually walk up.
Assuming Cape May County Zoo is small because it's free
550+ animals on 85 acres. You expected 30 minutes, it takes 2-3 hours. Schedule blown.
✓ Plan 2-3 hours minimum for the zoo. Bring a stroller for little ones. Pack snacks and water.
Skipping Historic Cold Spring Village because "it's just old buildings"
Missing one of NJ's best living history experiences. Blacksmiths, potters, weavers demonstrating 1800s crafts. Kids actually love it.
✓ Give it a chance - 2 hours minimum. Check for special event weekends (Civil War reenactments, harvest festivals).
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From amusement parks to lighthouses, the Jersey Shore offers attractions for every interest.