Museum Spotlight: InfoAge Science and History Museums (Wall Township)

By Steve Sears

Steve Lang, a trustee, and marketing chair of Wall Township’s InfoAge Science and History Museums, talks about the key to the 45,000 square foot facility.

“The youngsters that visit, they are asking questions,” he says. “That is our key. When they walk out of here, we want them asking questions.” He then adds, “To get a semi-look at everything that’s here, you’re probably going to make two or three trips – 10 to 15 hours.”

InfoAge Science and History Museums, located on the former Camp Evans site that was in possession of the United States Army from 1941 up until 1997, became incorporated as a 501 c3 in 1998.

InfoAge, whose first exhibits opened in 2005, is dedicated to scientific, historical, and educational exhibits, and programs. Aptly described, it is one large museum with 21 mini-museums under that umbrella. Some displays are in the main building near the welcome area and gift shop, but most are out in the campus area. But the displays and exhibits are hardly “mini,” especially in worth and learning. You will spend a good day here in one spot, and as Lang says, you will not only need but want to return.

Michael Ruane is the InfoAge Chief Executive Officer. “We have been talking about STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) since the beginning. We have been saying STEM because it is more easily recognized, but when people come in here, we also talk about STEAM (the above four components but with the addition of Arts) because we have definitely had STEAM events.”

Visitors to the InfoAge Science and History Museums have ventured from as far away as Brooklyn, Rockland County, New York, and both northern and southern New Jersey. Many homeschoolers also visit for the educational benefit, school visits themselves have doubled since 2022, and InfoAge also works on projects with scout groups.

Gleaned from the website, here is the mission of the InfoAge Science and History Museums: The MISSION of the Information Age Science and History Museum and Learning Center (InfoAge) is to preserve, educate, and honor scientific innovation to inspire new generations of thinkers, dreamers, and visionaries.

Our mission is broken into three Sub-Missions: DEVELOP an Interactive hands-on Learning

Center focused on the evolution and preservation of communications, electronics, and related technologies; Learning Center: As a National Historic Landmark, INSPIRE people – especially children – to learn and appreciate information technology to improve their lives and career opportunities; and Memorial: As New Jersey’s WWII Living Memorial, HONOR the accomplishments and service of veterans, civilians, and military contractors by recognizing their contributions and by preserving this unique historic site.

Our VISION: Our parking lots filled with yellow school buses and students who are motivated to pursue the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.

Consider some of the offerings. Radio and Communications Tecnology; Lenni-Lenape Native Americans, European Colonization, and Independence; New Jersey Shipwreck Museum; Trains; Fallout Shelter Theater, and much more. In the main building there is a self-guided tour, but when you exit that structure and trek to the other buildings, experienced tour guides and docents on site are prepared to explain the displays and engage in discussion.

Annual events are also held at InfoAge. Lang and his group at the Trains museum often hold a threeweek model train show where over 2,500 people have come through the front gates. The Computers exhibit, which has 60 rare computers displayed, in April welcomed almost 1,000 avid computer buffs when the Vintage Computer Federation held its annual event at InfoAge. “The events bring people in,” Lang says.

InfoAge Science and History Museums are always growing. The Radio and Communications Technology museum is the most popular, but there are still more buildings to be open for events and displays. Discussion has included opening a café, and a new Firefighting building will be unveiled soon.

A visit to InfoAge Science and History Museums will benefit and engage anyone, but children especially are wowed by what they see and can do at the facilities. “If you want to bring children in, we have military vehicles, fire trucks, and trains. You have all these different things here,” Ruane says.

For more information, visit www.infoage.org.