Step into the spotlight and embark on a star-studded adventure at the New Jersey Hall of Fame, nestled within the vibrant American Dream mall. This isn’t just a museum; it’s an immersive experience that brings you face-to-face with the Garden State’s most celebrated icons.
The New Jersey Hall of Fame at American Dream is the ultimate destination for families with teens or kids who dream of seeing their names in lights. This one-of-a-kind museum doesn’t just showcase the state’s most notable figures—it lets you interact with them in ways you never imagined. Whether you’re interviewing a virtual Jon Bon Jovi or singing a duet with Gloria Gaynor, the Hall of Fame’s interactive experiences are designed to inspire and entertain. The New Jersey Hall of Fame is the perfect place to celebrate the achievements of the state’s greatest while having fun together.
What to Expect at the New Jersey Hall of Fame
The New Jersey Hall of Fame is located at the Entertainment and Learning Center (ELC) at American Dream. It’s on the third level of the shopping center (Level 3 Court G) at the end where Nickelodeon Universe is located. If you take the escalators up, the museum is on one side of the escalators, and the Oreo Cafe is on the other side.
The 10,000-square-foot, New Jersey Hall of Fame is the first of its kind for the country as a state-focused Entertainment and Learning Center, celebrating the achievements of more than 230 inductees/ New Jersey citizens in the Arts, Entertainment, Public Service, Sports, and beyond. While your kids will likely recognize the names of celebrities from New Jersey, this Hall of Fame also honors those who made significant contributions to New Jersey, even if they weren’t famous.
I visited the museum as part of a press visit not long after it opened this past June. Work schedules prevented me from being able to take my teens, but this is definitely a space they would have enjoyed. They enjoy music, celebrities, and pop culture. And of course being teens who’ve grown up with a mom who loves Jersey, the activities and exhibits would have been very relevant to them.
Consider this the place to go when wanting to learn about New Jersey citizens who’ve made a positive and lasting impact not only in New Jersey but beyond. You know how our kids have to do reports on famous people? This would be the perfect place to take a student who has to do a project on a New Jersey icon. They’ll be able to have a one-of-a-kind experience and get some engaging visuals for their project.
The New Jersey Hall of Fame is circular in nature with exhibits in the center and activities branching off from the center. While it’s a small space, I found there was lots to do. You could easily spend an hour or so here, making it a nice manageable activity to fit into any visit to American Dream.
Admission is reasonable too. Admission starts at $15.99 per person for New Jersey residents. Non-NJ residents pay a few dollars more starting at $20.99. Tickets give you full-day access to the museum so you can come and go throughout the day.
The New Jersey Hall of Fame opens daily at 11 am and closes in the early evening hours. Learn more at the New Jersey Hall of Fame website. Learn more about things to do at American Dream in our guide to American Dream attractions (coming soon.)
Lights, Camera, Action! Must-Try Interactive Experiences
The size of the museum really is deceiving. I remember standing in the center wondering if this was all there was and would there be enough to share with my audiences here on Jersey Family Fun. I’m thankful for the helpful staff that introduced me to the activities that lay just beyond different doors of the inner space.
Interview a New Jersey Celebrity
One of the first activities I tried was the Late Night Jersey TV. It’s a green room where visitors can interview, somewhat virtually, a popular New Jerseyan whose been inducted into the Hall. At the time of my visit there were a few different celebrities to choose from. I chose Jon Bon Jovi, I mean how could I not? I spent my middle school and high school years (the eighties) growing up in the next town over from him. He’s still one of my favorite musicians.
Using a touchpad screen, you select the star you want to interview and then the questions you want to ask him/her. There are 5 questions to choose from and you can select 2 of them to ask. Then, you select your background. I selected the Asbury Park Boardwalk.
Once you’ve checked in, you proceed into the green room. Your late night guest is on the screen across from you. It may just be a hologram, but when you’re staring across the table at Jon Bon Jovi, or whoever you pick, it looks like you’re looking or interviewing the real person as if you were on Skype or a Zoom call. I knew it wasn’t ‘real’, but I was still nervous as if it was. The interview session is recorded and then emailed to you.
This was one of my favorite things to do at the New Jersey Hall of Fame.
Sing with a legend
Another room off the center sets the ‘stage’ for what would become my other favorite thing to do at the New Jersey Hall of Fame, Karaoke! Even if you’re shy, this is the karaoke stage for you. It’s so private you can’t see the rest of the museum, and I’m pretty sure it’s soundproof. Yet, stepping into the room is like walking into a small club. The front of the stage has a red rope around it and lights that beam into where the crowd would be.
Once on the stage, the karaoke screen is to the right and your costar’s hologram is projected onto the floor so that he/she appears to be singing right next to you. You can sing with your kids or stand in the ‘crowd’ and cheer them on.
Similar to the interview experience, you select the musician you want to sing with and the song you want to sing before going into the karaoke room. I sang ‘I will survive’ with Gloria Gaynor and ‘Tie a Yellow Ribbon’ with Tony Orlando. I recommend moving quickly once the computer gives you the okay to proceed. I missed the beginning of the first song I sang because I expected some kind of countdown or warning before it started and there wasn’t one.
After you’re finished you will receive an email with photos, taken by the computer, while you were singing.
Select & Listen
The New Jersey Wall of Fame is an impressive floor-to-wall display of the over 200 names of New Jersey citizens who’ve been inducted into NJ’s Hall of Fame. Each illuminated honorary plaque represents a different inductee. Using the touchpad you can select different names of inductees and listen to key moments of their life on a circular screen. I listened to Judy Blume, Whitney Houston, and representatives for Celia Cruz and Thomas Edison.
Hover & Learn
On the floor near the Wall of Fame, is a large map of New Jersey. The map has floating circles with headshots of past inductees. Hover your hand over any circle to learn more about that New Jersey icon. The descriptions include QR codes to learn more about the person.
Drive in Jon Bon Jovi’s 1970 Chevelle for Hometown Tours
The NJ Hall of Fame Hometown Tours is a virtual-reality experience that takes place right outside the museum’s entrance. It’s included with admission. The experience gives you the feeling of sitting in a replica of Jon Bon Jovi’s 1970 Chevelle, but at the time of my visit guests like me sat in folding chairs near the car for the experience.
You select one of the NJ inductees to be your tour guide and then you ‘drive’ through their hometown learning about their favorite spots, childhood home, school, where they first performed, how New Jersey inspires them, and more. I selected Gloria Gaynor. I enjoyed learning about where she grew up and the interesting way she got discovered. It was such a unique way to learn more about New Jersey as well as one of our hometown celebrities.
Take a Selfie with your Favorite Inductee
Even if you’re not looking to buy any souvenirs, don’t pass up the opportunity to visit the gift shop. In a corner of the shop is one of those selfie machines. Select a popular NJ iconic inductee and pose for a green-screen selfie. Take home a souvenir photo for free as part of your admission fee.
Ride a simulated space ride with the Kelly brothers
This activity wasn’t operational during my visit, but as I understand it it features the Model T that Henry Ford gifted to Thomas Edison. Climb aboard a simulated and enhanced Model T car. During this epic ride, passengers will learn about New Jersey’s contributions to the field of science and have a visit with the Kelly brothers in space!
More Activities
These activities might not be interactive but they still highlight New Jersey’s greatness.
Feel that Jersey Pride
After interviewing Jon Bon Jovi in the green room I headed to the Jersey Proud Theater. This comfy theater uses existing footage of inductees from films and TV, musical performances, acceptance speeches, stories of their struggles and achievements, and notable moments in history and features them all in a 10-minute film. Watching this video I was in awe to learn more about my favorite NJ celebrities, but it was also cool to discover more celebrities that got their beginnings in New Jersey. I certainly left feeling that Jersey pride.
Memorabilia & Artifacts
It’s not a museum without display cases. Look for the displays that show facts about the Giants, Jets, Newark Eagles, and more. The collection of artifacts, from Hall of Fame inductees will be part of a rotating collection.
Anyone can be a Hero
The Everyday Heroes wall is adjacent to the Wall of Fame. Through videos and pictures, it highlights the diversity of our State and the achievements of regular, non-famous New Jersey citizens. Guests will learn how they can submit their own heroes to be featured on the wall.
Why Teens and Their Grownups Will Love It
I’ve been to lots of museums with virtual experiences with my kids, both when they were younger and as teens, but there’s been nothing like this before the New Jersey Hall of Fame. These experiences to get up close to Hall of Fame inductees don’t exist elsewhere and I feel like they’re so much better than VR video games. Interviewing New Jersey celebrities, singing with them, and riding through their hometowns, makes this museum incredibly special. You don’t need a teen or kid who wants to be a star to appreciate this museum, but for kids who dream of growing up to become famous this place offers an inspiring and immersive experience that will make them feel like they’re already on their way to being in the spotlight.
Plan Your Visit
The New Jersey Hall of Fame is a low-key attraction in American Dream that still offers a lot of thrill. It wasn’t crowded at all during my visit and I imagine it’s going to be one of those hidden gems at American Dream because from the outside it’s hard to tell what makes this attraction so special.
The interactive experiences are private. Interviewing an inductee, singing with another one, happen in private rooms. Even if you have a shy child, encourage him/her to give them a try. We all can be a little braver when no one is watching.
Since it’s a quieter American Dream attraction and the interactive experiences are so unique and one-on-one I’d recommend this as an activity to wind down your visit to American Dream. Just imagine the car ride home talking about what it was like to sing with a celebrity or interview one on late night tv. Those can make for some memorable conversations, especially if you’ve got a teen in that not-so-talkative stage of adolescence.
As I walked out of the New Jersey Hall of Fame, I couldn’t help but feel a renewed sense of pride in all the amazing people who’ve come from our state. This place is more than just a museum—it’s a living, breathing celebration of New Jersey’s finest. From interviewing Jon Bon Jovi to singing alongside legends, I’m convinced that this is a must-visit spot for families, especially those with teens who dream big. If you’re looking for an outing that’s both fun and inspiring, this is the place to be.