Connecting historical sites and local artists, History Pinned is an opportunity to collect unique buttons while exploring New Jersey’s past. Travel through history by visiting five historic sites and collecting a custom pin designed by a local artist at each stop.
How to Participate
Time Travel through History Pinned from June 1 – October 30, 2026. The pin-backed buttons and History Pinned booklets will be available at each location starting this summer. To see an example, check out last year’s designs.
Before visiting a site, please call to confirm their visiting hours.
To receive your button, look for the History Pinned sign at the welcome desk or ask museum staff for assistance.
Supplies are limited and will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.
To receive your prize, collect a button from each of the five sites by October 30, 2026. Then fill out the History Pinned Prize Form or post a photo of yourself with your completed History Pinned booklet on Instagram tagging @revolutionnj.
Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music
The Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music preserves the legacy of Bruce Springsteen and celebrates the history of American music and its diversity of artists and genres. As the home of the Bruce Springsteen Archives, the Center serves as the official repository for materials related to Springsteen and the E Street Band, including photographs, historic memorabilia, oral histories, and more. The Center also explores American music more broadly by producing exhibitions, concerts, and educational programming that interprets and honors the cultural impact of American music past, present, and future.
Hours: Grand Opening June 7! Daily, 10:00 AM -5:00 PM
Parking Information: Free on-site parking is available.
Civic Activation: Make your voice heard. Sign a petition of your choosing on Change.org and stand for something you believe in.
Dey Mansion Washington’s Headquarters
The Dey Mansion, built around 1770 in present-day Wayne, New Jersey, was the home of Theunis and Hester Dey, members of a prominent colonial family with roots dating back to 1641 in New Amsterdam. During the American Revolution, the mansion served as General George Washington’s headquarters in the summer and fall of 1780, making it one of the few surviving military headquarters from that period. From this strategic location near the Passaic Falls, Washington directed key operations, corresponded extensively with military leaders and Congress, and navigated major events such as the arrival of French allies and the exposure of Benedict Arnold’s treason. After the war, the property passed through private hands before being acquired and restored by Passaic County in the early 20th century. Today, it stands as a preserved historic site recognized on state and national registers for its architecture and significance to the American Revolution.
Hours: Wednesday through Sundays, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Parking Information: Direct parking spaces available on site; all additional parking is within Preakness Valley Park.
Civic Activation: Reflect on “The Great American Experiment” and your place within it. If you’re not already, register to vote. Use your civic power and help decide what comes next.
Howell Farm is the centerpiece of a 273 acre historical park owned by the County of Mercer and operated by the Mercer County Park Commission. Founded in 1737 and donated to the County in 1974 by it's last private owner, the farm and surrounding park interprets the agriculture and rural lifestyle of the region, circa 1900, through restorations of buildings, landscapes, and crop and livestock operations that visitors can experience through hands-on activities, programs, and special events throughout the year.
Hours: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Parking Information: Free on-site parking is available
Civic Activation: Donate non-perishable food at Howell Living History Farm to support Trenton Area Soup Kitchen. Show up for your neighbors.
Learn About Each Site
The Battleship New Jersey Museum & Memorial is the most decorated battleship in U.S. Navy history. Located on the Camden Waterfront, the ship offers an immersive, self-guided tour experience where visitors can explore restored spaces, learn about the ship’s service from World War II through the Gulf War, and experience life aboard a historic naval vessel. Guests can walk the decks, step inside crew quarters, and take in sweeping views of the Philadelphia skyline.
Hours: Daily, 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (last boarding at 4:00 PM)
Parking Information: On-site parking is available at 100 Clinton Street. General parking is $15, and VIP parking is $20.
Civic Activation: Join us in participating in Operation Gratitude’s Letters of Gratitude, to share our appreciation to American Heroes home and abroad. Letters of Gratitude reach anyone who serves, active duty, veteran, or first responder. The program scales beautifully, one volunteer at a kitchen table or a thousand students in a gymnasium, writing for troops overseas or delivering to a firehouse down the street.
Writing Guidelines:
Follow these simple guidelines to make sure your letter brings joy and comfort.
Be Genuine: Write from the heart. A simple 'thank you for your service' goes a long way.
Keep It Positive: Avoid political topics or graphic content. Focus on gratitude, encouragement, and support.
If you’re at the Battleship, slip the paper into the History Pinned mailbox and we’ll ship them out. If you’re at home, please mail us your letter at PO Box 305, Trenton, NJ, 08608, we’ll send it to operation gratitude!
The Peter Mott House, built in 1845, is a rare, surviving monument to the Underground Railroad network and a focus of state history located in New Jersey’s only African American incorporated municipality. The house was nearly destroyed by a developer but was saved by the Lawnside Historical Society, which completed a full restoration in 2001. Today, the Peter Mott House is a renovated house museum officially recognized on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. Visitors can step back in time to gain greater understanding of the institution of slavery and the courageous individuals who resisted it by escaping and aiding others on the path to freedom.
Hours: Saturdays, except holiday weekends, 12:00 PM - 3: 00 PM; Group tours on weekdays by appointment.
Parking Information: One handicapped space; parking recommended on Moore Avenue (NOT on Kings Court)
Civic Activation: Join History Pinned and the New Jersey Black heritage Trail at Lawnside Heritage Day on Saturday, June 27, 2026 for a walking tour led by Muneerah Higgs. Explore the history of civic engagement in Lawnside and join the celebration.
TheCivicSeason.com | #CivicSeason | #MyCivicSeason | @HistoryMadeByUs
500 cultural and civic institutions across the country are hosting the fourth annual Civic Season between Juneteenth and July 4th, a new summer tradition for learning and action co-designed with Gen Z, the future inheritors of our democracy. Civic Season unites our oldest federal holiday with our newest, going beyond hot dogs and fireworks to invite meaningful reflection on our country's past and our role in shaping its future. Civic Season builds momentum toward the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026.