Hermann Moll’s “Post Map” first published in 1729 I n an age of GPS, smartphones and Google Earth, some people see paper maps as useless tools of a bygone era. To Nicholas Ciotola, curator of cultural history at the New Jersey State Museum, old maps still hold value as ideal artifacts for exploring New Jersey history.
The State Museum’s newest exhibition, “Where in the World Is New Jersey? Historical Maps of the Garden State,” presents visitors with stories of New Jersey’s social, economic and political history — as well as the state’s seminal role in the history of American transportation — by using the visual splendor of some of the Garden State’s most important historic maps.
Opening on Sept. 7 and running through Feb. 23, 2014, “Where in the World Is New Jersey? Historical Maps of the Garden State” is composed of nearly 100 maps depicting the colony and state of New Jersey from 1635 through 1950.
“Maps are fascinating artifacts of history, with a dual purpose,” Ciotola said. “On one hand, they were utilitarian tools that people used in their daily lives. On the other, maps were meant to be appreciated for their decorative value, not unlike works of fine art.” The maps on display in the exhibition — most of which are original hand-colored copperplate engravings or chromolithographs — come from the collections of four public institutions: the New Jersey State Museum, State Archives, State Library, and Special Collections and University Archives at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. They were selected for their rarity, their ability to convey aspects of New Jersey history, and their artistic merit.
“Visitors will gain insight into the political and economic forces that literally shaped and defined the history of our state, while seeing firsthand that early mapmaking was both a science and an art,” State Museum Executive Director Anthony Gardner said.
The exhibition is divided into three sections:
“Surveying the Shore: Maps of Exploration and Colonization,” which chronicles the geographical examination of the New Jersey coast by Dutch cartographers and includes amazing examples of highly decorative maps from the Dutch “Golden Age” of mapmaking.
“From Divided to United: Maps of New Jersey,” which includes maps showing the natural and political forces that gave New Jersey its recognizable geographic outline.
“New Jersey on the Move,” which highlights maps that showcase the history of transportation systems in the state.
The New Jersey State Museum, located at 205 West State St. in Trenton, is open Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. The museum is closed Mondays and all state holidays, and has a “suggested” admission fee. Admission-fee revenue supports the museum’s collections, exhibitions and programs.
For more information, visit the museum’s website at www.statemuseum.nj.gov or call 609-292-6464.

