Forrestdale School sixth graders (from left to right) John Barry, Cakie Dym, and Hunter Leonard learn about notable figures from their home state at the New Jersey Hall of Fame Mobile Museum.

Press release from Rumson School District

Rocker Jon Bon Jovi’s jacket. A Les Paul guitar. A Green Bay Packers helmet representing longtime Coach Vince Lombardi. These were just a few of the items viewed by sixth graders at Forrestdale School in Rumson, when they visited the New Jersey Hall of Fame Mobile Museum.

“Everyone Needs a Hero” is the slogan of the Mobile Museum, which made a stop at the school on March 14. A 53-foot double-expanded trailer featuring 850 square feet of exhibition space, the Mobile Museum is a moving capsule of the almost 100 New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees’ contributions to history.

The Forrestdale sixth graders experienced innovative and interactive learning centers as well as artifacts and memorabilia from New Jersey notables including Clara Barton, Thomas Edison, and Albert Einstein.  All of the inductees featured were either born in New Jersey or resided here for at least five years.

Launched in 2013, the Mobile Museum is the first state hall of fame mobile in the nation and has welcomed over 200,000 visitors. It provides educators with a resource to help students learn about the roles that New Jersey residents have had in shaping global, social, scientific, economic, cultural, and political communities.

This learning experience for Forrestdale students was made possible by a donation from the Borough of Rumson.

“The whole point of this exhibit is to be inspired and dream big,” said Docent Sue Shroth, who welcomed the students and provided facts and pointers during their visit. “We may live in a very small state, but just look at all of the people who have made their mark in the world and in so many different fields of endeavor.”