Liberty Science Center is preparing for a major makeover that will change how people experience the property. The Jersey City museum secured $39.6 million in state tax credits to expand its indoor and outdoor spaces. Crews plan to break ground in the first quarter of 2026 and will work for about 30 months.
The project adds more than 100,000 square feet of outdoor exhibition space, which marks a big shift for a museum known mainly for its indoor galleries. For years, visitors have stayed inside the glass building. Soon, much more of the visit will unfold outdoors. One of the most notable additions introduces a physics based miniature golf course that artists and scientists designed together. Each hole teaches a physics concept and reflects New Jersey’s long scientific legacy at places like Princeton and Bell Labs.
The makeover also brings Kids Corner, a playground for children and goats along Phillip Street. Designers separated the two play zones while still letting visitors see both. A small barn will give trained staff a place to guide interactions between young visitors and the animals. The setup creates a hands on science moment that the current building cannot offer.
Another feature brings a 9/11 memorial garden that uses two steel beams recovered from the World Trade Center site. The garden includes signage and a walkway that explains the history behind the beams and their connection to the region.
The center will also add a North American river otter habitat. The design includes both pool and dry land sections. Guests can watch the otters from inside the museum throughout the year. A master landscaping plan links all outdoor zones with new paths and planted areas, creating a continuous flow across the property.
The makeover also updates several indoor areas. Liberty Science Center will move its traveling exhibition gallery from the fourth floor to a larger first floor space that can support bigger shows. The Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium, already the largest in the Western Hemisphere, will receive new technology to support modern programming.
The center will retire its long running Our Hudson Home gallery and open River Rising, a new exhibition focused on the Hudson River, climate change and the relationship between the river and the surrounding land. The museum will also expand its Wild About Animals habitat, adding more space for new species and improved care areas.
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority approved the tax credits through its Cultural Arts Facilities Expansion program. Liberty Science Center became the first organization in the state to receive support from the program. In the same meeting, the authority approved 65 million dollars for upgrades at the Mayo Performing Arts Center in Morristown.
Liberty Science Center spans about 300,000 square feet and includes animal habitats, aquariums, classrooms, a 3D theater, labs, a wind simulator and several science galleries. The makeover allows the museum to modernize older spaces and create outdoor zones that can host programs in any season.
When crews finish the work, visitors will enter a property that feels more open and easier to explore. New paths, updated galleries, animal habitats and outdoor learning areas will guide people from the parking lot to the entrance in a different way than today. For families, students and tourists, the makeover signals a new phase for one of New Jersey’s most familiar destinations.
The New Jersey Digest is a new jersey magazine that has chronicled daily life in the Garden State for over 10 years.