Leadership
Founded in 1973, the Trenton Museum Society oversees the only museum devoted to New Jersey’s capital city. The Museum Society is a 501(c)3 nonprofit corporation that holds in trust, maintains and seeks to display and increase public access to its large and important collection of historical objects, works of art, books and other documents pertaining to the industrial, cultural, political and civic history of Trenton, from its founding to the present. Under an agreement with the City of Trenton, the Museum Society collection is housed in the grand Ellarslie Mansion, built in 1848 and located on the grounds of Trenton’s historic Cadwalader Park, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted. Ellarslie Mansion, also called the Trenton City Museum, is open to the public, which can view selections from the museum society’s peerless collection, including ceramics created by Trenton’s famous 19th and 20th century pottery industry, historical and cultural artifacts, and work by artists of the region.
The Trenton Museum Society supports and showcases the work of contemporary visual artists and musicians from the greater Trenton area, and uses its collections and resources to foster an understanding of Trenton history and instill an grow interest in the creative arts among Trenton’s students.
The ongoing programs and current collection of the Trenton Museum Society are managed by a volunteer Board of Trustees — a group of committed individuals from the Trenton area with professional backgrounds spanning the worlds of business and the arts, as well as both the public and private sectors, whose mission is also to secure outside funding in order to conserve and augment Museum Society holdings and increase public knowledge of, access to and interest in them.
2025-26 Board of Trustees
President – Deborah Gorczycki
Vice President – Patricia Allen
Treasurer – Deniece Johnson
Recording Secretary – Jean Shaddow
Corresponding Secretary – Sarah Unger
David Bosted
Carol Hill
Beverly Keese-Kelley
Chuck Lorimer
Linda McRae
Michael Newman
Janis Purcell
Mission: Through its exhibits, collections, educational programs and community activities, the Trenton City Museum preserves and promotes the diverse history, art, and culture of Trenton and the greater Trenton area for the benefit of the Trenton community and visitors.
Vision: The Trenton City Museum is a model museum working to keep the arts, culture, and history of the community alive and relevant and, as a result, helps redefine the perception of the city of Trenton. We will attain our vision by being financially sustainable, effectively governed, diverse and collaborative.
The Trenton City Museum is a member of:
