Special April 2014 Programming

Large belt-driven machine shop that was used by the staff of Thomas Edison.

NPS Photo

National Park Week 2014, Go Wild for National Parks
Thomas Edison National Historical Park will be joining national park sites around the country in celebrating National Park Week from April 19 to 27, 2014. The National Park Foundation is once again partnering with the National Park Service to spread the word about parks to millions of Americans. The joint website http://nationalparkweek.org will highlight activities and invite visitors to share their park photos, videos, and tips. This year's theme is "Go Wild!"

National Park Week activities at Thomas Edison NHP include:

Saturday and Sunday April 19th and 20th- Fee Free Days
Entrance fees will be waived for all visitors to the park on Saturday and Sunday April 19th and 20th. A fee free day is a great opportunity to discover new programs, new stories or for those who have never visited before, discover what the park has to offer.

Saturday, April 26th – Junior Ranger Day
During National Park Week, the National Park Service will show its appreciation for junior rangers by designating April 26th as Junior Ranger Day. Junior rangers explore, learn, and protect national parks. Children of any age can become a junior ranger by completing a series of activities during their park visit and sharing the answers with a park ranger. At Thomas Edison NHP there are lots of ways to earn your junior ranger badge. Join a ranger for the program Hollywood, NJ and learn how to make a movie just like Edison. You can explore the laboratory with a ranger and find out if Thomas Edison ever texted. Space is limited on these programs and tickets are given out on a first-come, first-served basis. Prefer to earn your badge on your own? Pick up a junior ranger booklet at the visitor center and work alone or with your family to complete the book.

Sunday, April 27th at 12:00 p.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m.
Demonstration of a 19th century wax cylinder recording session
Dan Lipsitz and His Brass Tacks playing on sousaphone, wood block/shot glass, trumpet, reeds, and resonator guitar will make a wax cylinder record just as it would have been over 100 years ago. Dan Lipsitz is a professional saxophone and clarinet player in New York City. His most recent project, "The Brass Tacks" is part of a recent resurgence of interest in early jazz music including dixieland and brass band music from the 1910s through the 1930s. The group has performed at venues through New York City and recently began performing at the Public Theater as part of their music series.