New Jersey was the First. 
New Jersey was the first to establish an Educational State 
Museum. 
How many other states and cities are following its example ? 
As will be seen by this report at the close of the World’s Fair at 
Chicago in 1895, it was decided, that the excellent state exhib¬ 
its at the Columbian Exposition should be preserved, and 
placed permanently where they could be seen by the people of 
the State; and each year have new exhibits added to them. 
The governor being in accord with the idea, spoke in favor of 
it in his message, as follows: 
EXTRACT FROM GOVERNOR’S MESSAGE OF THE SESSION OF 1895. 
Governor George T. Werts, in his annual message of 1895, in speaking of 
the exhibits at the Columbia Exposition at Chicago in 1893, said: “The 
exhibits (at the World’s Fair) included the educational, agricultural, geo¬ 
logical and seacost exhibits. These exhibits were very fine and cost large 
sums of money. If preserved intact they are now worth more than thier 
original cost, as it would be impossible to duplicate them. The furniture 
was quite costly. The exhibits and furniture are now stored in the Fidelity 
Storage Warehouse in the city of Trenton. 
In my opinion the exhibits should be preserved, and the State should 
provide some place or places where they may be placed as a museum or 
educational exhibit. They should not be sold as a whole, and to sell them 
piecemeal would produce but an insignificent sum, and destroy what can 
never be replaced.” 
LAW. 
In accordance with this recommendation of the Governor, 
the Legislature passed the following law: 
Chapter CLXXXIII. 
An Act to establish and maintain a State Museum. 
Whereas, The Governor of this State has recommended that the exhibits 
of the several departments of the state government at the Columbian 
exposition at Chicago be placed on permanent exhibition; and, whereas, 
said exhibits would form a nucleus of an exhibit, which would be of great 
value in showing the educational, agricultural and industrial development 
of the state; therefore, 
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