Inspirational historical spot! Visited on a rainy day. It is the perfect place to reflect on technology.Edison didn't invent the lightbulb. He improved the filament to make it accessible.This mirrors today's AI wave. Big tech controls the major models. However, the real revolution will be turning AI into everyday productivity tools.AI needs its "highway" to transform how the masses work.Highly recommend visiting for tech inspiration. read more

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12/7/25: (Update) We stopped in the visitors center to pick up a visitors pass to the Glenmont Estate of Thomas Edison in Lewellyn Park (West Orange, NJ). We had previously purchased Glenmont Estate tickets online. After a visit to estate, we stopped back in again to view several of films: The Wizard of W.Orange The Glenmont Estate Tour The Invention Factory The Great Train Robbery (Silent Movie) The Visitor center has restrooms along with a nice gift shop of cool Thomas Edison souvenirs. A large parking lot is available across from the historical park. read more

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an incredible and inspiring experience! I can't believe this is based in NJ. it is super affordable ($15) for entrance, and the park rangers are very friendly and knowledgeable about the history of thomas edison. there are live demos and tours, and we got to listen to a phonograph, which was very cool. the workshop and chemistry lab were super interesting as well. it's a well-done spot that is family friendly and a great way to spend 2-3 hours! I wish we had a chance to tour the greenhouse, but it had closed by the time we finished the phonograph session. read more

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A small park that's part of the National Park system, with a visitor center and self-guided tours of the grounds (laboratories). It's interesting to think about all of the things Edison invented/patented in his life. Even if you try to read everything, you likely wouldn't spend more than 1+ hours there. You park across the street (no fee) and then go to the visitor center to either pay $15pp or show your national park pass. If you want to see the house, you have to have reservations which can sell out. You can however drive around the house if they're sold out. You can also go here to purchase your natural park passes. They did a good job of making the park accessible to those who have disabilities, with ramps, elevators and automatic doors. read more

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One of the best maintained Historic Site we have visited yet. The Museum which is made up of the Visitor Center with parts of the factory and different labs is huge and full of information and historic artifacts. What makes it one of the best is the knowledgeable & engaging Rangers on site. All questions were answered and some we didn't know that did before the tour. Parking is across the street, make sure you pay attention to the crosswalk & the flag. It may save you from running to save your life. Plan to spend some quality time at this point as it has a lot of history to digest. We were impressed with all the displays and the sheer size of what is maintained. A definite must see for future inventors & anyone with imagination and a dream. read more

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Worth a visit! Interesting for kids and adults- rooms have been preserved so beautifully you can almost imagine everyone sitting down at the machines. read more

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Lovely museum. Tons of artifacts. I wish guests could access the offices in the atrium, but I understand why not. They have a few interactive things for kids. We'll be back to see the grounds and the house; ran out of time browsing the lab :) read more

Thomas Edison National Historical Park - Atrium - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

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This was a cool experience to see the place that at one time was a place where nearly 1000 people worked at with Thomas Edison. The buildings are still standing. It's a great learning experience to see where lots of inventions occurred. The Park Rangers were all awesome, especially Adam. There were some inventions and other innovations that I did not know were attributed to him. The place is larger than what I imagined. It was a great experience, I'd recommend it to anyone who's into history. read more

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We went here on whim this past weekend. It's always interesting to see a piece of history. It's amazing how many inventions and discoveries, Edison had under his belt. We all know about his light bulb and electricity, but Edison also dabbled in many audio and visual devices. Th National Historic Park contains Edison's Chemistry Lab, a blacksmith shop, manufacturing facility, library, music room and so much more Parking is free and available in a lot across the street. read more

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Great place to bring your family. It's definitely an interesting place. You'll learn a lot here. You'll learn that Thomas Edison did more than just invented the electric bulb. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Highly recommended! read more

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This is a really cool NPS site. A ton of Thomas Edison's stuff is still in facility. Volunteers and rangers are very enthusiastic and informative. Great junior ranger program. Free parking. This is a site worth checking out. read more

This was a fun and educational experience. Lots of unique inventions and machines to see and learn about it. Demonstrations occurred throughout the day and I was lucky enough to catch a listening of a phonograph. The labs, industrial equipment, and even the chemistry room are all in their original positions and excellent condition. It's quite a unique experience seeing so much original history. The tour guides and employees were friendly and informative. There's plenty of floors and while the rooms can get hot in the summer, there are large fans to help keep the air moving. I would recommend for any person interested in history, science, and Thomas Edison. read more

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The Thomas Edison National Historical Park is more of a multi-building museum and historic site, and usually charges general admission ($10 for ages 16 and older) except during the free entry days listed on NPS.gov (MLK Jr. Day, President's Day, National Parks Week, NPS Birthday in August, National Public Lands Day, and Veterans Day Weekend). Fourth graders can also sign up for a 12-month parks pass at www.everykidinapark.gov. Until 2016, the park was also part of Bank of America's Museum on Us network. Whether or not admission is charged, donations are always welcome in any amount: the visitor center has a donation box. Parking is available in two lots across the park on Main St: one gated and one ungated. The gated lot locks at 6 PM, 2 hours after the park closes. The Visitor Center/Gift Shop seems to be the home base for the park rangers, and has pamplets, restrooms, and a video room with seats. The smaller one-story buildings in the complex are sometimes used for demonstrations but don't hold much interest otherwise. Most of the inventions and workshop equipment are housed in the three floors of Bldg 5, the largest building on the complex. There are some cool grated stairs and walkways connecting the three floors, but an elevator is also available for use. Several exhibits are dedicated to the phonograph, the telegraph, light bulb filaments, and rubber, but many of Edison's other lesser known creations are on display as well: prototypes of a toaster, coffee siphonator, sandwich grill, and vacuum. Some of the exhibits also shed some light on Edison's staff, including safety protocols and assistant wages. The Laboratory Complex certainly offers a lot to see--though not a lot to do, so children who are kinesthetically inclined or too young to be able to read may find themselves rapidly losing interest. (Equipment for an audio tour is available for $5.) For many visitors, the icing on the cake will be that the $10 entrance fee (valid for one week) also includes entry to the nearby Glenmont Estate (www.yelp.com/biz/glenmont-estate-west-orange) on limited weekends during the spring and summer. Parking passes are handed out on a first-come, first-serve basis at the laboratory complex visitor center for same-day access. read more

What a treasure to have nearby! Great exhibits, worthy of of Mr. Edison indeed. You learn much about the man and his inventions!

The Thomas Edison MeuseM, they have recreate the labs and workshops. Three floors of the rooms where the inventions were realized. You can also walk on the property of his home close by which you get passes for. To save in ticket plan to go on one of the national parks free days https://www.nps.gov/planyourvisit/fee-free-parks.htm read more

THIS MUSEUM IS INCREDIBLE. I live in DC and am surrounded by world class museums, so I honestly wasn't expecting much of the Edison museum. Plus, we've all read that The Oatmeal comic slamming him for stealing Tesla's great ideas, amirite? (Spoiler: their relationship and the history there is more complex than a single cartoon). This place completely blew my expectations out of the water. It is chock-full of real artifacts and information, and they rotate in new stuff all the time. The house is gorgeous, the museum is interesting and engaging, and I learned so much. I didn't make ti to the movie theater but I wish I had. This isn't as interactive as a lot of newer museums are these days, and within the mansion no one (child or adult) can touch anything, but I think that all the kids I saw looked amazed and interested. There are also a few dress up/selfie stations that make it kind of fun for the kid in all of us. That, and the AMAZING park rangers who know more about Edison than Edison likely did make for an incredible experience. Go! read more

This National Historical Park showcases Edison's work. I knew Edison was an inventor, but thought he mainly did light bulb and electricity. I didn't know he was into movies, music and all sorts of other things. There are two parts to this park, the homestead of where he lived, and the lab, where his company invented stuff. The lab is multiple floors, with machinery, and a library. This is where he and his employees worked to invent and perfect the inventions. Very interesting to see the types of machines and tools used. There is a small visitor center with a few exhibits and several videos covering different topics, including some of the early films he produced. This is well worth the visit and spend a couple of hours. read more

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Went here on a weekday morning and was lucky to get a parking spot. Make sure to park in the fenced enclosure across the street. Be careful when crossing as apparently West Orange drivers don't know how to stop at crosswalks even when you are obviously intending to cross. Someone actually stopped for me to cross and then the person behind them tried to go around, almost hitting me. The idiocy... Anyway, I paid my $15 and checked out the factory. Looks like it was updated in 2009, right around the time smartphones came out. The displays were great, showcasing all of the things done there. It looked like I was literally stepping back in time. Great showcases on all three floors. Only one other building was open, the chemistry lab and there was a guide in there to talk about it. The others were closed. I wished more of the exhibits were interactive. Some amazing things were developed here but I don't feel like they gave me enough to really grasp how it happened. That's my only complaint though. The main visitor center showed a lot of movies that highlighted important things. The place was good to see but I'm not too motivated to go back again. Just my two cents... read more

This is such a wonderful museum for kids and adults alike! The tours and exhibits have changed a bit due to Covid restrictions but it's still a good experience to learn about the greatest inventor. Highly recommend taking the audio tour - and look out for docents, usually hanging out in the library, to get more in-depth information about Edison and his life. read more

This was on my list of places to visit before I moved out of New Jersey and I'm very glad I came here before I left. The complex is quite large and easy to get to and it provides a wealth of information on Edison, but more importantly, his lab and the work they did at this facility, including work on motion pictures, chemistry, machining, and of course electricity. Edison created the modern research lab and it's very interesting to see all of the things they worked on here. It's fairly cheap to visit and it's included if you have an American the Beautiful National Parks pass. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who enjoys history and who's in the area. read more

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I've heard that Thomas Edison himself was kind of "eccentric," but that isn't surprising given his creative genius! This historical park with his workshop and so many of his inventions is unlike any historical spot I've had the pleasure of visiting. And countless inventions there were! I couldn't believe the variety: phonographs, blueprint drawings, typewriters, sandwich presses, coffee makers! He had a massive workshop with industrial machinery and a supply cabinet full of items - ranging from typical wrenches to unusual items like animal hooves and elephant skin! It was truly like walking back in time! I recommend making sure you check out the demonstrations board when you walk in to the main building (5). I saw the phonograph music demo, which was really neat! The Parks employees were knowledgeable and passionate: many have worked there for decades! They're a wealth of knowledge, so don't be afraid to ask them questions! I definitely recommend the Thomas Edison National Historic Museum - good for curious adults and kids/families. read more

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This is a special place to visit when time permits. Right now it is not easy but you can try. You can go to the park and the historic landmark where Thomas Edison and the team created many things that we have come to live with not only in the US but around the world. Think of the lights we have in our homes. Think of where the record player first came from. And how about some cameras started. And then there is technology and items that started the path we come to have today. You can visit this here at the labs. There is even a chemical lab here when Edison worked and helped create items that we are use to. This is also a place where films were made in the 1910's. This is here. Walk the property and walk inside. You can learn a great deal. And once you are finished you can go less than a mile away to the home he lived in. It is magnificent. Go inside and see where Edison, his wife and his family lived. It is a beautiful home and one that was near the office. Walk the ground and see the home, the gardens, the green house and more. Go into the back and you will see the resting place of Edison and his wife. This is history and they are here. It is a good place to visit not only once. It is a place to visit, learn and ask questions to know more. read more

Worth a whole day. We started with the house which needs to be seen with a smaller group than 14 because we couldn't always hear the docent. The labs and library were fascinating. read more

This place is awesome. I didn't really know what to expect but I am so glad I had a chance to go. The details of Thomas Edison's business ventures and inventions are really amazing. It was very inspiring to tour the workshop and laboratory areas where so much ingenuity, creativity and hard work took place. I know he didn't achieve everything on his own but you've got to admire the dedication and drive. Edison was self-taught and kept working pretty much until his death. I was astounded to learn that when searching for an alternative natural source of rubber, Edison's team tested 17,000 different plants until they settled on goldenrod. Imagine that? I'd have given up after like, 20. Loved the replica of the first movie studio (the "Black Maria" pronounced like "Mariah" for some reason). It used natural light and rotated along a track to catch the appropriate sunlight! They have scheduled presentations here given by park rangers - you'll likely be notified of the times at the Visitor's Center/Gift Shop. We heard one in the music room on the phonograph (it was nice to actually listen to a recording) and another at the lab building (which wasn't open to the public without a ranger present). FYI - the Glenmont (Edison's home) is closed during the winter. Check their website for visiting hours: http://www.nps.gov/edis/planyourvisit/hours.htm $10 entry fee. Totally reasonable. Ample free parking across the street. I highly recommend this - educational and inspiring! "Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." - Thomas A. Edison read more

Welcome to 1931, the West Orange laboratory was closed when Thomas Edison died that year and offers an astonishingly well-preserved glimpse of the high tech of 80+ years ago. We had great fun geeking out on all the manufacturing technology and Edison's many inventions on display. My buddy claimed a short attention span .. and still we stayed over 3 hours. It's difficult to add to Christopher C.'s comprehensive review! The heavy machine shop (1st floor) and precision machine shop (2nd floor) are packed with big iron, the leather drive belts still hooked up to the ceiling pulleys. Marvel at all the workbenches and metal planers, radial drill presses, lathes and much more. The pattern shop (wood shop) is similarly well equipped, and the chem lab looks like experiments were being conducted in there just yesterday. The real gems are on the 3rd floor: gramophones that work (don't miss the music room tour), an automatic record changer, toasters, electric irons, coffee urns and much more. My only complaint is that the (apparently sharply cash-starved) National Park Service does so little with the vast cache of trinkets & toys that were in the Laboratory. A few cabinets on the third-floor hallway only give a peek at the wealth of useful gadgets the Edison companies manufactured, they're not well labeled and you just Know there are million more amazing things in storage. Another cash-starvation problem: the 10-car turntable-equipped garage and its 2 Model T Fords are closed to visitors. The $7 price of admission includes access to Llewelyn Park, an extraordinarily exclusive gated community in West Orange, so you can drive to Glenmont, Edison's home. For mere mortals this is the only way in lol. The house is elaborately finished in decorative oak trim and lavishly furnished with the best things money could buy in 1880, it's worth the 30 minute tour many times over. Be sure to watch these very short videos before you go: Survey of the exhibits (2012): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go8qWdyFNTs Metal planer (1964): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c8kXvx-jCG0 Diamond gramophone disc (2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEZNNGj7yJ0 If you really want to geek out, watch this 10-minute presentation by Adolph Freda running the heavy machinery (1964): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BiQgNyBk3WQ Enjoying all that old tech made us thirsty, so afterwards I recommend stopping by the Pour House, a dive bar just across the street :) read more

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Wow, Wow, Wow, Wow! There is a lot to learn and a lot to see in West Orange at this place. First stop is the laboratory complex to check in at the visitor's center to pay the adult entrance fee and to watch a 20 minute orientation film along with a short silent movie from 1903 called "The Great Train Robbery". Then you can: Wander the courtyard to see and learn about the Black Maria. (Edison's 1st movie studio) Explore all 3 floors of the Main Laboratory Building (This could take hours by itself between the library, the machine shops and all of the displays on the 3rd floor of phonographs and other things.) Take a ranger led tour of the Chemistry Lab Then there is also Glenmont, which was the Edison's 29 room Victorian Mansion. After going to the visitor center to get your pass to enter the gated community where the Edison's house is (this area was the first gated community in the US dating back to the 1850's and at one time had residents from the Colgate and Chubb families living there) you make the short drive while keeping the green paper/pass on your dashboard and the security guard will let you in when he sees the pass. After that you drive through quiet tree lined roads passing the other houses in the community to the 13 acres that make up Glenmont. The house itself is unique in that 97% of the furnishings are original to when the Edison's lived there. You also learn interesting tidbits on the tour like how the original owner of the house was a shipping clerk who embezzled the 300K needed to build it and eventually Edison bought it for 125K then sold it to a friend who then sold it to Edison's wife for a $1 so that creditors could not take the house from him because he never actually owned it. Also you learn that the house obviously started out with gas lighting and is now heated and cooled via a geothermal well. No doubt Mr. Edison would approve of such forward thinking. The ranger (Tim?) who took care of the tour of Glenmont was easily the most knowledgeable and passionate NPS employee I've ever met in terms of having a complete grasp of the subject and truly looking like he enjoyed the interaction with the group along with what he was doing. The only downside is due to said Sequester the garage is not normally open now and inside is a Model-T along with the Edison's electric cars from the 1900's. The thing that makes the lab and the house different from most NPS places is that the majority of NPS sites are focused on Civil War and Revolutionary War sites where as this is history from the 20th century that was literally left almost in state from when the man himself was alive. When you go: Kids under 16 are free and adults are $7. Thanks to "The Sequester" the laboratory is open Wednesday-Sunday from 9am-5pm. The Glenmont Estate is only open Friday-Sunday from 11:30am-5pm. (The NPS website says that house tours start at Noon but the first tour is actually at 11:30.) read more

Excellent. 1) The museum itself is 3 stories and has excellent exhibits. 2) Come early to reserve your spot for the house tour. It is a 30 min tour which is worth every second. 3) Must see/visit. read more

Thomas Edison National Historical Park - Edison's home. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

Great national, state and local historic site that honors America's most prolific inventor. Tour the factory and laboratory of Thomas Edison and view it as it was in the 1880's when Edison moved to West Orange. One of the featured displays is the Black Maria, the world's first movie studio. After, head across the street with your pass and tour Glenmont, the Edison home, inside of Llewellyn Park, also a national historic site, and the nation's first planned development whose architects were A.J. Davis and A.J. Downing. Well worth the paltry admission. read more

A very informative and historical visit which took about three hours to complete, including the Glenmont tour. Not knowing how many things that Edison developed and attempted to create, we were quite impressed with the knowledge the staff shared with us. The lab was especially great as it was left in the same condition since it's last operating day many decades ago. For a $7 entry fee, free parking, and house tour included I felt this day trip was well worth it. read more

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Great historic place to visit ! Interesting displays! Limited hours ! Menlo Park mall and downtown Metuchen near by . Small walking trail on site . read more

To begin with, there is a convenient designated parking area across the street from the NHHP. The visitors center is through the gate which promptly opens at 10 am. The visitors center is where you pay for the various tours offered. The Laboratory Complex & Glenmont Estate Home is located less than a mile down Main street from the NHP costs $10. Under age 16 is free. If you have a National Park Senior Pass it's free. At the visitors center you can buy gifts and there is a 20 minute feature film which includes the "Great Train Robbery" and runs all day long in a continuous loop. This is also where you can purchase for $5 an audio tour of the laboratory complex. The audio tour comes in three versions (standard, family or children). Ask about the day's scheduled events. The day I visited there was a presentation in the Chemistry Lab, a demonstration of the Phonograph, a Black Maria & Ranger talk. Additionally. each section of the complex had a Park Ranger who was more than eager to chat. We chatted for a considerable amount of time. Building #5 is the main laboratory and has 3 floors. There is an elevator. Take note that Glenmont Estate Home has no elevator and is open for touring only on Fri, Sat, Sun. After Jan. 7, 2018 it closes until April. They have completed extensive preservation work recently. Kids can earn a Jr. Ranger Badge at the West Orange location.. If you go on the parks official website you can download the Jr. Web Ranger Booklet. The official website also has stories, history, teaching tools and photographs. They have a Distance Learning program which offers Skype sessions. They are designed as a one period lesson plan and can be customized to fit your lesson plans. Other Social Media options include You Tube, Twitter, Facebook and the Curator's Curiosity Blog which has photos and detailed information on various artifacts displayed.. The clock in the office is set to the time of Edison's passing. read more

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Another one of those local childhood favorite places that I was able to share with my sons when they were younger. The Thomas Edison National Historical Park ranks among the most imagination-inspiring sites of my early years. Edison's lab buildings provided amazing insights into the creation of inventions which we now take for granted. I particularly enjoyed visiting the office and library building when I had the imagination to picture the inventor at work in my mind's eye. The "Black Mariah," Edison's prototype movie theater is another spot that I've never forgotten. I've always found this place inspiring, although each visit seems to introduce yet another restriction or unwanted modernization, courtesy of the feds. read more

I've been to many historical places around the world and this ranks right up there near the top. I love tech and history and until recently, I had never been to this place. It is truly amazing. TE NHP is not a museum, it is a time capsule frozen from the early 1900s reflecting the life and achievements of Edison. 99.9% of the Park is original and in the exact spot that Edison left it in. The condition is amazing, I'm not sure there is anything like it in the U.S. - it is that special. When you realize the scope of what Edison invented in his time you will be blow away. This lab is basically the template on how modern companies are now funded and incubated. I went during a weekday and there may have been 30 people in the Park. If this place was in a major city, you would have to book weeks in advanced to get in. The admission is $7 - I would have paid $70, it is that special. I would say this is a must see place in the NYC metro area. It is appropriate for all ages but I would say teens and adults will be able to appreciate this place the best. read more

A must see when in the area. So neat to see a place of history but of modern history. Yes you can see how things were made but effected us today in all ways. Movie, electricity and so much more. What a smart person Go and enjoy. The opening of all floors have really made it worthwhile to go back again read more

This was such a wonderful surprise because we thought it was going to be very small. Wrong! Three stories of history beautifully preserved. I really, Really enjoyed this extraordinary place in west orange. Just fascinating and the staff were very knowledgeable and kind. I plan to come back as soon as I can without the kiddos read more

Great place to take your kids. It's an eye-opening learning experience. Had a great time walking around taking in the sights checking out all the old workshops and laboratory's, a nice way to spend an afternoon. Just wish they would let you check out the library a little more. read more

Beautiful "park" full of great history. Walk through the building Edison was in as he invented a number of items we still benefit from today. There is a lot to see! It is very worth the trip to his estate as well. Beautiful house that is still true to how it would have looked when Edison was there. Well worth the trip! read more

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I'm not one to write reviews but I loved this place so much that I wanted to make sure everyone goes to visit this place...I don't understand why this isn't a must visit place when visiting New Jersey. This place is so magical! Everything was left as it was when T. Edison was in the lab. You can feel the history here. Its really such a gem. Everyone should visit this place. read more

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Fascinating place with so much history. If you like science and history you will not regret going here. Budget a few hours because there'll be more you'll want to see. read more

Wonderful both kab and his home, except for air quality inside is bad, should open windows and air. read more

Thomas Edison National Historical Park - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - West Orange, New Jersey

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