The Mahwah Museum will continue to be open for private historical research, thanks to a $5,000 grant from the New Jersey Historical Commission. The grant, announced by the Governor’s Office this week, is part of $2.3M in support grants given to historical associations throughout the state to help with operating costs during 2013.

The grant is the second part of a two-year cycle, Mahwah Museum Director Tom Dunn said. The money will be used to pay a part-time administrative aide who keeps the museum open for private research appointments during the week, Dunn said. “[We] make the Museum available for research, by appointment, on local history. Currently the Museum office is staffed on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10-2 p.m., even though the Museum itself is not open to the public during those hours,” he said.

Also this year, Dunn said the Museum received a $1,000 Special Project Grant from the Bergen County Department of Parks, Division of Historical and Cultural Affairs. The Museum used the money to buy software and, using volunteer student interns from Ramapo College and Bucknell University, scanned and catalogued over 500 historical records of Mahwah’s Ramapo Reformed Church.

In addition to exhibits like Les Paul in Mahwah that are open to the public, the Museum also “has an extensive archive of materials about Mahwah history,” that these grants help support, Dunn said. The main monetary supporters of the Mahwah Museum are its members and visitors, he said. “The Mahwah Museum is very grateful for the operating support it receives,” he said.

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