old barracks museum

I just moved to this area and the week after Christmas apparently is Patriot's week. Ended up here after watching the 2nd Battle of Trenton re-enactment. (Which was awesome by the way!! Great job volunteers!!) I love colonial history and I had no idea this was here. I followed the troops after the battle to this place with no intention of going in but I was captivated and thank goodness I had $5 on me b/c I was not disappointed. First the tour guide was wonderful, I do not remember his name but he was fantastic, not only with the information but also answering questions. You are able to tour the place on your own and there is also a gift shop. I love that the tide of the war and our history really was turned right here in my own backyard. Secondly the grounds and building are well maintained! I would say to block out an hour or two for this attraction and get the feel for it or just sit in the square of the barracks and take it all in....I could hang out there all day but Im a history nerd. I like to try to feel like I am back in time. At any rate, it is something to see! Places that are preserved so well like this one, that have been there for hundreds of years....are meant to be seen!

This is where George Washington's troops marched to on Christmas day to turn the tide of the American Revolution. Unfortunately, it is not a National Treasure.

Very enthusiastic and mostly knowledgeable tour guides bring to life a hidden gem in the middle of Trenton. The barracks are relatively small, but well preserved and represent much pre-revolutionary history as well as the revolutionary two battles of Trenton and the marching point for the Battle of Princeton. Highly recomended.

In the words of my 12 year old son, the entire day was "cool!!!" We saw both battles the 11am and 3pm. Awesome job on the part of the re-enactors!! The battle travels the streets of Trenton where the actual battles took place. I work in Trenton and found historic parts that I did not know existed. The staff of the barracks and the re-enactors were true to form and very informative and completely "in" to their roles. If you love history, this is a trip for you. Take full advantage of all the activities during "Patriot Week", from the Colonial Ball, to the pub crawl, to the battles, to the memorial service held at the grave yards of the soldiers who fought during the Battles of Trenton". The tour of the barracks was great as well and we thoroughly enjoyed meeting the soldiers from "both" sides and listening to theirs stories. We will be back next year and for years to come.

I took my eight-year-old son today to the Old Barracks and the re-enactment of the Battle of Trenton. My son was un enthused at the idea of going, but by the end of the battle, he had turned to me a few times and announced, "We need to do this every year! This is COOL!" If you go to the re-enactment, which starts at the Barracks and winds through the streets of Trenton, get there early so it's easier to find parking. The re-enactment happens during the week between Christmas and New Year's, and I highly recommend it, both for eight year old boys who love the idea of war and adult history geeks like myself.

If you like U.S. Historical Sites this is a very nice place to visit. I have not been here since I was in elementary school.You tour several rooms and are given of narrative by someone dressed in colonial era attire. It was informative and educational all at the same time. I am glad we made the visit and would recommend it to anyone with children.

We are reenactors and love the opportunity to connect with history by visiting historical sites and recreations. We are from Florida and made it part of a road-trip. The Old Barracks Museum is a national treasure and the staff are top notch. They care about giving a fun, informative and interactive tour. Ask questions about the site and the tour only gets better. We parked a few blocks away and enjoyed a pleasant walk to the museum. The video presentation and the displays are very well done. You can rush through the place but the more time you spend the more detail you will notice. The gift shop has quality books and music as well as little odds and ends for the kids. We are glad that we went.

This is a very nice tour that is both informative and fun. It is worth making the effort to see it as in the end you will get a feel for the historical importance of this site. You will also receive an overview of how the site relates to the early days of the Revolution.We had gone through the statehouse and had time for one more site before the day was finished. We decided on the Old Barracks Museum as that looked like the most interesting opportunity. It was just around the corner from the statehouse.The site was intriguing upon walking up to it. It was well-preserved and looked much like I would imagine the original structure would have appeared. We walked into the entry area, which included a small gift shop. We were greeted by a very pleasant person who took our $8 per person entry fee.We first sat down to watch an orientation movie entitled "Ten Crucial Days" which provided an excellent description of the events surrounding the Battles of Trenton and Princeton. These ten days were arguably the most important of the Revolution and, by extension, our country. We then began a tour that included a description of the function of the barracks. There was a tour of the officer's quarters, the enlisted men's area and the medical facility. There were three different tour guides who walked us through these varied areas and all of them did a terrific job.Overall, this was an enjoyable tour. The staff were great and the tour guides were extremely well-informed about the subject matter. It is unquestionably worth taking the time to see this site, especially if you have an interest in the revolutionary period.

Highly informative and interesting tour with nice exhibits. The guides/staff are friendly, and the grounds are beautiful located next to the NJ capital building. Check it out!

One Sunday morning we drove into Trenton to go and see the old barracks. It was great! Staff was very very friendly (I cant overstate how nice they were), and it was only 3.00 per person or so for the tour and museum and the little video about the barracks and the battle of Trenton. What a great experience! Well kept and well run! If you go there, you wont regret it! Its great for history buffs, and just families who want to do something fun and inexpensive. Again, great experience, you wont regret going there, I urge you to go try it out! It truly is awesome!

The history here is great and the staff brings it alive. I learned so many things about revolutionary America and had a lot of fun

What a wonderful place to visit! If you love history then you really need to check this place out! We learned so much during our visit. The exhibit and building was amazing! The historical interpreters taught us alot of things that we did not know about the French & Indian and Revolutionary War. We will definitely be coming back here soon with friends and family. I love this place!

We were looking for something to do during our visit to the area while it was raining. The barrack is easily accessible and offers free parking. The short orientation film provided a great overview to the history of the Battle of Trenton and it's importance to our nations freedom. The Barrack itself has been used for many purposes throughout the years. The guide showed us how the military would have lived while at the barrack. We enjoyed the segment on the medical techniques of the day. Including how George Washington brought the frowned upon pox vaccination process to the army which proved to be successful and finally was used widespread. Glad this piece of history has been preserved. Apparently it is the last of 4 that was built.

You don't expect to find this historic gem in the middle of the city but glad we did. Nice short film to review the battle of Trenton in 1776 and its impact on our nation. Guided tour was informative about the history of the museum including when it was a barrack, a hospital, orphanage, Red Cross site, etc. The guides medical stories were interesting and entertaining. Learned a lot about the early pox vaccinations and where the term "blowing smoke up my butt" comes from. Thank you to the Daughters of the American Revolution who had this landmark preserved. Worth a visit. Unfortunately we couldn't enjoy the free sculpture exhibit outside as it was raining. Another plus was free parking.

This is a unique site in our history, the only remaining British barracks from pre-1776 years. Beautifully restored, great exhibits. Lots of special events for adults & kids. Best source in the area for book lovers of the era. The staff make a visit a great experience.