The Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music celebrated its ribbon cutting last week with Bruce Springsteen, Governor Mikie Sherrill, Poet Laureate Ms. Joy Harjo, Monmouth University President and Center Chair Dr. Patrick Leahy, Center Founding Executive Director Mr. Bob Santelli; Center Vice-Chair Mr. Jon Landau, Monmouth University Board of Trustees Chair Mr. Chris Maher, and more.
And THEN we opened our doors to the public today! There’s been widespread news coverage, so you don’t really need me to recap the happenings for you…
What I do want to do, right here on opening day, is spotlight just a few of the remarkable artifacts that have come to us from local partners. While the Center tells a national story, it is also deeply rooted in New Jersey. We are fortunate to collaborate with organizations across the state that preserve, interpret, and share the many histories that make our region unique.
Among those partners is the National Guard Militia Museum of New Jersey. Located in Sea Girt, the museum preserves and interprets the history of New Jersey’s citizen soldiers, from the colonial era through the present day. Its collections illuminate the experiences of generations of New Jerseyans who served in the military and helped shape our state’s history. Visitors can learn more at njmilitiamuseum.gov. The museum generously donated and loaned several artifacts, to include a World War II portable chaplain’s field organ, that help us explore the relationship between music and military service, reminding us that songs have accompanied Americans through both wartime and peacetime experiences.
We’re also grateful to Albert Music Hall and the Pinelands Cultural & Historical Preservation Society. For more than fifty years, this all-volunteer organization has worked to preserve the music, traditions, and folklore of New Jersey’s Pine Barrens. Albert Music Hall in Waretown remains one of the state’s most beloved venues for bluegrass, country, folk, Americana, and old-time music, carrying forward traditions that might otherwise be lost. Learn more at alberthall.org. Artifacts from this partnership include a washtub bass, guitar, banjo, violin, and wooden spoons, and help us tell the story of everyday musicians, community music-making, and the enduring cultural heritage of the Pinelands.
Finally, we’re proud to feature a number of artifacts courtesy of the Sand Hill Indian Historical Association, to include a turkey feather fan, used in ceremonial dances and gatherings; knee wraps, made from deer knuckles and worn during ceremonial dances to create rhythmic percussive sounds; ceremonial regalia worn by members of the Sand Hill Indians during powwows and ceremonial gatherings; and a gourd rattle shaken during dancing ceremonies…
Based in Monmouth County, the Sand Hill Indian Historical Association is dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of the Sand Hill Indians and the broader Indigenous heritage of New Jersey. Through research, genealogy, education, and advocacy, the organization helps ensure that stories too often overlooked remain visible and accessible to future generations. Their work can be explored at sandhillindianhistory.org. Their contributions to the Center help us present a richer and more complete understanding of American music and culture, one that acknowledges the deep Indigenous roots of this land and the communities that continue to shape it today.
As visitors explore our galleries, they’ll encounter artifacts associated with internationally renowned artists and major moments in American music history—more on that in future blogs! But they’ll also find stories preserved by dedicated local museums, historical societies, and community organizations. Those stories matter just as much.
Today is opening day, but it is also the beginning of new partnerships, new discoveries, and new opportunities to connect the music we love to the people and communities who made it possible. We are deeply grateful to these organizations—and to all of our lenders and partners—for helping bring the Center to life!
Book your tickets today to learn more about these amazing treasures: https://springsteencenter.org.
Melissa Kozlowski
Director of Curatorial Affairs
Bruce Springsteen Center for American Music
Monmouth University
June 13, 2026