301 Route 22 East
Green Brook, NJ 08812
732-968-7600
Featured Arts & Entertainment Destinations
Somerset County's arts scene includes historic theatres, community orchestras and choruses, galleries, museums, creative education programs, photography, children's exhibits, planetarium programs, and performance venues connected to colleges, local arts groups, and downtown cultural districts.
The Brook Arts CenterHistoric Bound Brook venue dating back to 1927, offering live performances, silent movies, educational events, and community arts programming.
Central Jersey Symphony OrchestraCommunity orchestra performing at the Nash Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg.
Farmstead Arts CenterBasking Ridge arts center at the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead, combining history, education, and community arts.
The Center for Contemporary ArtRegional art center in Bedminster with studio art education, exhibitions, and community outreach.
Planetarium at RVCCNorth Branch planetarium destination with laser concerts, star shows, field trips, and science education programs.
USGA MuseumFar Hills museum offering a look at golf history and American sports culture.
Somerset County Arts Snapshot
This refreshed guide keeps the original Somerset County Arts & Entertainment directory and organizes it into easier-to-scan sections for visitors, residents, families, schools, and local arts supporters.
Performing Arts
The county includes theatres, orchestras, bands, choral groups, children's chorus programs, community theatre, and RVCC performance spaces.
Museums & Exhibits
Museum and exhibit destinations include photography, children's learning, golf history, art galleries, and planetarium programming.
Creative Education
Raritan Valley Community College, Farmstead Arts Center, The Center for Contemporary Art, Arts Access, and other programs support arts learning across the county.
Local Arts Groups
Somerset County is represented by community music groups, photography clubs, cultural commissions, arts centers, and neighborhood venues.
NJTGO county page note: The old page listed Dance separately from Arts & Music. This refreshed version keeps both sections and preserves the original directory entries in a cleaner county-page layout.
Dance
301 Route 22 East
Green Brook, NJ 08812
732-968-7600
Arts & Music Directory
Use this directory to find Somerset County arts centers, music organizations, museums, galleries, performance venues, photography groups, educational programs, theatre groups, and cultural attractions.
10 Hamilton Street
Bound Brook, NJ 08805
732-469-7700
Brook Arts Center, one of only eight surviving vaudeville houses and dating back to 1927, offers live performances and silent movies, hosts educational and fundraising events, and serves as an arts incubator.
190 Lord Stirling Road
Somerset County Environmental Education Center
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
908-766-2489
Nash Theatre, Raritan Valley Community College
118 Lamington Rd
Branchburg, NJ 08876
908-421-0462
The Central Jersey Symphony is a community orchestra of 60 players, made up of amateur and professional musicians from all walks of life. The CJSO musicians are a fair representation of the community. The mission of the Central Jersey Symphony is to enrich the community by inspiring a love of music through exciting performances, innovative programming, and educational outreach. Performing at the Nash Theatre at Raritan Valley Community College, the CJSO accomplishes this mission by:
*Presenting the rich repertoire of orchestral classical music, including contemporary works and works of lesser-known composers.
*Enhancing audience appreciation of orchestral music through interaction with musicians and composers.
*Creating performance opportunities for New Jersey artists, both amateur and professional.
450 King George Road
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
347-927-8748
Located at the Kennedy-Martin-Stelle Farmstead, Farmstead Arts Center is a non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve, develop and operate the Farmstead as an historical site, an educational resource and as a venue for community arts and culture.
614 Greenbrook Road
North Plainfield, NJ 07063
908-756-7810
The Museum is housed in the Vermeule Community Center, an early 19th century mansion, located on a beautiful eight-acre Green Acres tract on Greenbrook Road, at the corner of Clinton Avenue in North Plainfield. The museum contains over 800 cameras, illustrating the 150 year evolution of camera design, and examples of many of the photographic processes which evolved during that period. The MISSION of the museum is to preserve and display these artifacts and to use them to stimulate interest in the art and science of photography.
P.O. Box 339/Main Street
Peapack, NJ 07977
908-234-0011 x1440
The Arts Access Program offers facilitated experiences in drama, music, painting, sculpture, dance and writing to individuals with severe disabilities.
P.O. Box 5244
Basking Ridge, NJ 07920
973-216-4911
Notables is a group of about 20 women who sing and perform "America's Favorite Music" in sounds in Broadway, jazz and pop. Notables is led by a professional musical director and accompanied by a pianist and instrumentalist (clarinet and bass). The group performs primarily in Somerset and Morris Counties and central New Jersey for a wide variety of audiences at a venues such as libraries and senior residences, and is available for bookings for private groups.
440 River Road
Branchburg, NJ 08876
908-725-2110
More than thirty five years ago, the Printmaking Council was formed to support the fine art of printmaking statewide. The Printmaking Council offers many ongoing activities and programs. The Roving Press reaches thousands of students each year, by providing on-site arts education to schools and organizations throughout the state. Subjects include photography, printmaking, papermaking and book arts, and are available for children and adults.
Professional artists and novices alike enroll in classes and workshops. In addition to classes, Printmaking Council members can rent time in the professional studios for a fee. The Printmaking Council of New Jersey also houses a gallery which hosts seven exhibitions each year both in-house and at other venues. All exhibitions are free and open to the public.
P.O. Box 6044
Hillsborough, NJ 08844-6044
908-781-6351
The Raritan Valley Choral Society, founded in 1990 in Hillsborough, New Jersey, is a chorus of varying ages, backgrounds and careers. The chorus is open to all residents of the region and offers a wide range of musical experiences. The Riverside Singers, an auditioned unit within the chorus, performs for special events requiring a smaller chorus, Christmas caroling in Hillsborough and Montgomery annually.
Branchburg Campus
118 Lamington Road
Branchburg, NJ 08876
908-526-1200
The RVCC Art Gallery hosts monthly exhibits of faculty, student and guest artists September through May, in addition to a holiday show and sale. All shows are free and open to the public; check the website for dates and times.
P.O. Box 6064
Hillsborough, NJ 08844
908-359-3136
Three formal concerts are held yearly and one or more informal outdoor "Pops" concerts are held in the summer. All concerts are free and usually held at the Hillsborough High School auditorium. The band sponsors clinics and other musical events that are open to the public. Concerts are provided also for civic, patriotic and other events by smaller ensembles within the Band.
88 Claremont Road
Bernardsville, NJ 07924
908-766-0602 ext. 29
The Somerset Hills Children's Chorus is a choral program for children in grades 3 through 10, divided into three ensembles: an Advanced Chorus for grades 6-10, a Preparatory Chorus for grades 4-6 and Musicianship Class for 3rd graders. In addition to public concerts in December and the spring, the Chorus performs throughout the year for various community and corporate functions. It participates in educational music activities, such as children’s choral festivals, music conventions and collaborations with other professional music ensembles. The Advanced Chorus also takes part in domestic and international tours.
20 Grove Street
Somerset County Administration Building
Somerville, NJ 08876
908-231-7110
C/O David McRitchie
410 West Maple Avenue
BoundBrook, NJ 08805
732-469-8481
Vogt Avenue
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
908-526-8900
A 600-seat theatre in Bridgewater offering theater, concerts, and dance performances, this venue produces the "Jazz in Bridgewater" Concert Series and Jazz Weekend, as well as hosting concert performances by the Central Jersey Symphony Orchestra.
1124 Route 202 South, Suite B-11
The Centre at Raritan
Raritan, NJ
908-725-4938
Three major concerts are performed each year, which feature soloists and direct musical conversation between the conductor and the audience.
689 Amwell Road
Rte. 514
Neshanic, NJ 08844-3317
908-369-7469
This community theatre provides quality entertainment to the public as well as arts education to young people. Year-round entertainment, children's programs and free senior citizens evenings are offered. Open auditions are held frequently.
2020 Burnt Mill Road
Bedminster, NJ 07921
908-234-2345
The Center for Contemporary Art (formerly known as the Somerset Art Association) is a vital regional art center with a comprehensive studio art school, professional exhibition program and important community outreach component.
The PeopleCare Center, 120 Finderne Avenue
Bridgewater, NJ 08807
908-725-4677
Through educational exhibits and programs, the Children's Museum of Somerset, NJ hopes to inspire every child's natural curiosity and creativity, and to nurture a love of learning. The museum also showcases the talents of young adults in the county.
Route 28 & Lamington Road
North Branch, NJ
(908) 725-3420
Route 28 and Lamington Road
North Branch, NJ 08876
908-231-8805
Discover a world of wonder and exclitement when you journey into the planetarium, where you will find laser concerts and star shows. The planetarium also hosts field trips, as well as the Science Education Institute.
77 Liberty Corner Road
Far Hills, NJ 07931
908-234-2300
A visit to the Museum is certain to provide an experience that is fun and educational for everyone – even for visitors who may never have held a golf club in their hands before. Whether you are an avid golfer, a scholar of the game’s history, a casual sports fan, or simply someone interested in the history of American culture, the USGA Museum aims to provide an experience that is truly unique and memorable.
Clinton Avenue and Vermeule Place
North Plainfield, NJ 07063
908-754-1408
The Vermeule Art Center offers member classes in watercolor and other types of painting, needlecraft and quilting, as well as hosting field trips and demonstrations.
475 DeMott Lane
Somerset, NJ 08873
732-873-2710
Year-round presentations, offering seven main stage productions, four Black Box productions, four KidsVill productions, one TeensVill production, Summer Theatre Arts Program, and numerous special events.
18 Stirling Road, at the Watchung Circle
Watchung, NJ 07069
908-753-0190
Related Somerset County Guides
Continue exploring Somerset County with NJTGO county pages and nearby town guides.
Somerset County Main PageReturn to the main county guide for towns, parks, education, government, recreation, and visitor resources.
Historic PlacesExplore Somerset County historic sites, landmarks, and heritage destinations.
TransportationFind bus, rail, airport, and regional travel resources for Somerset County.
BridgewaterVisit the Bridgewater town guide for local resources and destinations.
BernardsvilleExplore Bernardsville and the Somerset Hills area.
WatchungExplore Watchung and nearby arts and recreation resources.
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