Glassboro: Art, History and Nature

Glassboro brings together public art, places commemorating its glassmaking history, and nature-based recreation. Three distinct areas of focus can help you plan your stay: works in Town Square and along Rowan Boulevard, history related to glass and Hollybush, and time outdoors. This lets you shape your visit around the topic that interests you most, rather than treating the different offerings as a single destination.

Sculptures and Murals

In Glassboro Town Square and along Rowan Boulevard, you can experience immersive, lifelike sculptures by Seward Johnson. The works make public spaces part of the art experience and are a good focus if you want to get to know Glassboro through sculpture. Individual installations may change; check which works are currently on view before your visit.

The murals also offer a range of perspectives. The Glassboro Legacy Mural is on the exterior wall of the restroom pavilion in the Southside area of Glassboro Town Square. Another mosaic mural project was created in June 2017 on the façade of the Glassboro Center at 110 East High Street. Creative Glassboro, the Mosaic Family Success Center, and Rowan University College of Communication and Creative Arts worked together on the project, led by Isaiah Zagar. In 2018, the mural “Glassboro: Vibrant Future,” created on site by William Butler, was added. Their dates and creators make comparison possible: one is a community mosaic project, while the other is Butler’s later work.

Glass History and Hollybush

The Heritage Glass Museum is a destination in its own right for exploring glass history: it is located on the site of the former Whitney Brothers Glassworks, dating to around 1838. The museum is therefore directly connected to a former glassworks and offers a different historical focus from Hollybush. Admission is free; check this policy again before your trip.

Hollybush offers a different historical perspective. It houses historical artifacts from the summit meeting and also serves as a venue for special university events. Johnson and Kosygin met at Hollybush for talks that lasted almost ten hours. Unlike the Heritage Glass Museum, the focus here is on the summit meeting and its duration, while the artifacts add context about the place.

RUMOCA: Two Glassboro Addresses

RUMOCA has a gallery at 301 High Street West in downtown Glassboro, as well as a location in Westby Hall, First Floor, Room 110, at 237 Mullica Hill Road. These are two different RUMOCA addresses. If you plan to visit one of these locations, choose the address that matches your intended destination.

Nature and Activity

There are also two different ways to spend time outdoors. The Glassboro State Wildlife Management Area is in the eastern part of the Borough of Glassboro and offers wildlife-related recreational opportunities. South Delsea Drive Park has walking trails and a fitness station. Their focuses are distinct: wildlife is the emphasis at the management area, while the park centers on its walking trails and fitness station. If you plan to spend time outdoors, you can use these differences to decide which option suits your interests.

Discover more destinations: Deptford, Mantua Township, Woodbury, Newfield, Gibbstown, West Deptford, Monroe Township, Swedesboro.

For the broader travel overview: Gloucester County.