State of NJ Pledges Support of Major $40 Expansion of Liberty Science Center

In a recent board meeting, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) has announced their approval of up to $39.8 million in support for Liberty Science Center’s Project Supernova. This ambitious expansion of the Science Center includes a river otter habitat, the world’s most amazing physics-based mini golf course, a goat playground, and more!

Through its new Cultural Arts Facilities Expansion (CAFE) program, NJEDA funding via tax credits will allow the Center to undergo a strategic expansion designed to increase visitor attendance and engagement in key demographics, improve accessibility and sensory inclusion, and showcase cutting-edge science. LSC, the largest cultural institution in New Jersey, is the first to receive the backing of the CAFE program.

This makeover will involve both indoor and outdoor renovations as well as new activations to provide even more fun for New Jersey families, tourists, and visitors from New York, including:

• A combined – and highly unique – Kids Corner, a playground for goats and human children. Visible from adjoining Phillip Street and taking advantage of the natural slope and pitch of the landscape, this play structure will feature parallel play areas for kids, both human and goat. A designated ground-level area will house a barn and allow trained staff to facilitate supervised interactions between the two groups, bringing an engaging educational component to the experience.
• River Otter Habitat. The Hudson River and its surrounding areas, including Jersey City, are home to river otters. The new North American River Otter habitat will enable the center to expand and enhance the story of the Hudson River told in the existing but soon-to-be reimaged River Rising exhibition. Designed as an outdoor experience, the building and habitat will work in tandem to create a seamless and engaging environment. The building will be strategically positioned along both the pool and dry land areas of the habitat, offering visitors unique views of the otters from inside, regardless of weather conditions.
• The best Physics Mini Golf Course in the world. From world-class theoretical and experimental physics out of Princeton University to the invention of the transistor at Bell Labs, New Jersey has a rich legacy in physics research and education, with roots in both academic institutions and industry. By bringing together artists and scientists on the design and build of a physics-based miniature golf course, LSC will bring this legacy to life. Each hole will demonstrate a core physics principle, making for a hands-on science learning experience unlike any other in the world.

Project Supernova will also replace the existing Our Hudson Home exhibition with a modern and highly engaging River Rising exhibition inside the building. The River Rising renovation will offer a fresh, immersive experience that deepens visitors' understanding of the Hudson River and the urgent challenges it faces due to climate change. The new gallery will surround visitors in the power of the Hudson River and our own power in shaping it. It embodies the awe-inspiring forces, from daily tides to climate change to human action, that come together here to make the estuary what it is and what it will be.

In a sub-zone on Global Climate Change, visitors will explore the ocean’s role in regulating climate and see how the effects make their way into the estuary. Passing into the Land Connection Zone, visitors gain new insight into the complex interplay between the Hudson and the land—whether marsh or city—that forms its borders. Finally, visitors will move to the River Connection Zone, where they celebrate the progress of environmental cleanup and follow the Hudson onwards as it connects them to the continent’s interior.

Also being refreshed through the CAFE program is the configuration of the Center’s building layout in order to better support temporary premium exhibitions during their time at Liberty Science Center. The gallery space reserved for these exhibitions is currently on the fourth floor, in a space that limits the scale and types of exhibits LSC is able to host. To address this, the traveling gallery will be relocated to a much larger, more flexible and prominent location on the first floor. This will allow LSC to host brand name blockbuster experiences that draw large crowds, such as The Van Gogh Expo and The Harry Potter Experience

Other spaces that will be renovated, refurbished, and re-imagined include the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium, the largest planetarium in the Western Hemisphere; the giant “Science on a Sphere” projection globe that’s in the Weston Family Lab for Earth and Space Exploration; new outdoor spaces to enable LSC to offer all-weather activities and programming beyond the current and ever-popular Jack Horner Dino Dig Adventure; the design and build of a 9/11 Memorial Garden featuring two original World Trade Center beams relocated from the original Skyscraper! Exhibition, which were donated to the Center by The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; and the expansion of the Wild About Animals habitat, which is home to more than 100 species of animals and one of the Center’s most popular exhibitions.

With today’s commitment by the New Jersey Economic Authority, LSC will start the construction of Project Supernova in the first quarter of 2026.

Governor Phil Murphy explained the importance of the CAFE program to the state, noting that, “New Jersey is home to a thriving arts and culture sector that strengthens our state’s economy and highlights our incredible diversity and talent. The expansion of vibrant cultural institutions like the Liberty Science Center and the Mayo Performing Arts Center will serve as an economic catalyst for communities across the state, increasing quality of life for New Jerseyans and expanding economic opportunities for arts and culture organizations.”

Paul Hoffman, LSC’s President and CEO, expressed his profound gratitude to the Governor and Economic Development Authority for its long-standing commitment to the Center and its conviction that New Jersey should be home to the most engaging science learning center in the country for instilling and fostering a lifelong love of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math.

“This project is a vibrant fusion of science, ecology, and culture,” Hoffman said. “It’s presented through new immersive environments that are interactive and educational, and upgrades to existing iconic experiences that LSC is famous for. The project celebrates the intersection of science and culture, honoring New Jersey’s famous scientific legacy and natural ecosystems. And true to the DNA of Liberty Science Center, the project is bold, forward-looking, and inclusive, and it transforms the Center into an all-weather campus where learning is fun, hands-on, and accessible to all. Many thanks to Governor Murphy and the EDA for embracing this game-changing expansion.”

Echoing these sentiments, NJEDA Chief Executive Officer Tim Sullivan said, “Under Governor Murphy’s leadership, New Jersey has supported the creativity and talent of the state’s residents through meaningful investments in the arts and culture sector. Today’s approvals under the NJEDA’s CAFE Program are a significant milestone in our continued efforts to strengthen arts and culture institutions throughout the state, helping create jobs and strengthen our economic future.”