The Noyes Museum of Art of Stockton University is an art museum and the only fine arts museum in southern New Jersey. Founded through the philanthropic efforts of Fred W. Noyes Jr. and Ethel (Lingelbach) Noyes, the museum opened in 1983 at a purpose-built facility on Lily Lake in the Oceanville section of Galloway Township, New Jersey. In 2016, operations were moved to satellite locations across Atlantic County when the Oceanville building closed due to mounting infrastructure costs.
The museum became a division of Stockton University in 2016 after a partnership that began in 2010. It now operates primarily through the Noyes Arts Garage in Atlantic City, which opened in 2013, and the Noyes Galleries at Kramer Hall in Hammonton, along with additional exhibition spaces at several other venues across the county.
The Noyes collection comprises approximately 3,500 works of art and sculpture spanning the 19th through 21st centuries, with emphases on fine and folk art, including a notable collection of over 300 duck decoys.
History
Founding and construction
The museum was created largely through the efforts of Fred W. Noyes Jr. and his wife Ethel (Lingelbach) Noyes. Fred Noyes was an academically trained artist and avid art and antique collector who helped create and promote the "Historic Towne of Smithville" tourist attraction, and was the owner of the Smithville Inn restaurant.
The Noyes family established their charitable foundation in 1973 and began design of the museum in 1974, using funds from the sale of Historic Smithville. The site chosen was the former location of the Little Indian Day Camp; Fred Noyes purchased the property in April 1978 for $250,000. The museum was designed by Paul Cope of the firm Cope, Lippincott & Slifer and built along the downward slope toward Lily Lake. Noyes invested approximately $4 million into constructing and endowing the facility.
The museum opened in 1983 on Lily Lake Road in the Oceanville section of Galloway Township, directly adjacent to the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Ethel Noyes died in 1979 during construction, and Fred Noyes died in 1987, but the foundation they established continued to operate the museum.
Oceanville years (1983-2016) For over three decades, the museum served as a cultural center within Atlantic County, hosting exhibitions, concerts, classes, and community events. The building eventually developed significant infrastructure problems: its sloped construction made climate control across the multi-level galleries difficult, the electrical systems required upgrading, and the structure was not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Stockton University partnership and takeover In 2010, the museum signed a collaboration agreement with Stockton University under which the college would gain access to portions of the Noyes collection and expand programming, while Stockton committed $500,000 to renovate the Oceanville building and bring it into ADA compliance.
The university withdrew from the renovation in late 2015, and both parties concluded that further investment in the aging structure was not justified. The Oceanville building closed in January 2016, and the museum formally became a part of Stockton University, with operations shifting to the Arts Garage in Atlantic City, Kramer Hall in Hammonton, and the Seaview gallery in Galloway.
In December 2017, the Noyes Foundation donated its remaining assets to the university, including the Oceanville property, the permanent collection, and other holdings valued at $2.2 million, and then dissolved. The Oceanville property was subsequently sold to LifePoint Church in 2021.
Locations
Noyes Arts Garage, Atlantic City
The Noyes Arts Garage is the museum's largest and most prominent location. It opened in November 2013 at 2200 Fairmount Avenue in downtown Atlantic City, within the WAVE parking garage near the Boardwalk and Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall. The building was redeveloped by Atlantic City's Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA), which leases the space to the museum at no cost.
The facility houses two museums, eight artist studios, galleries, shops, a cafe, and a workshop space. The Noyes galleries occupy approximately of exhibition space with rotating shows, and the individual artist studios allow visitors to watch artists at work and purchase original artwork directly. The Arts Garage is open Wednesday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
+ Selected exhibitions at the Noyes Arts Garage Exhibition Dates Description Mother Nature vs. Human Nature: The Inequity of Climate Resilience (NJ Arts Annual) January-May 2023 Largest exhibition in museum history; 105 works by 103 New Jersey artists displayed across both the Arts Garage and Kramer Hall Ducktown: An Atlantic City Immigration Story (Janice Merendino) January-March 2024 Mixed-media works documenting the evolution of Atlantic City's Ducktown neighborhood through past and present immigrant stories Still Here: The Nanticoke Lenni-Lenape and Powhatan-Renape Nations of Southern New Jersey October 2024 - January 2025 Historical documents, traditional artifacts, and contemporary art celebrating two southern New Jersey tribal communities Drag is Not a Crime June-September 2024 Photography, fashion, and visual art celebrating drag culture and self-expression for Pride Month Academic Visions: Southern NJ University and College Art Professors Showcase January-May 2025 Works by 35 professors from five southern New Jersey colleges and universities, including Stockton, Rowan, and Rutgers Surf Skate AC August-November 2025 Contemporary art by local artists and Stockton alumni capturing Atlantic City's surfing and skateboarding cultures Immigration 1.0 Relief Prints on Fabric (Fay Stanford) August-November 2025 Relief prints on fabric exploring the relationship between the Lenape and European settlers in the Mid-Atlantic region Camp Boardwalk: Atlantic City during World War II January-March 2026 Exhibit on Atlantic City's role in World War II as a military training center, curated by Dr. Patricia Chappine Calina Hiriza & Sandra Kosinski December 2025 - March 2026 Abstract painting with resin and raku pottery
African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey The African American Heritage Museum of Southern New Jersey (AAHMSNJ) is a permanent anchor tenant within the Arts Garage, occupying dedicated gallery space since 2013. The museum was founded in 2002 by Ralph E. Hunter Sr., a retired retail professional and collector, originally in the Newtonville section of Buena Vista Township; that location remains open as well.
The AAHMSNJ collection includes over 33,000 pieces of memorabilia, paintings, ceramics, and advertising ephemera, all cataloged with assistance from Stockton University. Its permanent exhibit, "Stereotypes," presents historical marketing imagery depicting African Americans. The AAHMSNJ also operates a traveling museum that visits 50 to 100 schools annually across four states, reaching over 100,000 people per year. In 2025, the CRDA honored Hunter with its Spirit of Hospitality Award. The museum is open Wednesday through Sunday; admission is free.
+ Selected exhibitions at the AAHMSNJ (Atlantic City location) Exhibition Dates Description Stereotypes Permanent Historical advertising and branding memorabilia depicting African Americans; the museum's foundational exhibit Stealing Home: How Jackie Robinson Changed America May-August 2017 Exhibit exploring Jackie Robinson's career and impact, funded by the CRDA Back from Mother Africa February-June 2018 African paintings, prints, ceremonial masks, and carved objects from multiple donated collections Black Cowboys & Buffalo Soldiers February-April 2023 History of African Americans in the settlement of the American West The Art of the Quilt: Fiber & Clay (Gloria Gammage Davis) February-March 2024 Quilted art focusing on African American history and culture through textile artistry Miss Black America August-September 2024 Repurposed sculptures by Robert R. Jackson chronicling the founding of the Miss Black America pageant in Atlantic City in 1968
Noyes Galleries at Kramer Hall, Hammonton The Noyes Galleries at Kramer Hall, located at 30 Front Street in downtown Hammonton, is the museum's second primary location. Situated within Hammonton's designated Arts District, the galleries present seasonal exhibitions showcasing work by regional, national, and international artists, as well as Stockton University faculty and students. The museum first established a presence in Hammonton in 2008 with a satellite space on South 2nd Street. Kramer Hall also houses stored portions of the permanent collection. The galleries are open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
+ Selected exhibitions at Kramer Hall Exhibition Dates Description Our House is on Fire (Brodsky, Garfield, Tudor, Wachs) January-April 2024 Four-artist group exhibition on ecological concerns and climate resilience Drag is Not a Crime June-September 2024 Exhibition challenging societal norms and celebrating drag culture (in conjunction with Arts Garage) Chanelle René and Quinton Greene October 2024 Paintings by two local artists Decolonial Pilgrimage October 2025 - January 2026 International exhibition of American and Central European artists examining colonialism and sacred landscapes Noyes Artist Member Showcase July-September 2025 Annual juried exhibition of works by Noyes Museum artist members in various media What Does It Mean To Be An American (Daniel Robert Horne) January-May 2026 Portraits of explorers, thinkers, activists, and everyday people reflecting diverse American identity
Noyes Galleries at Seaview, Galloway The Noyes Gallery at the Seaview resort (a Dolce Hotel) in Galloway Township is a satellite gallery highlighting selections from the permanent collection and work by regional artists. It is free and open daily.
+ Selected exhibitions at the Seaview Gallery Exhibition Dates Description Ocean City Fine Arts League Spotlight March-July 2025 Showcase of works by members of the Ocean City Fine Arts League Pine Shores Art Association July-September 2025 Exhibition of works by Pine Shores Art Association members Seaview Plein Air Invitational October 2025 - February 2026 Juried exhibit of 43 artists who painted en plein air on the Seaview grounds, co-sponsored with the Absecon Cultural Arts Alliance
Additional exhibition sites In addition to its three gallery locations, the museum maintains rotating exhibitions of works from the Noyes permanent collection at several other venues:
+ Additional Noyes Museum exhibition sites Venue Location Exhibition type Shore Medical Center Somers Point Ongoing selections from the Noyes permanent collection Borough Hall Long Beach Island Ongoing selections from the Noyes permanent collection AtlantiCare Atlantic City Rotating exhibitions Stockton University campuses Galloway, Manahawkin, and Atlantic City Rotating exhibitions
Collection The Noyes permanent collection comprises approximately 3,500 works of art and sculpture spanning the 19th through 21st centuries, with particular emphasis on artists connected to southern New Jersey. A notable component is a set of over 300 duck decoys collected by Fred Noyes; after the Oceanville building closed, the decoys were relocated to Hammonton's Town Hall. The collection also includes paintings by Noyes himself and works by artists such as Floretta and Ira Mostovoy, who documented Atlantic City life.
Programs and outreach The museum hosts educational programs, workshops, and community events across its locations.
In 2024, the museum launched the "Access to Art" program in partnership with the Atlantic Center for Independent Living, hosting over 100 art workshops at 13 sites for individuals with disabilities and their caregivers. The program received $70,000 in funding through 2025.
Community involvement