fritz behnke historical museum

A small museum packed full of interesting memorabilia. An amazing number of pictures and information about Paramus and Bergen County over the past 100 or so years. Also, lots of household items and miscellaneous "stuff" that will bring back memories to anyone over the age of 70. Or teach anyone younger than that what life was like in another era . My husband and I were lucky enough to wander in on a Sunday afternoon, and were almost the only ones there. A volunteer docent spent the entire time explaining everything to us, or leaving us alone to wander when that's what we felt like doing. Again, an absolute treasure of a museum.

Right up front, let me admit that I mainly went to this museum as a paid demonstrator for the museum's 10th anniversary, however; my visit to the interior of the museum was not related, and after the completion of my demonstration. I believe my views on the museum are unbiased as they owe me nothing and I owe them nothing.Most local museums I have visited in my life have been well-meaning efforts by non-professionals to slap together a few artifacts of variable pertinence, value or relationship to the focus of the museum. Docents are often under-trained. I say this as a historian who feels that museums need to be comprehensive, welcoming and entertaining - only then can they fulfill their educational purpose. The Behnke Museum has a number of interesting, pertinent and well planned collections in a well-planned if somewhat small layout. The staff of volunteer docents here are well-motivated and well-informed volunteers who do an excellent job, especially in engaging children, and being helpful to all visitors. All the other visitors I saw seemed to be similarly impressed.I didn't have as much time as I would have liked for a complete tour of the museum, and I look forward to visiting at another time. I recommend this for anyone looking for a worthwhile stop on a Sunday afternoon.