Third Phase Restoration: Hidden parquet floors emerge at Hopewell Museum; reopening set for December 2026

After more than a century as the home of the Hopewell Museum, a nearly 150-year-old house in Hopewell, New Jersey, is undergoing a $1.5 million restoration designed to preserve its historic character while preparing it for the future. According to a report in the Hopewell Express, the museum is now in the third phase of its multiyear “Reimagination” project at 28 E. Broad St. The work is restoring original features, including historic floors, windows and plasterwork, while adding modern systems to better protect the museum’s collections. The museum is expected to reopen in December 2026. The house was built in 1877 as the residence of Randolph Stout. As documented by the Hopewell Valley History Project, it became the home of the combined Hopewell library and museum in 1924, beginning a relationship with the institution that has lasted more than a century. A February report by Community News also detailed the third phase of the project, including interior restoration and upgrades to the building’s museum systems.A museum hidden inside a historic homeThe three-story brownstone was built in the Second Empire style, recognizable by its Mansard roof and projecting front bays. Before bec...