A rendering of the Grammy Museum Experience Prudential Center — Courtesy: Grammy Museum
By Joshua Burd
An 8,000-square-foot Grammy museum is coming to the Prudential Center, creating a new cultural destination for the Newark arena as it continues to grow its offerings in the city.
Under a new partnership unveiled Tuesday, arena executives and the operators of the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles announced the new exhibit at the nearly 10-year-old venue. Slated to open this fall, the Grammy Museum Experience Prudential Center is the first official East Coast extension of the nonprofit organization and is expected to pay tribute to New Jersey’s homegrown entertainers.
“As a New Jersey native who’s grown up with artists like Frank Sinatra and Bruce Springsteen, both of whom put this state on the map, I am thrilled to partner with the Prudential Center to bring the Grammy Museum Experience to Newark,” said Grammy Museum Executive Director Bob Santelli, who was on hand for a news conference Tuesday. “This is where my love for music started, and this is also where my career started, so I’m most looking forward to the opportunities this will afford the young people and students of New Jersey.”
The museum operator said Newark, a once-proud jazz capital, is “an ideal location” for the new exhibit because of its rich cultural history. The new space will house interactive features, tributes to local music icons and a robust education platform accessible for schools throughout the region.
The offerings will also include a New Jersey Grammy Legends exhibit for state that has been home to music legends such as Frank Sinatra, Bruce Springsteen and Whitney Houston.
“We are excited to welcome the Grammy Museum Experience to Newark and the Garden State,” said Josh Harris, co-managing owner of the Prudential Center, New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia 76ers. “The Grammy Museum captures the passion, spirit and history of the most iconic names in music, and we’re thrilled to be able to bring a platform to the Prudential Center that is fun, educational and inspiring.”
The announcement comes three weeks after Prudential Center executives joined developers and city officials to promote Mulberry Commons, a sweeping, $100 million mixed-use plan redevelop the surface lots around the Prudential Center. The arena has taken a more visible role in the plan since it was announced last year by Edison Properties and J&L Parking Corp., which plan to create a central park area and development that connects Newark Penn Station to the city’s downtown and Ironbound neighborhoods.
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The Grammy Museum Experience Prudential Center is being developed largely for educational purposes, according to a news release. It will “provide support for supplemental music development in the area (and) … serve as a turn-key arts and education center” for schools throughout the region, while raising funds to support existing arts and culture programs and serving youth organization throughout the area.
“Having the GRAMMY Museum Experience in Newark opens the doors to fans of all ages to celebrate and re-live some of the greatest moments in music history,” said David Blitzer, co-managing owner of the Prudential Center, New Jersey Devils and the Philadelphia 76ers. “In addition to being an essential destination for music fans from across the world, the Experience will honor New Jersey’s legendary performers, as well as serve as an interactive classroom for students to truly experience the power of music.”
