The main goals Montclair Historical Society strives to achieve are preservation and education. The institution is dedicated preserving its four historic buildings, grounds and collections. By preserving these historical assets, visitors are afforded the opportunity to interpret the Montclair area history, utilizing the four houses, that span three centuries in age, as tangible examples.

The Museum complex, the largest in New Jersey, weaves together 80 galleries of art and science, a mini zoo, planetarium, gift shops, cafe, auditorium, sculpture garden, schoolhouse and the Ballantine House, the restored 1885 mansion that is a National Historic Landmark.

The New Jersey Historical Society is a state-wide, private, non profit historical museum, library, and archives dedicated to collecting, preserving, and interpreting the rich and intricate political, social, cultural and economic history of New Jersey to the broadest possible audiences. Founded in 1845, it is the oldest cultural institution in the state. Through exhibitions, publications, and programming, it examine what it means to live and work in New Jersey, what contributes to New Jersey's distinct identity, and the unique contributions New Jerseyans make to the region and the country.