Press Release
PERTH AMBOY – The Surveyor General’s Office Museum presents “Immigrant Narratives & Community Wayfinding,” an exhibition about the binding power that cultural diversity can have on a community. By posing the question, “Who is Perth Amboy?” the exhibition sets out to highlight the importance of defining an identity through the narratives and experiences of a city with expanding pluralism.

The group exhibition features works from Perth Amboy High School graduates, Chris Ramirez and Solanyi Pena and invites viewers to reflect on and explore questions about inclusiveness, the importance of representation, solidarity, and the value of our individual narratives. What does being a Perth Amboy resident mean to you? What makes Perth Amboy your home?

The City of Perth Amboy’s cultural fabric can be traced back centuries to its Native American roots, through it’s subsequent colonization, to the present day make up of the city’s population. With less than a 1 % reporting Native American population recorded in recent times, traces of a Perth Amboy once firmly defined by its indigenous roots are faint. Generation after generation, the city has seen a shifting demographic and with it a growing need to embrace the histories, traditions, and voices of its residents.

Today, over 75% of the population identifies of Latino or Hispanic origin, among the highest percentages of New Jersey’s municipalities. This narrative, however, is one of growth, with a persisting population increase in the Hispanic/Latino, African American and Asian communities.

The Surveyor General’s Office Museum is located at 260 High St., Perth Amboy, NJ 08861.The museum is open to the public Wednesday-Friday from 10 am to 4 pm. If you would like to schedule a visit or for more information, please contact us at history@perthamboynj.org