The Doo Wop Preservation League Museum
The Doo Wop Preservation League Museum
The Doo Wop Preservation League Museum
4.5
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League and tours dedicated to preserving the twenty-five, or so, vintage ninteen-fifties hotels and motels in Wildwood.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
102 reviews
Excellent
57
Very good
31
Average
3
Poor
5
Terrible
6
Justin W
Hasbrouck Heights, NJ3,020 contributions
Sep 2021
The Doo Wop Museum shows the change in the resort of Wildwood, NJ from a more Victorian resort to the Neon palaces of motels that lined the shore.
WWII brought all this leftover neon to be used in signs and displays at all the local motels and one by one as they have been torn down, their artifacts have been displayed here to show the changing of the times down the shore.
It is a small museum but packed with information and many interesting displays.
The couple that work here are really nice and they created a entertaining video on the history of the museum.
WWII brought all this leftover neon to be used in signs and displays at all the local motels and one by one as they have been torn down, their artifacts have been displayed here to show the changing of the times down the shore.
It is a small museum but packed with information and many interesting displays.
The couple that work here are really nice and they created a entertaining video on the history of the museum.
Written September 23, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Camper12661
Cape May, NJ1 contribution
Wildwood has been one of the most popular beach and boardwalk destinations on the east coast for a century. The resort is preserving its character in the Doo Wop Museum which celebrates the beautifully preserved and restored mid-century architecture and culture loved by generations of American's. Like its sister community, Cape May, The Wildwoods are a state recognized historic district.
Don't miss the photos of the more than 120 midcentury hotels, motels and commercial buildings--the largest collection in the United States according to the University of PA. Also, entire restored rooms from mid-century America and historic photos of the Wildwoods exciting past and present. A fun way to spend a morning or afternoon while on vacation on the Jersey Cape.
We lived just a few miles away but did nto know the Doo Wop Museum existed until a couple years ago. We loved it.
Carolyn
Don't miss the photos of the more than 120 midcentury hotels, motels and commercial buildings--the largest collection in the United States according to the University of PA. Also, entire restored rooms from mid-century America and historic photos of the Wildwoods exciting past and present. A fun way to spend a morning or afternoon while on vacation on the Jersey Cape.
We lived just a few miles away but did nto know the Doo Wop Museum existed until a couple years ago. We loved it.
Carolyn
Written March 23, 2004
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
ROCKANROLL
Ventnor City, NJ1 contribution
Oct 2010
I went on the DOO-WOP bus tour during the 60's weekend this past Oct.
We were pleasantly surprised when on board the bus there was a guy whose name
I think was Billy O.Apparently, he was an addition to the tour,and apparently he had been a member of a 60's Rock Band. His knowledge of DOO-WOP was really cool,
and he explained how DOO-WOP came to be,and also he explained how the song Rock Around The Clock became the Anthem for Rock And Roll. It was the highlight of the tour !!
We were pleasantly surprised when on board the bus there was a guy whose name
I think was Billy O.Apparently, he was an addition to the tour,and apparently he had been a member of a 60's Rock Band. His knowledge of DOO-WOP was really cool,
and he explained how DOO-WOP came to be,and also he explained how the song Rock Around The Clock became the Anthem for Rock And Roll. It was the highlight of the tour !!
Written January 25, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Derrick I
12 contributions
Jun 2015 • Friends
people really need to know Wildwood's history wow can we get those old day's back like the old rides such as Dracula's castle, the hell hole and Alfred Hitchcock's manor, keystone cops,the Golden Nugget& hunts pier...flyer roller coaster...that's the Wildwood I know...
Written July 2, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
stgseupenn
Richboro, Pennsylvania13 contributions
May 2018 • Friends
definitely worth a visit.... the smaller version of the Vietnam Wall Memorial, the memoribilia of the Do Wop era, and really nice people make it a must do.
Written August 2, 2018
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
develbow
Hamilton Square, NJ195 contributions
Apr 2014 • Couples
The Doo Wop Preservation League Museum is housed with a snack shop in a beautiful historic 50's diner. It's a small display space, but there is enough room to store some of the more fantastic neon signs rescued from now-gone Doo Wop-era businesses in Wildwood, and provide a feel for the music, design, and culture of the era when Wildwood was truly wild. I loved finding out more about the nightclubs and bands from the time when this town was the Vegas of the East Coast. I only wish this museum could be bigger! What a service to society!
Written April 28, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
classicdj
Florida520 contributions
Jul 2013 • Family
We stopped in just before closing and the hostess there was very knowledgable about all the different items on display. VERY cool retro signs from yesteryear, and most of them are working. I found out the museum is open most weekdays by 5pm and all day on weekends. It is a non-profit, so your mileage my vary. BIG ISSUE: The actual address is 4500 Ocean Avenue, directly across from the convention center, NOT 3201 Pacific Avenue. You'll see all the neon signs in front of the octogonal building. No fee to go in, just donations.
Written July 11, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
sdzebs
Charlotte, NC60 contributions
Jul 2012 • Family
While vacationing in Wildwood recently, we visited the Doo Wop Museum for the first time. The museum itself is interesting, with many displays that brought back memories. Our main reason for visiting was to take the Doo Wop Bus Tour, which is offered Thursday and Saturday evenings, from 8-9:30 PM.
It is quite difficult to find information about the museum and bus tour. Website links seem to take you to expired pages, the phone went to a recording from the Hotel and Motel Association and did not even mention the museum and search results don't provide much information. Earlier in the week we stopped at the museum trying to get information, and it was closed. There was a small sign in the window which mentioned the tour and gave a private number to call for information. The Doo Wop Preservation League is a worthy cause, but I feel they do a poor job of getting the word out!
There is no free parking at the museum. Your choices are to park in a lot for about $5 (or more depending on the time of day) or at a meter (10 minutes for a quarter). The museum itself is free, but the bus tour costs $12 per adult and they DO NOT take credit cards. Since there is so little information available about the attraction in advance, there is no way to know this and luckily we had enough cash for three tickets.
There are no public bathrooms at the museum. The closest are in the Boardwalk Convention Center, which is across the street. Again, it would have been nice to know this in advance!
You are advised to arrive around 7:20 to purchase tickets before the presentation begins around 7:30. The bus tour departs at 8:00. We did as told, only to sit around and wait for the presentation that began at 7:55. Considering we had parked at a meter, we could have saved a bit of money by arriving later.
The tour itself takes place in an air-conditioned school bus, and is narrated by various Preservation League members. Our tour leader was funny and informative throughout our driving tour of hotels and attractions that featured classic Doo Wop era architecture and neon signs. We traveled through Wildwood, the Crest and North Wildwood, before returning to the museum.
The museum was closed when we returned, so we were glad we had looked around inside before hand.
The museum is worth seeing, and the Doo Wop Bus Tour is a great feature.
It is quite difficult to find information about the museum and bus tour. Website links seem to take you to expired pages, the phone went to a recording from the Hotel and Motel Association and did not even mention the museum and search results don't provide much information. Earlier in the week we stopped at the museum trying to get information, and it was closed. There was a small sign in the window which mentioned the tour and gave a private number to call for information. The Doo Wop Preservation League is a worthy cause, but I feel they do a poor job of getting the word out!
There is no free parking at the museum. Your choices are to park in a lot for about $5 (or more depending on the time of day) or at a meter (10 minutes for a quarter). The museum itself is free, but the bus tour costs $12 per adult and they DO NOT take credit cards. Since there is so little information available about the attraction in advance, there is no way to know this and luckily we had enough cash for three tickets.
There are no public bathrooms at the museum. The closest are in the Boardwalk Convention Center, which is across the street. Again, it would have been nice to know this in advance!
You are advised to arrive around 7:20 to purchase tickets before the presentation begins around 7:30. The bus tour departs at 8:00. We did as told, only to sit around and wait for the presentation that began at 7:55. Considering we had parked at a meter, we could have saved a bit of money by arriving later.
The tour itself takes place in an air-conditioned school bus, and is narrated by various Preservation League members. Our tour leader was funny and informative throughout our driving tour of hotels and attractions that featured classic Doo Wop era architecture and neon signs. We traveled through Wildwood, the Crest and North Wildwood, before returning to the museum.
The museum was closed when we returned, so we were glad we had looked around inside before hand.
The museum is worth seeing, and the Doo Wop Bus Tour is a great feature.
Written July 29, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Wildw00d
Montgomery, New York7 contributions
Aug 2013 • Couples
We visited The Doo Wop Museum during the summer. I was amazed. I have been lucky enough to have Wildwood as part of my life for over 20 years. Seeing the pictures and pieces of history, preserved brought back so many happy memories for my grown children and myself. Take the time to visit it. If you are a "newbie" to wildwood and it's history. It will help you understand the beauty and wonder of Wildwood.
Written January 8, 2014
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Carolyn R
Wilmington, DE258 contributions
Aug 2013 • Friends
The Philadelphia Inquirer had an article about the Doo Wop tour given by the Preservation League in Wildwood N.J. and I was going to be in Ocean City, less than 1/2 hr. away, so I said to my friend, "Why not!" I called and found out that the tour was at 8 pm on Tuesday night, so we drove down and met at the Doo Wop Museum. It was a bus tour on a school bus (wish they had one of those trolleys or a regular bus where you could see out the windows better and see the tall buildings and their neon signs on top) and appropriate music was played as many on the bus sang along as Charlie, our knowledgeable guide told us about the buildings and their history as we drove around. We would have never found all this without the tour. Highly recommended for those who want to remember the great neon signs and flashy architecture. There is no bathroom in the museum and we were told to go to the Wildwood Convention Center across the street which was about to close at 8 pm and the facilities were at the end of a long pier and it was more like a beach changing area with sand all over.
Written September 6, 2013
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Reginald T
Richmond, VA59 contributions
Is this attraction still open? If so, what are the hours? Most information I find on this place is pretty dated...
Yoritomo
Sleepy Hollow, NY392 contributions
The sign on the front door on 7/23/20 says:
Closed Monday.
Tues / Wed / Thurs = 5-9pm.
Fri / Sat / Sun = 7-10am and 6-10pm.
The Doo Wop Preservation League Museum (Wildwood) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go
Frequently Asked Questions about The Doo Wop Preservation League Museum
- Hotels near The Doo Wop Preservation League Museum:
- (0.01 mi) Affordable one bedroom apartment (13) sleeps 4
- (0.02 mi) ArmaniManorRustic2UnitsJust2.5BlocksToBoards420Friendly22Prom/SeniorWksUnder25ok
- (0.09 mi) Marlane Motel
- (0.07 mi) Days Inn & Suites by Wyndham Wildwood
- (0.12 mi) Monaco Motel
- Restaurants near The Doo Wop Preservation League Museum:
- (0.09 mi) Bagel Time Cafe
- (0.08 mi) Angelo's Pizza
- (0.10 mi) Midtown Diner
- (0.06 mi) Aloha
- (0.21 mi) Key West Cafe