Sand museum captures history of Jersey Shore

SEASIDE PARK, N.J. (WPVI) -- A very special museum is set to open in Seaside Park, New Jersey. It documents the history of the boardwalk and every single exhibit is made of sand.

It's called "Boardwalk Journey" - 600 tons of sand under a tent in Seaside Park that's been sculpted into familiar and iconic images from up and down the Jersey Shore.

Sand sculptor Ed Jarrett tells us, "There's a lot of architecture in the state on the coast and I've tried to capture each town with something that was architecturally sound or something that happened to their boards."

Like the beach balls and the tall letters that are the Wildwoods logo, or the Continental Hotel and Sara the Turtle in Sea Isle.

John Emery of Wheeling, West Virginia says, "It's beautiful. It's amazing, really. I wish I could do that, but I have no talent in that area."

Ed Jarrett is full of talent. He volunteers all of his time to create these beauties and donates the small admission fees at the sand museum to the nonprofit Hometown Heroes, which helps families in crisis.

Ed raised $50,000 for Hometown Heroes last year while he broke the world record for the tallest Sandcastle. He hopes this project will raise even more.

Visitors are astounded by the detailed work he creates. And sometimes moved because they are so realistic.

Volunteer Patti Scott says, "We had a lot of people come in that turn their heads from the Seaside Park sign to the Funtown sign and they go into tears. He goes around and he just knocks things out and puts the little details on it - it's amazing."

The sand museum is located at Ocean and N Street and is open seven days a week from 10am to 8pm. Admission is three dollars for adults, two dollars for seniors, kids and military.

We all loved to play in the sand when we were little, but this is taking it to a new level.