Connecticut - Museums and Galleries

Boothe Memorial Park & Museum
5774 Main St. Putney
Stratford, CT  06614  
Phone: 203-381-2046

This 32-acre former homestead of the Boothe Family (1663-1949) offers with picnic facilities, rose garden, and wedding garden. Buildings on National Historic Landmark site with displays of early farm equipment, carriages and baskets; trolley history, toll booth exhibit. Hours: Park grounds are open year-round, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Museums and displays are open June 1 through October 1, Tuesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-1 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m. Free admission.

Bruce Museum of Arts & Science
One Museum Dr.
Greenwich, CT  06830  
Phone: 203-869-0376

Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Closed major holidays.

Over 12 changing exhibitions, environmental galleries, marine touch tank, lectures, educational workshops, museum store. Admission: Adults, $7; seniors and children age 5-12, $6l free admission on Tuesdays.

Catharine B. Mitchell Museum and Captain David Judson House
967 Academy Hill
Stratford, CT  06615  
Phone: 203-378-0630

Open: June–October; Wednesdays and Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Catharine B. Mitchell Museum exhibits local Native American artifacts and displays devoted to early town government, early African-American history, changing exhibits. Captain David Judson House (1750) furnished with period accessories and furniture. Open June through October, Wednesdays and Sundays, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Admission: Adults, $5; seniors, $4; students, $2.

Connecticut Audubon Society Birdcraft Museum
314 Unquowa Road
Fairfield, CT  06824  
Phone: 203-259-0416

Open: Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

Historic (1914) museum highlights natural history of the state with dioramas, wildlife exhibits, and dinosaur footprints. Adjacent 6-acre sanctuary with trails. A National Historic Landmark, first nature center in America, on the Connecticut Women’s Heritage Trail. Admissions: Adults, $2; children, $1.

Discovery Museum
4450 Park Avenue
Bridgeport, CT  06604  
Phone: 203-372-3521

Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; open Mondays in July and August. Closed major holidays.

An interactive science museum with hands-on displays, changing exhibits, gift shop, and food court. Challenger Learning Center features computer-simulated space missions. A planetarium and CineMuse Hi-Definition Theater both with daily shows. Children will find themselves getting excited about science with help from this museum’s physical science exhibits, planetarium programs, and Challenger Learning Center. Programs for kids cover topics like space travel, robotics, and ocean exploration. Admission: Adults, $8.50; seniors and children, $7; extra fee for Challenger missions.

Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum
Mathews Park, 295 West Ave.
Norwalk, CT  06850  
Phone: 203-838-9799

Open: Mid-March to January 1; Wednesday-Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. or by appointment

America's first chateau; 62-room Victorian palace with stenciled walls, inlaid woodwork and skylit rotunda; gift shop. National Historic Landmark. Guided and audio tours. Admission: Adults, $8; seniors and students, $5; children under age 12, free

National Helicopter Museum
2480 Main St.
Stratford, CT  06615  
Phone: 203-375-5766

Open: Memorial Day-mid-October, Wednesday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

Large collection of photographs and documents showing the development of helicopters, from 1910 to the present. Many helicopter models and artifacts, gas turbine engines that were produced in Stratford. Admission: Free.

New Canaan Historical Society
13 Oenoke Ridge
New Canaan, CT  06840  
Phone: 203-966-1776

Open: Town House: Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Other buildings: summer hours, Tuesday-Friday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; other months, Wednesday and Thursday, 2-4 p.m. Call for Sunday hours.

The historic society maintains several buildings, housing a variety of exhibits. Buildings include the old Town House, with its costume collection, changing exhibits, library of genealogy and local history; the Pharmacy (1845); the Hanford-Silliman House (1764), the Rock Schoolhouse (1799), the John Rogers Sculpture Studio (1878), and the Tool Museum and Print Shop. Donation requested.

Stamford Historical Society Museum
1508 High Ridge Road
Stamford, CT  06903  
Phone: 203-329-1183

Open: Tuesday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Closed major holidays.

Permanent and changing exhibits, principally local history. Research and genealogy library. Hoyt-Barnum House (c.1699), 713 Bedford St., restored blacksmith’s home, open by appt. Thrift shop. Admission: Adults, $5; students, $3.

Stamford Museum & Nature Center
39 Scofieldtown Road
Stamford, CT  06903  
Phone: 203-322-1646

Open: Monday-Saturday and holidays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Main Building galleries closed Mondays January to March.

Experience nature, science and the outdoors at this 118-acre site. Includes New England working farm, hiking trails, picnic area, nature's playground, boardwalk (accessible to wheelchairs), galleries for interactive exhibitions with hands-on area for children, two stores, special events, planetarium. Observatory Friday evenings (weather permitting). Admission: Adults, $6; seniors and children age 4 to 14, $5.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children
303 West Ave.
Norwalk, CT  06850  
Phone: 203-899-0606

Open: Memorial Day-Labor Day, daily 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; September-May, Tuesday, 1-5 p.m., Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Award-winning interactive museum for children ages 10 and under, with a variety of exhibits and activities that inspire learning and discovery. Explore tropical rain forests, report the weather, or experiment with water. Admission: $8 per person.

The Barnum Museum
820 Main St.
Bridgeport, CT  06604  
Phone: 203-331-1104

Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4:30; Sunday, noon-4:30 p.m.

Dedicated to the life of Circus imnpresario Phineas Taylor Barnum and those who were influenced by his presence in their lives. 1892 building houses exhibits including a miniature circus model, ancient mummy, historic costumes, Tom Thumb carriages. Museum store. Admission: Adults, $5; seniors and students, $4; children age 4-17, $3.

Wilton Heritage Museum
249 Danbury Road (Route 7)
Wilton, CT  06897  
Phone: 203-762-7257

Open: Monday-Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, 1-4 p.m. for special exhibitions; call for tour and exhibition schedules.

Two 18th-century classic center-chimney houses feature period rooms furnished to show the development of domestic life in New England homes 1740-1910. 19th-century barn contains changing exhibits, toy loft, costume and textile collection. Blacksmith's shop, tool exhibition. Admission: Adults, $4; senior, $3; children, free.

Amasa Day House
Moodus Green (Routes 149 and 151)
East Haddam, CT  06469  
Phone: 860-247-8996

Open: Mid-May to mid-October, Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

A Federal style house (1816) remained in the hands of Day's heirs until 1967. Furnished primarily with Day family possessions. Admission: Adults, $4; children, $2.

Barnes Museum
85 North Main Street
Southington, CT  06489  
Phone: 860-628-5426

Open: Monday-Wednesday and Friday, 1-5 p.m.; Thursday, 1-7 p.m.; September-June, first and last Saturday, 1-5 p.m. Closed major holidays.

Built in 1836, this house belonged to the same family for over a century. Exhibits feature original furniture and household items, as well as a historical library. Free admission.

Canton Historical Museum
11 Front Street
Collinsville, CT  06019  
Phone: 860-693-2793

Open: April-November, Wednesday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m. and Thursday, 1-8 p.m.; December-March, Saturday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m.

The history of Canton is chronicled in this museum. Collins Company tools and exhibits, Canton history, Victorian antiques and clothes, toys, dolls, farming equipment, railroad diorama, general store and post office, research library. Admissions: Adults, $3; seniors, $2; children (age 6-15), $1; 5 and under, free.

Connecticut Fire Museum
58 North Road
East Windsor, CT  06088  
Phone: 860-623-4732

Open: May and June, Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; July and August, Monday and Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; September-October, Saturday and Sunday, noon-4 p.m.

Exhibits detail the history of firefighting. Includes models and authentic historic firefighting trucks and equipment. Adults, $7; seniors, $6; children age 6-12, $5; children age 5 and younger, free.

Connecticut River Museum
67 Main St., Steamboat Dock
Essex, CT  06426  
Phone: 860-767-8269

Open: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Housed in an 1878 Steamboat Dock warehouse located on the waterfront, the museum tells the Connecticut River Valley story in four galleries, with a working reproduction of the American Turtle, America’s first submarine. Gift shop. Admission: Adults, $6; seniors and students, $5; children age 6-12, $3; 5 and under free.

Connecticut Trolley Museum
58 North Road (Route 140)
East Windsor, CT  06088  
Phone: 860-627-6540

Open: Charters from January through March; April to Memorial Day, Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday 1-4 p.m.; Memorial day to Labor Day, Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; Sundays in October, Pumpkin Patch rides

Three-mile round trip ride on antique trolleys. Tour the Visitor's Center display and stationary trolleys. Gift shop, deli and cafe. Admission: Adults, $7; seniors, $6; children age 2-12, $4. Includes admission to the nearby Connecticut Fire Museum.

Day-Lewis Museum
158 Main Street
Farmington, CT  06032  
Phone: 860-678-1645

Open: March – November, Wednesday, 2:30-4:30 p.m.; closed August

Yale University-owned Indian archaeology museum displaying artifacts found on site. Housed in authentic post and beam building, last of Tunxis Indian homes. Adjacent dig site. Admission Adults, $2; seniors and children, $1.

Fire Museum
230 Pine Street
Manchester, CT  06040  
Phone: 860-649-9436

Open: Mid-April-Mid-November, Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

Located in turn-of-the-century firehouse with hand- and horse-pulled firefighting equipment, 1860 steam fire engine, 1915 water tower, antique firefighting items, reference library, gift shop. Admission: Adults, $4; seniors and firefighters, $2; children age 5 and older, $1.

Harriet Beecher Stowe House
77 Forest Street
Hartford, CT  06105  
Phone: 860-522-9258

Open: Tours: Tuesday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4:30 p.m.; open on Mondays, Memorial Day to Columbus Day and December. Closed major holidays.

Her words changed the world with "Uncle Tom's Cabin," the groundbreaking anti-slavery novel (1852). Tour the Victorian Gothic home (1871), the Katharine Seymour Day House (1884), and the Victorian grounds and gardens. Stowe Visitor Center showcases exhibitions, museum shop. Admission: Adults, $8; seniors,$7; children age 4-12, $4.

Hicks-Stearns Museum
42 Tolland Green
Tolland, CT  06084  
Phone: 860-875-7552

Open: Mid-March to mid-December by appointment only

This structure has an interesting history: Originally a tavern built in the 18th century, it was later turned into a 19th century home. The house contains antique family heirlooms, which are on display during much of the year. In December, the site becomes a Victorian Christmas Open House.

Hill-Stead Museum
35 Mountain Road
Farmington, CT  06032  
Phone: 860-677-4787

Open: May-October, Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; November-April, Tuesday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

National Historic Landmark. Colonial Revival style house (1901) set on 150 acres with sunken garden. Collection of French Impressionist paintings, decorative arts and original furnishings. Hour-long guided tour. Admission: Adults, $9; seniors, $8; students, $7; children age 6-12, $4.

Imagine Nation Children's Museum
1 Pleasant Street
Bristol, CT  06010  
Phone: 860-314-1400

Open: Call for schedule

This science museum for kids age 2 to 10 is packed with fun exhibits that allow children to dig into science projects and experiments of all kinds. Some activities that will fascinate children are the Sandsational Sand Pendulum; the Gravity Well; the Tuning Fork Table; a construction zone; Dolls of the World; and Waterplay. Admission: $4 per person.

Lock 12 Historical Park
487 North Brooksvale Road (Route 42)
Cheshire, CT  06410  
Phone: 203-272-2743

Open: Biking trail and picnic area open year-round, call for museum schedule.

Restored section of Farmington Canal (1828-48). Park also includes museum, lockkeeper's house, helicoidal bridge, 2.9-mile hiking/biking trail, picnic area. Admission: Free.

Luddy/Taylor Connecticut Valley Tobacco Museum
Northwest Park, 135 Lang Rd.
Windsor, CT  06095  
Phone: 860-285-1888

Open: March – Mid-December, Tuesday-Thursday and Saturday, noon-4 p.m. and by appointment

Displays of artifacts and history of "Tobacco Valley." Tobacco curing shed houses exhibits of early and modern equipment. Other facility exhibits photographs, writings, and other documents. Admission: Free.

Menczer Museum of Medicine & Dentistry
230 Scarborough St.
Hartford, CT  06105  
Phone: 860-236-5613

Open: Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed holidays.

Instruments and medications used from the 18th- to the 20th-century. Historical medical library. Admission: Adults, $2; children, $1.

Museum of Connecticut History
231 Capitol Ave.
Hartford, CT  06106  
Phone: 860-566-3056

Open: Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Closed on state holidays

Historic documents, including Connecticut's Royal Charter, are just part of the exhibit material in this museum. Special exhibits feature Colt firearms, Connecticut's Governors and changing exhibits. Admission: free.

Museum on the Green
1944 Main Street
Glastonbury, CT  06033  
Phone: 860-633-6890

Open: Monday and Thursday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; third Sunday of each month, 1-4 p.m.; and by appointment

Former Town Hall (c. 1840) displays local history, early industry, Native American artifacts, changing exhibits; genealogical and research library. Adjacent to old town cemetery (1690). Admission: free.

New Britain Industrial Museum
185 Main Street
New Britain, CT  06051  
Phone: 860-832-8654

Open: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, 2-5 p.m.; Wednesday, noon-5 p.m.; and by appointment

This history of manufacturing in Central Connecticut is detailed in this museum, featuring exhibits of products made in the region over the past 200 years. Admission: free.

New Britain Museum of American Art
56 Lexington Street
New Britain, CT  06052  
Phone: 860-229-0257

Open: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; Wednesday, noon-7 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Closed holidays.

More than 5,000 American works of art from 1740 to the present. Works by Benton, Cassatt, Church, Cole, LeWitt, Sargent, Stuart, Whistler, and Wyeth; changing exhibitions. Gift shop. Admission: Adults, $9; seniors, $8; students, $7; under 12 free. Saturday, 10 a.m.-noon, free.

New Britain Youth Museum
30 High Street
New Britain, CT  06051  
Phone: 860-225-3020

Open: September-June, Tuesday-Friday, 1-5 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; July - August, Monday-Friday, 11 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Exhibits of Americana, different cultures, children's artifacts, hands-on activities, puppet theater, prehistoric Connecticut room, garden. Admission: Free, donation suggested.

Noden-Reed Park Museum
58 West Street
Windsor Locks, CT  06096  
Phone: 860-627-9212

Open: May-October, Sunday, 1 -5 p.m. and by appointment

A 22-acre park with 1840 house and 1826 brick barn contain period artifacts. Site of Connecticut's first Christmas tree. Admission: free.

Northeast States Civilian Conservation Corps Museum
166 Chestnut Hill Road (Route 190)
Stafford Springs, CT  06076  
Phone: 860-684-3013

Open: Memorial Day-Labor Day, Saturday, Sunday, holidays, noon-4 p.m.

Housed in original (c.1935) CCC camp building with documents and memorabilia. Exhibits include campsite life, work areas, photographs, equipment, and tools. Admission: Free.

Old Manchester Museum
126 Cedar Street
Manchester, CT  06040  
Phone: 860-647-9983

Open: Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, 1-4 p.m. and by appointment

Local historical artifacts including Pitkin Glass Works, Cheney Brothers Silk Mills, Bon Ami Soap Co., military memorial. Manchester Sports Hall of Fame, research and genealogy library, gift shop. Admission: Adults, $2; children age 16 and younger, free.

Phelps Tavern Museum
800 Hopmeadow Street (Route 10)
Simsbury, CT  06070  
Phone: 860-658-2500

Open: Tuesday-Saturday, noon-4 p.m.; hour-long tours begin 12:15 p.m. and last tour is 3:15 p.m.. Closed major holidays.

Period rooms and interactive exhibition galleries illustrate the use of the Captain Elisha Phelps house as an inn from 1786 to 1849. Two-acre complex includes museum store, research archives, period gardens. Admission: Adults, $6; seniors, $5; children age 6-17, $4.

The Living Museum of Avon
8 East Main Street (Route 44)
Avon, CT  06001  
Phone: 860-678-7621

Open: June-September, Sunday, 2-4 p.m., and by appointment

Restored 19th-century schoolhouse contains maps, photographs, implements and clothes, diorama of the Farmington Canal all relating to 1830s. Admission: Donation.

The Mark Twain House & Museum
351 Farmington Ave.
Hartford, CT  06105  
Phone: 860-247-0998

Open: Monday-Saturday, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5:30 p.m.; first Thursdays, 9:30 a.m.-8 p.m.; closed Tuesday from January-April; Closed January 1, Easter, Thanksgiving, December 24 and 25.

Elaborate Victorian (1874) mansion with rare interiors by Louis Comfort Tiffany (1881) was the author's home for 17 years (1874-1891). Nineteen furnished rooms including many of Twain's possessions. National Historic Landmark. The Museum Center features fine gift shop, cafe, Ken Burns' documentary, orientation and changing exhibition galleries, lectures and special programs. Admission: Adults, $12; seniors, $11; students age13-18, $10; children age 6-12, $8.

The Trash Museum
211 Murphy Rd.
Hartford, CT  06114  
Phone: 860-757-7765

Open: September-June, Wednesday-Friday, noon-4 p.m.; July and August, Tuesday-Friday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Educational facility, tours and hands-on exhibits on solid waste management and recycling, including the "Temple of Trash;" adjacent to recycle center. Admission: Free.

Wadsworth Atheneum
600 Main Street
Hartford, CT  06103  
Phone: 860-278-2670

Open: Wednesday-Friday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; open first Thursday of each month until 8 p.m. Closed major holidays.

The nation's oldest public art museum (1842). World-renowned collections include Hudson River School landscapes, Old Master paintings, modernist masterpieces, Impressionist paintings, American furniture, decorative arts, cutting-edge contemporary art. Restaurant (860-728-5989); gift shop. Admission: Adults, $10; seniors, $8; students with ID, $5; children age 12 and under, free; first Thursday of each month, $5 from 5-8 p.m.

Webb-Deane-Stevens Museum
211 Main Street
Wethersfield, CT  06109  
Phone: 860-529-0612

Open: May 1–October 31, Wednesday-Monday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; November 1-April 30, Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Last tour 3 p.m.

This museum consists of 3 houses, each built in the 18th century. 2 are now National Historic Landmarks, with each furnished to represent a different period in American history. In 1781, on this site, Washington and his partners planned their strategy that led to the American victory at Yorktown. Tours begin every hour on the hour up until 3 pm. Admission: Adults, $6, seniors, $5, students, $2.50.

American Clock and Watch Museum
100 Maple Street (off Route 6)
Bristol, CT  06010  
Phone: 860-583-6070

Open: April 1-November 30, daily, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and by appointment

Permanent exhibit on the history of Connecticut clockmaking and the Industrial Revolution, housed in an 1801 mansion. Largest collection of American production clocks on display. Many clocks striking hourly. Admission: Adults, $5; seniors, $4; children, $2.

Brookfield Craft Center
286 Whisconier Road (Route 25)
Brookfield, CT  06804  
Phone: Phone: 203-775-4526

Open: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sundays, noon-5 p.m. Closed major holidays.

Founded in 1954, the Brookfield Craft Center promotes and preserves the skills and values of fine craftsmanship, creativity, and good design. The Multiple Gallery Gift Shop features craftwork by hundreds of artisans. The center’s six buildings span the banks of the Still River at Halfway Falls. Admission: free.

Carousel Museum of New England
95 Riverside Avenue
Bristol, CT  06010  
Phone: 860-585-5411

Open: April-November, Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon- 5 p.m.; December-March, Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Closed major holidays

One of two branches of this unique museum. Exhibits feature antique carousel horses, miniature carousels, and a historic carving shop. Exhibits represent the finest pieces of antique carousel art in existence. The Bristol Center for Arts and Culture features three galleries that include fine art exhibits. The Museum of Fire History displays fire department and firehouse memorabilia. Gift shop. Admission: Adults, $5; seniors, $4.50, children age 4-14, $2.50

Connecticut Antique Machinery Association
U.S. Route 7
Kent, CT  06557  
Phone: 860-927-0050

Open: May through October, Wednesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Museum dedicated to the preservation, restoration and demonstration of antique machinery from our rich industrial and agricultural past. Areas of focus include Agricultural equipment and mechanical farm implements, The Cream Hill Agricultural School, Internal Combustion Engines, Industrial steam power, Connecticut Museum of Mining and Mineral Science, Narrow gauge railroad. Admission: Adults, $3; children under age 12, free.

Danbury Museum & Historical Society
43 Main Street
Danbury, CT  06810  
Phone: 203-743-5200

Open: Year-round, call for public hours

Late 18th- and early 19th-century furnishings in the John and Mary Rider House (1785). Local hatting industry exhibits in John Dodd Shop (1790). Research library, gift shop. Birthplace (5 Mountainville Rd., c.1829) of Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Charles Ives. Contralto Marion Anderson studio. Admission: Adults, $6; seniors, $5; children, $2; under age 5, free.

Danbury Railway Museum
120 White Street and Patriot Drive
Danbury, CT  06810  
Phone: 203-778-8337

Open: January-March, Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; April-December, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Rail yard train rides: April-December, Saturday and Sunday

This museum is set in Union Station, restored to its appearance as it was in 1903. Inside visitors will find antique railroad cars, railroad artifacts and memorabilia, and changing exhibits. Train rides of varying lengths are scheduled throughout the year. Admission: Adults, $6; children age 5-12, $4.

Gay-Hoyt House Museum
18 Main Street (Route 41)
Sharon, CT  06069  
Phone: 860-364-5688

Open: Tuesday-Friday, 1-4 p.m. or by appointment

Built in 1775, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, featuring furniture, paintings, photographs, textile collection, hands-on history room for children, changing exhibits. Admission: free.

Gunn Memorial Library & Museum
Wykeham Road and Route 47
Washington, CT  06793  
Phone: 860-868-7756

Open: May-December, Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday, noon-4 p.m., closed major holidays. January-April by appointment only.

Local history museum in c.1781 house with changing exhibits. 1908 library includes Connecticut Room with state, local, and geneaological books. Admission: Donation.

Historical Society Museum
22 DeForest Street
Watertown, CT  06795  
Phone: 860-274-1050

Open: Wednesday, 2-4 p.m. and by appointment

Chronicles industrial, social and cultural history of the town, Victorian parlor exhibit, local research library. 1853 Nova Scotia School House. Admission: Free.

Holley - Williams House Museum
15 Millerton Road
Lakeville, CT  06039  
Phone: 860-435-0566

Open: Early July-Labor Day, Memorial Day and Columbus Day weekends: house tours, Friday-Sunday and holidays, noon-5 p.m. or by appointment. Grounds and outside exhibits open daily year-round.

Nineteenth-century family museum with original and period furnishings. Living history house tours, Holley pocket knife exhibit. Grounds include visitor center, ice-house, maze, outhouse, gardens, and medicinal plants. Admission: Suggested donation: adults, $5; seniors and students, $3; children under age 5, free.

Institute for American Indian Studies
38 Curtis Rd.(off Route 199)
Washington, CT  06793  
Phone: 860-868-0518

Open: Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m.; closed major holidays.

Artifacts and art from 10,000 years ago to the present; indoor longhouse exhibit, changing exhibits, gift shop. Outdoor simulated archaeological site, trails, replica of a 17th-century Algonkian village. Admission: Adults, $4; seniors, $3.50; children age 5-16, $2.

Keeler Tavern Museum
132 Main Street
Ridgefield, CT  06877  
Phone: 203-438-5485

Open: February-December, tours and gift shop, Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday, 1-4 p.m.; Garden, daily, dawn to dusk.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. British cannonball embedded in its exterior, souvenir of 1777 battle. Late 18th-century furnishings; guides in Colonial costume. Garden with reflecting pool. Gift shop. Admission: Adults, $5; seniors, $3; children under age 12, $2.

Litchfield Historical Society Museum
7 South Street
Litchfield, CT  06759  
Phone: 860-567-4501

Open: Mid-May to Mid-November, Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1 - 5 p.m.

Changing exhibits on local history and historical art. The society also maintains a library and offers wares in a gift shop. Admission: $3 adults, children under 16 are free.

Mattatuck Museum
144 West Main Street,
Waterbury, CT  06702  
Phone: 203-753-0381

Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, noon - 5 p.m.; closed major holidays

Exhibits chronicle the industrial history of the Naugatuck Valley as well as its social, architectural and cultural past. Period settings, decorative arts, furniture, 19th- and 20th-century art, changing exhibits. Cafe, museum shop. Admission: Adults, $4; Children under age 16, free.

Military Museum of Southern New England
125 Park Avenue
Danbury, CT  06810  
Phone: 203-790-9277

Open: April 1-December 30, Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon - 5 p.m.; January 2-March 31, Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Closed major holidays

Life-size interior dioramas with military vehicles and equipment. Large collection of models and dioramas depicting World War II scenes. Outdoor exhibits of tanks and heavy material. Gift shop. Admission: Adults, $4; seniors, children, and active-duty military member, $2.

New Milford Historical Society Museum
6 Aspetuck Avenue
New Milford, CT  06776  
Phone: 860-354-3069

Open: May-October, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday, 1-4 p.m. and by appointment

Main gallery contains works by artists Ralph Earl and Richard Jennys, Connecticut furniture, New Milford pottery. Boardman Store (1796). Knapp House (c.1810). Special events; research on local history and genealogy. Admission: Adults, $3; students, $2.

Osborne Homestead Museum
500 Hawthorne Avenue (near Osbornedale State Park)
Derby, CT  06418  
Phone: 203-734-2513

Open: Late April-mid-December, Thursday-Friday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4 p.m. Grounds: Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4 p.m.

Former estate of Frances Osborne Kellogg. Elegant Colonial Revival home (1850), original antiques and fine arts. Formal rose and flower garden, English rock garden. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Admission: Donation requested.

Salisbury Cannon Museum
15 Millerton Road (Route 44)
Lakeville, CT  06039  
Phone: 860-435-0566

Open: July-Labor Day and Columbus Day, Saturday-Sunday and holidays, noon-5 p.m.

Hands-on children's museum focusing on local iron industry and individuals who shaped the American Revolution. Adjacent to site of the first iron blast furnace (1762), built by Ethan Allen. Admission: Suggested donation, adults, $5; seniors and students, $3.

Sloane-Stanley Museum and Kent Furnace
Route 7
Kent, CT  06757  
Phone: 860-927-3849

Open: Mid-May-October 31, Wednesday- Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

This museum features a collection of woodworking tools, dating from the 17th century. The ruins of the Kent Furnace, in use through the 19th century are also found on the grounds. Admission: Adults, $4; seniors, $3; children, $2.50; under age 6, free.

The Golden Age of Trucking Museum
1101 Southford Rd.
Middlebury, CT  06762  
Phone: 203-577-2181

Open: Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sunday, noon-4 p.m.; closed Easter, July 4, December 24 and 25, December 31 and January. 1

Facility containing over 36 antique trucks from the early 1900s through 1960s, antique boats, trucking memorabilia, photographs, and publications. Hands-on children?s area, library, movie, art gallery, gift shop, picnic area. Admission: Adults, $8; seniors, $7; children age 3-16, $5; family, $20.

Ballard Institute & Museum of Puppetry
Weaver Road (off Route 44)
Storrs, CT  06269  
Phone: 860-486-4605

Open: Late April-early November,Friday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

Collection of more than 2,000 puppets from the world over. Each exhibition features a different view of the variety of styles and periods in puppetry. Admission: Free; donations accepted.

Brayton Grist Mill and Marcy Blacksmith Museum
Route 44
Pomfret, CT  06258  
Phone: 860-928-0304

Open: Memorial Day to Labor Day, Sundays 2-5 p.m.

This fine example of a one-man mill operation of the 1890's has original milling equipment. The tool exhibit represents the craft of three generations of blacksmiths. Maintained by the Pomfret Historical Society. Admission: Free; donations welcome.

Chaplin Museum
1 Chaplin Street
Chaplin, CT  06235  
Phone: 860-455-9209

Open: Mid-July–September 30, Sundays, 1-4 p.m.

This one room museum features historic memorabilia and local artifacts. Themed exhibits are changed every year. Admission: free.

Children’s Museum of Southeastern Connecticut
409 Main Street
Niantic, CT  06357  
Phone: 860-691-1111

Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Friday until 8 p.m.; Sunday, noon-5 p.m. Open Monday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., between Memorial Day and Labor Day and during school vacations. Closed major holidays

Interactive hands-on exhibits for the entire family. Don’t miss our Long Island Sound Marinelife Tank, Parent Pockets, a self guided tour of the Museum and Kidsville, an entire kid-sized town. Themes include arts and science, health and history. Have fun while learning. Explore the Discovery Room, see live animals and say hello to Richter the Red Tailed Boa Constrictor. Admission: $5; children under age 1, free.

Connecticut River Museum
67 Main St., Steamboat Dock
Essex, CT  06426  
Phone: 860-767-8269

Open: Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

Housed in an 1878 Steamboat Dock warehouse located on the waterfront, the museum tells the Connecticut River Valley story in four galleries, with a working reproduction of the American Turtle, America’s first submarine. Gift shop. Admission: Adults, $6; seniors and students, $5; children age 6-12, $3; 5 and under free.

Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center
109 Pequotsepos Road
Mystic, CT  06355  
Phone: 860-536-1216

Open: Year-round, Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Closed January 1, Easter, Christmas

The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center welcomes visitors into a typical Southeastern Connecticut woodland setting to discover and enjoy nature throughout the seasons. Originally founded as a nonprofit organization in 1946, the Center maintains a commitment to promoting environmental awareness. We believe local understanding and firsthand experiences with the natural world lead to global concern and respect toward nature. DPNC offers a variety of programs and activities for people of all ages. From birding and wildflower walks to special evening lectures, school programs and field trips, visitors have opportunities to experience many aspects of our natural world. The Nature Center provides a year-round haven for wildlife and a peaceful respite for local citizens, tourists, nature enthusiasts, hikers and students. We invite you to discover our sanctuary, trail-side museum and the natural beauty of southeastern Connecticut. Admission: Adults, $6; seniors and children age 121 and under, $4.

Florence Griswold Museum
96 Lyme St.
Old Lyme, CT  06371  
Phone: 860-434-5542

Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m.

A National Historic Landmark, America's best-known center of Impressionist painting, offers 11 landscaped acres along the Lieutenant River, education center, restored artist studio, gardens, 1817 Griswold House, the Krieble Gallery for American art. Admission: Adults, $7; seniors and studentsm $6; children age 6-12, $4.

Jillson House Museum
627 Main Street
Willimantic, CT  06226  
Phone: 860-456-2316

Open: Call for hours of operation

This home was built in 1825 for a mill owner. The structure is made from stone taken locally from the banks of the Willimantic River. Exhibits include artifacts, antique furniture and local memorabilia.

Kidcity Children's Museum
119 Washington St.
Middletown, CT  06457  
Phone: 860-347-0495

Open: Sunday-Tuesday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Wednesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Call for holiday schedule.

Whimsical, one-of-a-kind rooms filled with hands-on play and learning, for kids ages 1 to 8 and their grown-ups. Admission: $6 per person.

Lutz Children's Museum
247 S. Main St. (Route 83)
Manchester, CT  06040  
Phone: 860-643-0949

Open: Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon-5 p.m.

Exhibits change frequently and special programs are offered almost daily for children age 2 through 12. Some current exhibits allow kids to climb aboard a plane full of museum artifacts from Africa or race off on a motorcycle; explore the mysteries of the five senses; see rescued animals; and tour a children’s art gallery. Admission: $4.

Lyman Allyn Art Museum
625 Williams St.
New London, CT  06320  
Phone: 860-443-2545

Open: Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sunday, 1-5 p.m. Closed major holidays.

Eighteenth-, 19th- and 20th-century art and decorative arts, American Impressionist paintings, contemporary American art, changing exhibits. Nearby at the Deshon-Allyn Mansion contains dolls and dollhouses. Outdoor Children's Art Park. Admission: Adults, $5; seniors and students; $4; children age 8 and under, free.

Mansfield Historical Society Museum
954 Storrs Road (Route 195)
Storrs, CT  06268  
Phone: 860-429-6575

Open: June-September, Thursday and Sunday, 1:30-4:30 p.m.; library open year-round by appointment

Collection of furnishings, costumes, photographs and historical artifacts relating to local history, housed in the former town office building and Old Town Hall (1843), changing exhibits, research library. Admission: Adults, $2; children 12 and younger, free.

Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center
110 Pequot Trail
Mashantucket, CT  06338  
Phone: 800) 411-9671

Open: Daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., last admission at 3 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving Eve, Thanksgiving day, December 24 and 25, December 31 and January 1

Permanent exhibits on the Native and natural history of southern New England include a cool descent into a glacial crevasse from 18,000 years ago. Walk through a 1550 Pequot Village. Interactive computer programs, films providing additional information and interpretation of the exhibits. Two research libraries, one for children. Museum store and restaurant. Admission: Adults, $15; seniors, $13; children age 6-15, $10; under 6 free.

Military Historians Museum
N. Main St.
Westbrook, CT  06498  
Phone: 860-399-9460

Open: Tuesday-Friday, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. and by appointment.

The largest collection of American military uniforms in the country. Unit crest insignia, vehicles from World War II Weasel to a Desert Storm truck, music room, research center. Admission: Free.

Museum of the Fife and Drum
Highland Terrace at 63 North Main Street
Ivoryton, CT  06442  
Phone: 860-767-2237

Open: June 30 through Labor Day weekend, Saturday and Sunday, 1-5 p.m.; third weekend of July and fourth weekend of August reserved for private activities

Exhibits focus on the fife and drum, not only as an important symbol of American patriotism during the Revolutionary period, but as an integral part of military strategy in the 17th and 18th centuries. The museum is a visual and musical history of America on parade, from the Revolutionary War to the present. Theme displays feature drums, fifes, military swords, music, uniforms, medals, awards and photographs. Admission; Adults, $3; youth age 13-17, $2; seniors, $2; children under age 12, free.

Mystic River Historical Society Museum
74 High Street at Old New London Road
Mystic, CT  06355  
Phone: 860-536-4779

Open: Mid-May-mid-October, Tuesday, 9 a.m.-noon; Wednesday-Thursday, 1-4 p.m. Archives building is open year-round

Visitors to the museum can see two sites, the Portersville Academy (built in 1839) and the William A. Downes Archives Building. The Academy contains a recreated 1840's school room and changing exhibit