Rainy Day Activities in Fairfield/Southwestern Connecticut (CT)

Advance reservation, with timed ticketing, is required. Masks are required, but must not have an exhalation valve or vent.
When the outside is inhospitable, go inside to the fascinating Bruce Museum, where art, science and natural history come together for a unique perspective on our world. Take a docent-led or self-guided audio tour through the expansive museum. The art collection includes work from Childe Hassam to Alexander Calder, as well as photos, sculpture, drawings and prints. There’s French art glass and highly decorative pipes (including Meerschaums). There are collections of ladies’ gowns and World War I posters. The science collection includes minerals and fossils, bird and mammal mounts (including extinct species like the passenger pigeon), butterflies and skeletons. Don’t miss the ethnology collection featuring items from Navajo jewelry to Inuit soapstone carvings.

Stepping Stones Museum for Children knows what makes kids tick, which is why the museum, for infants on up, is such a hit. At the Energy Lab, kids can experience a mini wind tunnel or use waterfalls and water wheels to pump and push water to perform activities. In Build It, they can pretend to put down carpeting or wallpaper or haul building materials. In Express Yourself, art, music and games help them explore their emotions. And in Tot Town, infants through toddlers enjoy activity mats, puzzles and a play kitchen. Time for a nutritious but delicious snack? There’s lots to choose from at the Healthyville Cafe. Shared moments of discovery and playful explorations happen every day at this engaging museum.