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Heritage Trails |
Connecticut Impressionist Art Trail
Brochure Request
860-434-5542
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Eleven Connecticut museums boast some of the finest American Impressionist masterpieces in the world.
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Connecticut Women's Heritage Trail
Brochure Request
860-768-5643
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Twelve heritage sites make up this trail that explores the lives of Connecticut women from activists to artists, movie stars to mill workers.
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Quinebaug/Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor
Brochure Request
860-963-7226
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Rediscover the state's industrial heritage and enjoy the rural beauty of what has been called "the last green valley" in the Boston-to-Washington corridor.
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The Freedom Trail
Brochure Request
860-566-3005
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Cover a myriad of sites throughout the state and explore the theme of African American history in Connecticut.
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Historic Sites |
Bates-Scofield House
45 Old Kings Highway North
Darien 203-655-9233
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Built around a massive central chimney with fireplace and beehive oven, the house features 18th and early 19th century furniture and period garden.
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Bellamy-Ferriday House
9 Main Street North
Bethlehem 203-266-7596
The tranquil summer home of New York humanitarian Caroline Ferriday for more than 75 years features a beautiful circa 1920 parterre garden.
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Bush-Holley Historic Site
39 Strickland Road
Greenwich 203-869-6899
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Circa 1730 National Historic Landmark Bush-Holley House is the site of Connecticut's first art colony.
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Butler-McCook Homestead
396 Main Street
Hartford 860-247-8996
Homestead with furnishings and personal effects from four generations of the Butler-McCook families showcases landscaped gardens by Jacob Weidenmann.
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Captain's Cove
One Boswick Avenue
Bridgeport 203-335-1433
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Historic Black Rock Harbor is home to the 150-foot Nantucket, and the "Statue of Liberty of the Sea" floating lighthouse is a National Historic Landmark.
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Connecticut State Capitol
210 Capitol Avenue
Hartford 860-240-0222
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Designed by New York architect Richard M. Upjohn in the modern Gothic style and opened in 1878, the capitol building’s glittering gold dome crowns the dazzling architectural treasures that fill the equally spectacular interior.
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Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
173 Forest Street
Hartford 860-522-9258
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A stately Victorian served as the last residence of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of "Uncle Tom's Cabin," and is conveniently located adjacent to The Mark Twain House.
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Nathan Hale Homestead
South Street
Coventry 860-247-8996
Patriot Nathan Hale's family home is the focal point of this Revolutionary War era attraction.
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New Haven Green
Downtown
New Haven 203-777-8550
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This National Historic Landmark claims three vintage churches that offer outstanding examples of Gothic, Georgian, Federalist, and related design elements.
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Noah Webster House
227 South Main Street
West Hartford 860-521-5362
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The birthplace and childhood home of Noah Webster, the author of the first American dictionary, serves as a museum filled with hands-on activities.
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Ogden House
1520 Bronson Road
Fairfield 203-259-1598
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Authentically furnished 18th-century farmhouse offers herb garden, wildflower walk, and children's activities.
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Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine
Newgate Road
East Granby 860-566-3005
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The state's first prison, circa 1770, and the nation's first chartered copper mine, circa 1707, combine with hiking trails.
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Thankful Arnold House
Route 154, Haddam Green
Haddam 860-345-2400
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This gambrel-roofed house, circa 1795, with its early 19th-century additions features “Thankful Arnold” as the first of three generations of women. Visitors can enjoy a narrative by Thankful’s “ghost.”
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The Mark Twain House
351 Farmington Avenue
Hartford 860-247-0998
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Author Mark Twain built this remarkable Victorian home in 1874 and resided here with his family for 17 years. The 19-room mansion features interiors by Louis Comfort Tiffany and a collection of fine and decorative arts.
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The Washington Oak
Gaylord and Newton Roads
Gaylordsville 860-350-0300
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General George Washington held counsel under this 400-year-old tree and stopped for lunch before heading out to Hartford to persuade French leaders to help America's fight for independence.
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Wier Farm National Historic Site
735 Nod Hill Road
Wilton 203-834-1896
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The state’s first and only national park once served as the summer home and studio of American impressionist J. Alden Weir. The 60-acre site in both Wilton and Ridgefield includes Weir’s home, studio, barns, and outbuildings, a visitor center, and a second studio built by sculptor Mahonri Young.
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Museums |
Aldrich Museum of Contemporary Art
258 Main Street
Ridgefield 203-438-4519
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This museum is one of the few non-collecting venues and hosts a variety of exhibits.
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American Clock & Watch Museum
100 Maple Street
Bristol 860-583-6070
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An early American garden and more than 3,000 timepieces are included in one of the world’s finest American clock collections.
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Ballard Institute & Museum of Puppetry
UConn School of Fine Arts
Storrs 860-486-4605
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More than 2,000 puppets from around the world showcase artistry in exhibits as well as scheduled performances.
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Barker Character, Comic & Cartoon Museum
1188 Highland Avenue
Cheshire 203-699-3822
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Displays include transparencies, toys, comic strips, trinkets, and other memorabilia.
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Brown's Forge Museum
Brown's Forge Road
Gaylordsville 860-350-0300
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Historic forge in operation from 1871 to 1962 was one of the last working forges in the area.
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Bruce Museum of Arts & Science
One Museum Drive
Greenwich 203-869-0376
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Always new and exciting, the museum presents changing shows of art and science.
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Connecticut Archaeology Center
University of Connecticut
Storrs 860-486-4460
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Multiple collections make this an extremely impressive if small venue filled with important artifacts.
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Connecticut Audubon Birdcraft Museum
314 Unquowa Road
Fairfield 203-259-0416
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Dioramas, changing wildlife exhibits, children's activity corner and dinosaur prints combine with six-acre sanctuary and trails.
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Connecticut Historical Society
One Elizabeth Street
Hartford 860-236-5621
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Hands-on displays, genealogy resources, and state history.
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Connecticut River Museum
67 Main Street
Essex 860-767-8269
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Displays and exhibits focus on the Connecticut River Valley culture and history.
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Connecticut State Museum of Natural History
University of Connecticut
Storrs 860-486-4460
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Small in size but significant in the quality of its displays, the museum offers a variety of programs.
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Florence Griswold Museum
96 Lyme Street
Old Lyme 860-434-5542
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More than 6,000 objects make this a richly endowed venue of art and historical artifacts.
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Frank Chiarenza Museum of Glass
39 West Main Street
Meriden 203-639-9778
Premier pressed glass collection combines with café, theater, exhibits and museum store.
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Henry Whitfield State Museum
248 Old Whitfield Street
Guilford 203-453-2457
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Connecticut's oldest house circa 1639 and New England's oldest stone house focuses on 17th-century history and furnishings.
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Hill-Stead Museum
35 Mountain Road
Farmington 860-677-4787
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Magnificent Impressionist paintings complement the Colonial Revival architecture surrounded by 152 acres of fields and woodlands with a unique sunken garden by Beatrix.
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Housatonic Museum of Art
Housatonic Community College
Bridgeport 203-332-5052
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One of the most extensive collections for any community college includes Master's works.
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Keeler Tavern Museum
132 Main Street
Ridgefield 203-438-5485
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As a former gathering place for patriots in Revolutionary times, this quaint 1713 tavern is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum
295 West Avenue
Norwalk 203-838-9799
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One of the earliest and finest surviving Second Empire Style country houses is meticulously restored to a magnificent 62-room mansion.
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Lyman Allyn Art Museum
Connecticut College
New London 860-443-2545
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Housed in a handsome Neo-Classical building, the permanent collection features more than 15,000 objects.
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Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center
110 Pequot Trail
Mashantucket 800-411-9671
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Permanent exhibits on the native and natural history of southern New England include 1550 Pequot Village.
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Museum of Connecticut History
231 Capitol Avenue
Hartford 860-757-6535
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Permanent and changing exhibits cover four centuries of Connecticut’s governmental, manufacturing, and military heritage.
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Museum of Fife & Drum
62 North Main Street
Ivoryton 860-767-2237
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Witness America on parade from today as far back as the Revolutionary War in music, uniforms, and instruments.
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Mystic Seaport Museum
75 Greenmanville Avenue
Mystic 860-572-5309
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Nestled in a picturesque seaport, the museum houses the world's largest collection of boats and maritime photography. Surrounding the venue are shops and entertainment.
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National Shaving & Barbershop Museum
39 West Main Street
Meriden 203-639-9778
Exhibits and displays focus on 19th and early 20th century artifacts from children's barber chairs to counter displays.
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New Britain Museum of American Art
56 Lexington Street
New Britain 860-229-0257
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"Art meets life" at the first museum in the nation designated strictly as an American art venue.
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New England Air Museum
Bradley International Airport
Windsor Locks 860-623-3305
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The largest aviation museum in the Northeast features U.S. 80 aircraft in two display buildings.
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New England Carousel Museum
95 Riverside Avenue
Bristol 860-585-5411
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Explore the history of the carousel through authentic and reproduced carousel animals.
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Old State House & Museum
800 Main Street
Hartford 860-522-6766
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Site of the first Amistad trial, this Charles Bulfinch-designed architectural landmark marks the site where the Colonies of Connecticut were founded in 1636.
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Osborne Homestead Museum
500 Hawthorne Avenue
Derby 203-922-7832
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The birthplace and lifelong residence of Frances Osborne Kellogg includes a collection of antiques and fine arts.
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Peabody Museum of Natural History
Yale University
New Haven 203-432-5050
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Founded in 1866, this spectacular venue has everything from Costa Rican gold to dinosaurs
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Prudence Crandall Museum
Routes 14 & 169
Canterbury 860-546-9916
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This National Historic Landmark marks the site of New England's first academy for young black women founded in 1833.
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Rosa Ponselle Museum
39 West Main Street
Meriden 203-639-9778
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Museum celebrates the life and talent of a native Meriden daughter and one of the most world-renowned operatic divas.
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Somers Mountain Museum
332 Turnpike Road
Somers 860-749-4129
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This museum of natural history and primitive technology displays a large collection of North American artifacts dating back 10,000 years.
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Stamford Museum & Nature Center
39 Scofieldtown Road
Stamford 203-322-1646
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More than 115 acres encompasses a New England working farm with everything from a country store to tranquil recreation areas.
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Submarine Force Museum & Nautilus
Naval Submarine Base
Groton 800-343-0079
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Features the historic ship Nautilus and traces submarine development from the days of Connecticut inventors to modern nuclear powered vessels.
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The Barnum Museum
820 Main Street
Bridgeport 203-331-1104
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Graced by Romanesque and Victorian brownstone styling, the museum portrays the life of P.T. Barnum.
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The Garbage Museum
Connecticut Resources Recovery Authority
Stratford
203-381-9571
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This educational and unique venue focuses on educating residents of all ages about the safe handling and disposal of solid waste and recyclables.
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The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk
10 N. Water Street
Norwalk 203-852-0700
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Marine life is the focus of this venue dedicated to promoting and preserving life in the Long Island Sound.
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The Museum of Recycling
1410 Honeyspot Road
Stratford 203-381-9571
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This venue focuses on educating the public about the safe handling and disposal of solid waste and recyclables.
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The Shore Line Trolley Museum
17 River Street
East Haven 203-467-6927
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Relive the trolley era in sight and sound as you enjoy a ride on the museum's three-mile line.
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Thomas Griswold House Museum
171 Boston Street
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This 1774 New England saltbox home and other historic structures cover 6.5 acres.
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Timexpo Museum
Brass Mill Commons, Union Street
Waterbury 203-755-TIME
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Displays on the history of Timex watches and its predecessors combine with an archaeological exhibit.
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Wadsworth Atheneum
600 Main Street
Hartford 860-278-2670
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America's oldest public art museum offers a premier resource center.
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Webb Deane Stevens Museum
211 Main Street
Wethersfield 860-529-0612
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Three beautifully preserved 18th-century houses are nestled in Connecticut's largest historic district.
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William Benton Museum of Art
University of Connecticut
Storrs 860-486-4520
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Wonderful theme exhibits combine with special events at this collegiate venue.
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Windham Textile & History Museum
157 Union & Main Streets
Willimantic 860-456-2178
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The museum preserves the textile industry of southern New England at the height of the Industrial Revolution.
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Quick Links |
Bristol Historical Society
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Chester Historical Society
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Exhibits and experiences include multi-media exhibition Amistad—A True Story of Freedom—as well as hands-on displays, genealogy resources, and state history.
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Connecticut Botanical Society
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Connecticut Historical Society
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Connecticut Mayflower Society
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Connecticut State Archives
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Hebron Historical Society
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Manchester Historical Society
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Newington Historical Society
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Newtown Historical Society
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The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation
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Wethersfield Historical Society
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Windsor Historical Society
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