-
July 2024 by Laura John
This is such an amazing museum! We didn’t really notice it was even there while it was the “Connecticut Historical Society” and when they changed their name we were excited to visit. They’ve packed a ton of great information into their exhibits (we spent almost 4 hours there!) with the “Making of Connecticut” permanent exhibit definitely being my favorite. We were also super lucky to get to go on a free hour-long guided tour of the “Connecticut’s Bookshelf” exhibit with a museum educator who was so knowledgeable and passionate about the content. Highly recommend to anyone for a fun day!!
-
May 2024 by David Rynaski
Interesting museum.
-
March 2024 by Charles Rosenblatt
This kid-friendly museum does a very nice job of presenting life and some historical events from the mid 1600s to today. There are lots of activities for kids, such as learning how to bind books, tying moccasins, etc. But my main complaint is that much of the exhibits can represent anywhere else in New England, the mid-Atlantic states, and even the Southern states that were first settled in the 17th century. To be sure there is a little information on Mark Twain, Harriet Beecher Stowe, the Amistad, The Pequot and King Philip Wars, urban renewal in Hartford, and a superb collection of tavern signs from the 18 and 19th centuries, but the bulk of the museums exhibits are generic to the US East coast. Perhaps I missed it, but I saw nothing related to important Connecticut contributions such as the "Connecticut Compromise" to the US Constitution; Eli Whitney and the development of interchangeable parts; the old Post Road; Connecticut's important role in the arms, defense, clock, and insurance industries; and even Yale University.
-
October 2023 by katrease Rogers
Enjoyed all the sights. Lots of history here. Come and explore. I plan to come visit again. Plus the front desk is welcoming.
-
November 2022 by AJ P (RoninVeritas)
First time visiting. So much history about CT and various stories. They celebrated Day of the dead and put together a great event.
-
October 2022 by 최기영
It's a small museum and good for taking some time to look around.
-
September 2022 by Laine Taylor
Beautiful exhibit on mental health and how care for those with mental illness has been substandard for centuries. This is a not to miss museum!
-
August 2022 by Stacey Williams
This is a great museum for kids. Lots of hands on activities for them to do.
-
August 2022 by abraham wieder
It was really great. a lot of good information. also the staff are very friendly. you can definitely spend a few hours there.
-
July 2022 by Dr. Rosie Ann Riley
This is a very unique museum filled with so much to see. There are permanent exhibits; Making Connecticut and Inn & Tavern Signs of Connecticut. They also have an exhibit on Mental Health which I have never seen in any museum. Definitely will help bring awareness. An Exhibit of The Philip Cast of Hamilton; an American Musical. And do much more. BTW, I love the tavern signs!There is also a gift shop but no souvenirs bearing name of museum which was very disappointing. It’s more like a small boutique because has a lot of jewelry but no real historical meaning. I could see if it were from a Native American tribe etc. I didn’t make a purchase because nothing in store caught my eye.This museum was originally a home built for Curtis Veeder between 1925 and 1928. The society has added additions.The ticket for adult was $12 which is very reasonable and it’s free every 1st Saturday. The staff is very friendly. I highly recommended visiting this museum and the nearby neighborhood. The old homes on Elizabeth St and nearby are simply beautiful. I also like that the museum have raised bed gardens with vegetables.
-
June 2022 by Kristie Woods
This museum is full of information. Gorgeous interior for it used to be a residence, and the grounds are well kept. Great timeline exhibit of CT history. And the exhibits: so interesting: tavern signs and especially the one about mental health.
-
June 2022 by Cydonie Brown
Omg. One needs at least four hours to fully enjoy everything inside the museum
-
October 2021 by Roman Kondratev
An unexpectedly interesting local history museum. Pleasant staff and an intelligible layout, plus it is located in a chic historical building.
What impressed me most was the display of tavern and bar signs.
-
March 2021 by Rebecca K.
My son and I went to the Connecticut Historical Society as we are transplants and wanted to learn more about our beautiful state. This business is very safe and set up very well for covid. The inside is absolutely lovely and the traveling exhibit was to learn more about the house that is now turned museum. A fun fact was that there's a hidden door in the dining room- now turned gift shop. The staff was very friendly and allowed us to guess where it was and then showed us. This museum is larger than it looks with rich Connecticut history and information. I'd highly recommend it.
-
December 2020 by Kelly C.
This big, beautiful building is not just pretty to look at - it's full of CT history, too. AND it's open (safely) during the pandemic in the winter, so it's the perfect spot to spend an afternoon outside of your home. I met my best friend and her 3-year-old here one day. We paid the entrance fees and went on our merry way. They do have some helpful arrows to move you along and still allow social distancing, but we were the only ones there at the time. Most of the kid-friendly exhibits are dismantled at the moment but they did still have a few hands-on or interactive spots to keep a toddler occupied. The exhibits are mostly dated but I did notice that language had been updated to reflect the changing times (references to "slaves" are now updated to "enslaved people", as it should be) and that was a nice touch. I loved seeing how things have changed in CT even in the past 50 or 100 years. We especially enjoyed the displays of old dresses and different outfits from back in the day. If you're born and raised in Connecticut, this museum won't teach you much that you don't already know. However, it's great to support local museums and especially great to have a reason to leave the house right now - so get out and learn some history!
