Visit the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, a hidden gem in Hartford

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — The Connecticut Museum of Culture and History is a hidden gem for families in Hartford.

“The goal of the museum is to make people more aware of where they come from,” says Katerina Mazzacane, youth and family programs manager at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History.

Become an amateur historian at the museum, which explores 400 years of the state’s past, starting in 1600.

“We really just try to highlight a lot of different stories of Connecticut. A lot of times, people aren’t aware of how many stories there are in Connecticut and how many people and products have come from here,” said Mazzacane, who begins our tour in the Inspire Center, a hands-on space where families can be creative. “We show them objects from our collection and encourage them to use those as inspiration to then invent something new.”

The museum, originally called the Connecticut Historical Society, is a Smithsonian affiliate.

Its building, once an inventor’s home, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and features beautiful green space for outdoor events.

“We are in the Richard Scarry Book Nook of our exhibit called Connecticut’s Bookshelf ,” Mazzacane said, noting that Scarry was a local author who based his classic Busytown on Ridgefield.

Folks can see vintage comic books and even partake in storytimes twice a month.

“We are standing in the Colonial kitchen of one of our exhibits called Making Connecticut,” said Mazzacane as she showcased a cool spot that allows children to dress up in Colonial clothes and learn about hearth cooking in a one-room cabin.

“Play is important for kids, but it’s also important for adults, and so we really try to encourage the parents and the older siblings to get involved in the interactive spaces,” Mazzacane said.

The auditorium also delights visitors of all ages, showing the largest collection of tavern signs in New England.

“These tavern signs range from early 1700s all the way through the 1800s,” she said.

So plan a trip to this unique destination, open Tuesday through Sunday, for a trip back in time through our familiar surroundings.

“It really is just a great place to come. You can learn different things, you can picnic on our grounds, there are a lot of different ways to enjoy the space here,” Mazzacane said.

Coming up on June 1, the museum is hosting a special family day geared around classic sports with visitors from the Hartford area roller derby. In August, check out a Beat the Heat event.

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