connecticut historical society

WendyS662

What made our visit special was the personalized tour and activities they had for our first grade class. I still would have enjoyed it very much on my own. Lots of interesting Native American artifacts and reproductions. Kids can sit in a handmade canoe.

mler13

Wow, took my kiddo for a special event they had for home-school kids. Wonderful experience. Had good little break-out sessions. Exhibits in the museum are interactive and hands-on. Even interesting for adults. Lots of things to touch and buttons to press. Can dress up like a colonial child, sit in a dug-out canoe, make an Native American shoe, etc. Also have changing exhibits of art. Have a great genealogical library with books and original documents. Librarian was super nice and let me take photos of some original documents and letters from my family line. Don't forget the student discount gets you in for $4.

SusanneM26

I spent a good portion of my Saturday afternoon here. I had plenty of time to enjoy the current exhibits including Hartford Seen, The Hartford Courant, Building Hartford, as well as the permanent exhibits including the Veeder Living Room, Making Connecticut, and Inn & Tavern Signs. I also got to spend time in their research room and received plenty of one on one assistance from one of the many friendly and courteous staffers. The mansion that everything is housed in is lovely. I was also impressed with how many hands on activities there were to try out for adults and children alike.

doloresv636

Such a lovely experience! The Katharine Hepburn exhibit was such an exquisite tribute to a beautiful actress. The staff was friendly and helpful the entire afternoon. I especially loved the public tour. I look forward to visiting the museum again with my family.

WillF6364

We are so sorry to hear that what started out as a good visit ended up a disappointment. We take both customer service and the preparation of our staff very seriously, and the exchange that you overheard seems very much out of character. While many museum guides occasionally feel that they have not presented the material to the best of their ability, this does not mean that they have given any false information, often just that they wish they had been able to answer more questions or provide additional background. That being said, there is no excuse for a lapse in judgment that leads to an inappropriate comment being made in public. We hope you will give the CHS another chance and let us prove to you how much we value all of our visitors and their choice to spend time with us.

SeniorTraveller68

If you had ancestors from Connecticut or Massacusetts you must visit this place to look up your genealogy family tree.

pab34

We visited the Historical Society while vacationing in CT solely for the purpose of seeing the Katherine Hepburn exhibit and yet we got so much more! The exhibit was wonderful and the costumes were gorgeous. It was fun to see outfits from some of our favorite classic Hepburn films as well as some from her stage career. There was also a separate, large hands-on area that was perfect for experiencing the history of CT with our teen and younger family members. There was a suspended frame where you could pose with mustaches, hats and a few costumes that provided plenty of fun for our group ranging in age from 10-71 yrs. You could also take a "selfie" with an instant camera and post it to a photo wall. Kudos to the staff who developed this area to reflect the interests and self expressiveness of this generation. Truly a great gem in the city.

Mimivfl73

While in Hartford doing research on my family tree, we decided to also view the museum housed in the same building. I wish we had an entire day to view the exhibits. The Katherine Hepburn costumes were amazing ( such a tiny waist!!) and will be there on display until September. There are many hand-on activities that would appeal to children. This museum has something for everybody and is very well done.

travaillour

This is a lovely restored mansion. The stair case is a marvel. the Katharine Hepburn costumes were on exhibit and well worth the trip.There is a small gift shop. Photos were not allowed. The grounds are lovely. Plenty of parking and buses can pull up to the front.

Travel33871

This is a great place to stop and spend a few hours looking at the various historical exhibits of CT in the past. The hands on exhibits for the kids were wonderful - they had a play kitchen with all sorts of things for the kids to play with, they could dress up i different outfits from the past, and had many interesting exhibits for all ages. We were a party of 6 - and it kept us busy for 2 hours. Our grandchild is only 3 and she was fascinated with many of the hands on exhibits.I would have liked to see more on the native americans we displaced.

HartfordOwl

The Connecticut Historical Society is a museum, a library, and a research center. Check out the current exhibit: "Through a Different Lens: Three Connecticut Women Photographers," browse the impressive "Inn and Tavern Signs" display, or sign up for a specialized tour (Behind-the-Scenes: Treasures from the CHS Collection or Secrets of the Veeder House): they're both great! Additionally, the Connecticut Historical Society Research Center houses thousands of manuscripts, photographs, prints, books, maps, and historical documents: a wealth of information for history buffs or genealogists. And the staff is extra helpful! There is nice little gift shop, too.Website: www.chs.org

mason405

Spent a few hours here on a a Saturday. We took the behind the scenes tour. Worth it if you are going. Alot of things to see. Wish the kids had been with us. Upstairs is Very interactive.

JohnX269

Use your hands to explore connecticuts history. This is a great place for visitors and children. It is very hands on. They have an exhibit on the amistad. They also have a sports exhibit. They have a children area. The gift shop is great. X rating 9.9

hsam

I highly recommend visiting the museum if you live nearby and are looking for something to do on a rainy day. I can't recommend it for out-of-state tourists - not because it isn't a great spot, but if you have limited time in Connecticut, there are other, better things to do and see.The building is fantastic and the grounds are pretty. It's located in a hideaway part of Hartford that most do not know about. The museum provides interesting displays taking visitors through time. My only gripe is that in some cases it could have focused a bit more on Connecticut rather than generic national trends. Otherwise, very compelling displays, activities for kids, nicely laid out. I particularly liked the CT maps that showed the towns and populations through our state's history. Great exhibits and staff is helpful.

HartfordMom

It is a great place to take the kids to have fun and even learn things about CT that you never knew! Your kids learn things while having fun! And if you are interested in learning more about your family and want to do a little genealogy on your family their research center open to the public is awesome.