Behind the Scenes Tour: Hidden Treasures of the CMCH

A brilliant yellow 1860’s silk gown worn to Lincoln’s inauguration. A hat proudly bearing a “G. Fox” label. Abel Buel’s first map of the United States. A Loyalist’s “redcoat” from the Revolutionary War. A gorgeous example of Connecticut Valley furniture. And an item with a dramatic connection to a presidential assassination. These are just a few of our favorites of the 265,000 artifacts and images in the CMCH collection. None of these treasures are currently on display, but you can come behind the scenes and see them for yourself and learn about how we care for these special items in our charge.

When you visit our beautiful and informative exhibits, you are actually experiencing only a tiny fraction of the CMCH collection. Hanging under muslin, placed carefully on shelves, hiding in drawers, the objects and images that tell the story of Connecticut are waiting to be shared. We invite you to experience that history in a way only a very few can–come and explore with an all-access pass to see hidden treasures of Connecticut history and learn about how museums work. The tour lasts approximately 1 hour and takes visitors to the non-public areas of the museum to explore the riches of the CMCH collections.

$10 for CMCH members, $15 for non-members.

TICKETS AVAILABLE ONLINE HERE.

Limited space. Preregistration required. Questions? Contact Adult Programs Manager Natalie Belanger, at natalie_belanger@chs.org, or by phone at (860) 236-5621, ext. 289.