Any questions? Call Education Coordinator Rebecca Gross at (860) 236-5621 x 232.

Forgeries, theft, murder: our museum is full of artifacts that tell stories of long-ago crime and punishment.  This presentation uncovers stories from Connecticut’s past – and shows how our modern obsession with the true crime genre isn’t so modern after all. 

In 1944, one of the worst fire disasters in American history occurred in Hartford. The circus fire has lived in the memories of survivors and the imaginations of Connecticans ever since. In this presentation, photos and artifacts from the Connecticut Museum’s collection will help tell the stories of that day. The presentation will examine the ways in which Connecticans have continued to identify, honor, and bring justice to the victims in the intervening decades.

In the 1870s, 120 boys from China, most of them barely teenagers, came to Connecticut to participate in a groundbreaking scheme: a cultural and educational exchange program. The boys boarded ships and trains, leaving everything familiar, with the expectations of a nation on their shoulders. The story of the boys of the Chinese Educational Mission is a story of hopes, dreams, sacrifice, and the life-changing experience of international exchange. 

Designed for adults with memory loss. 

This interactive, conversation-based program uses images, music from the 40s-60s, and hands-on objects such as historic toys to promote conversation among participants about their childhoods. This program welcomes participants to think about their past, and share their memories with others. Objects, images, music, and questions will spark reminiscences and conversation. This engaging program is best suited to individuals with early to mid-stage dementia.

With a stage and film career that spanned six decades, Katharine Hepburn is an American icon. Born and raised in Connecticut, Hepburn had a career in stage, film and television that reflected the changing role of women in broader society. Challenging the norms of the day, she took control of her image and identity by establishing a unique sense of style which influenced countless women, fashion designers, and the informal, elegant approach to American style that continues to resonate today. The story of her life-long ties to Connecticut offers a complete picture of how Hepburn became the woman and the star she was. This presentation will link her career and legacy to her roots in Connecticut to ask how she achieved her truly extraordinary legacy.

The harrowing story of the hanging of witches in Colonial New England continues to haunt our present-day imagination. The trials and executions of witches in Connecticut predated the more famous Salem witch panic by over 40 years. Hear the stories of some of the women and men accused, tried, and executed as witches and learn how Connecticut successfully controlled the spread of witch accusations long before Salem erupted in panic and violence.

For over a century, G. Fox & Co. was a fixture in downtown Hartford. Over the years, the department store established itself as a premiere shopping destination with a commitment to superior customer service. Join us for an overview of the history of the store and the story of Beatrice Fox Auerbach, the pioneering businesswoman who led G. Fox & Co. through its golden age.

Which side are you on? That’s the question that every single person in Connecticut had to answer in 1775, as the thirteen colonies began a rebellion against British rule. Loyalty was not only a matter of words or opinion. For soldiers and civilians alike, loyalty could mean loss of fortune, of friends, and even of life. This presentation reveals stories – some well known, some obscure – of Nutmeggers who risked and sacrificed to support their chosen side during this “tumultuous jarring time of civil war.”

In this program, we’ll take you on a tour of items from our collection representing a spectrum of the Black experience in CT. You’ll learn about a Harlem Renaissance writer, Ann Petry, who carefully preserved artifacts chronicling the black community of Saybrook. Examine daguerreotypes by Augustus Washington, who abandoned a successful Hartford photography business to build a new nation in Africa. Browse through the photo album of a Hollywood actress who became a champion of labor rights for black entertainers. Marvel at the gorgeous costumes created by CT’s West Indian community for their annual MAS celebration, and see artifacts documenting the Civil Rights movement in our state.

How did the women of CT work for – or against – the right to vote? In this program, we’ll look at photos, letters and pamphlets from our collection to understand one of the most hard-fought political battles of American history. You’ll learn about suffragists like Katharine Houghton Hepburn, Mary Townsend Seymour, and Isabella Beecher Hooker, as well as some CT women who fought tooth-and-nail against women getting the vote (what was up with them?).

“Rosie the Riveter” became an iconic image of working women during World War II. What was it really like for them? We’ll look at propaganda posters, art, music, photos, and hear real-life accounts of Connecticut women who worked for victory in the war.

What was life like on the home front during WWI? Learn about this dramatic time during which CT confronted women’s demand for the vote, a deadly flu epidemic, and mass immigration — all while sending thousands of men and women to the front.

Taverns in early Connecticut were more than just a place to drink. Travelers and locals alike saw taverns as a place to be entertained, spread news and gossip, have a good meal, and get a night’s lodging. Learn about how taverns were an essential part of every Connecticut town.

From colonial to modern times, how did Connecticans tie the knot? How did they celebrate? What did they wear? And how did some of our cherished wedding customs originate? This program uses CMCH’s extensive collection of wedding clothing, accessories, photographs and prints to examine some of our ideas about what makes a “traditional” wedding, and what those traditions can reveal about how ideas about marriage have changed through the years.

A woman born in 1850 who lived for 80 years would have seen fashion change dramatically in her lifetime. This program will walk you through our Costume and Textile collection to see how women’s clothing transitioned from the iron reign of the hoopskirt to the relative freedom of the flapper dress.

Hair jewelry? Creepy puppets? Corpse preserver? This presentation explores some of the Connecticut Museum’s strangest items. Discover how even the oddest artifacts can be gateways into a deeper understanding and appreciation of our state’s history.