The Connecticut Historical Society is a non-profit museum, library, and education center, which collects, preserves and interprets the history of the diverse people — past and present — who have made our state their home.

Established in Hartford in 1825, The Connecticut Historical Society is the seventh oldest historical society in the nation and houses one of the most distinguished museum and library collections in New England. The museum’s collections include more than 200,000 prints and photographs and 35,000 objects, with strengths in 17th and 18th century furniture; costume and textiles; portraits and landscapes; tavern and trade signs; Native American baskets; decorative arts; toys; and tools.The library is one of four major repositories for the state along with Yale, the State Library, and the University of Connecticut. The library holds more than 100,000 volumes and nearly three million manuscripts, including one of the nation’s finest genealogical collections.

The CHS offers a wide range of programs, including family programs, lectures, tours, lunch-time collection talks, decorative arts workshops, teacher workshops, symposia, classroom presentations, traveling exhibitions, activity books, video presentations, inter-district school programs, History Day, outdoor programs, and theatrical presentations.

One Elizabeth Street at Asylum Avenue
Hartford, CT 06105
Tel: (860) 236-5621
Fax: (860) 236-2664
Email: ask_us@chs.org

By Car

• From Interstate Route 84, west of downtown Hartford, take exit 46 (Sisson Avenue). Turn right at the end of the ramp onto Sisson Avenue.
• At the second traffic light turn left onto Farmington Avenue. Go one block and turn right onto Girard Avenue (at Shell station).
• At the second intersection turn right onto Elizabeth Street. The Connecticut Historical Society, with ample free parking, is the second drive on the right.

• The A Route will get you to the corner of Asylum Avenue and Elizabeth Street (A1-ASYLUM AV-Bishops Corner-Cigna) or right in front of the CHS (A2-ASYLUM AV-Fern St). The S1 Route will drop you off at Asylum Avenue and Woodland Street, from there walk west to the corner of Asylum Avenue and Elizabeth Street. The CHS will be on the south (left) side.
• The E, E1, E2, E3, E4, E5, E6 & E7 routes have stops at Farmington Avenue and Girard Avenue. From there, walk two blocks down Girard Avenue to Elizabeth Street and turn right. The CHS is the second driveway on the right.

For a service that provides more generalized maps of Hartford and includes a route planning feature, click here.

• Museum Galleries: noon to 5 pm, Tuesday through Sunday
• Library: 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday
• Last admission at 4:15 pm

Closed Mondays, New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

• Admission is FREE for CHS members and children aged six years and under.
• One-day pass to museum galleries for non-members: $6 adults, $3 seniors (60 and over), $3 students (with valid college ID), $3 youth (6-17).
• One-day pass to the library for non-members: $6 adults, $3 seniors (60 and over), $3 students (with valid college ID), $3 youth (6-17).
• In addition visitors to the library may purchase multi-visit passes:
  • Adults (3 visits): $15
  • Seniors, students and youth (5 visits): $10
• Admission may apply to programs and events. Please call (860) 236-5621 for information.
• Free admission to the museum galleries the first Saturday and Sunday of every month

Learn more about our future exhibtions or our event schedule for programs and attractions coming to the CHS, or join our FREE mailing list for frequent updates to our program and events schedule.