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February 2013
Current Exhibit:
Cooking by the Book: Amelia Simmons to Martha Stewart
Through April 13, 2013
An exhibit created by students from Central Connecticut State University and the University of Hartford exploring culture and values through iconic cookbooks. For more information, visit our Exhibits page.
Current Exhibit:
Cats & Dogs in Art and Life
Through April 6, 2013
For more information, including how your cat or dog can be part of the exhibit, visit our Exhibit page.
Ongoing Exhibit:
Making Connecticut
Ongoing
Visit our Exhibit page to learn about our other ongoing exhibits.
Micro-Exhibit: Cats & Dogs in Sound and Music: Inspired by Cats & Dogs in Art and Life
Ongoing
For more information, visit our Exhibit page.
Behind-the-Scenes Tours: CHS Undressed
$5 members | $15 non-members
NEW DATE: SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 11:00 AM
What does it take to get our costume mannequins all dressed up and ready for display in our
Making Connecticut exhibit? It takes a little anatomy, a lot of petticoats, and the expertise of Karen DePauw, our costumes collections specialist. Learn all about her fascinating job and the intricate process of getting dressed--and undressed--at the CHS.
Join us every Second Saturday of the month for a different sneak peek into non-public storage areas and see some of the Connecticut Historical Society collection not currently on exhibit. Tours last approximately 45 minutes and are appropriate for ages 12 and up. Tour price includes general admission. Space is limited. Don't be disappointed--buy tickets in advance! Tickets are available online until noon the day prior to the tour. For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x289 or email Jenny Steadman.
Family Program: Story and Crafts at the Museum
Tuesday, February 19 | 10:00 - 11:00 am | children FREE with adult admission | members FREE
Join us for story-time at the Connecticut Historical Society! Children will listen to a story, make a simple craft to take home, and have time to explore our hands-on exhibits. This program is recommended for children ages 5 and under; all children must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x222 or email Erin Strogoff.
Secrets of the Veeder House Tour
Saturday, February 23 | 11:00 am & 1:00 pm | FREE for members | $4-8 non-members
From the servants' quarters to the original elevator, this is a rare opportunity to explore the architecture and see some of the non-public details of the 1928 house that is now the Connecticut Historical Society. Tours last approximately 45 minutes and are appropriate for ages 12 and up. Tour price includes general admission. Space is limited. Don't be disappointed--buy tickets in advance! Tickets are available online until noon the day prior to the tour. For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x289 or email Jenny Steadman.
March 2013
Free Admission to the Museum Galleries
Saturday, March 2 | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Please note that free admission does not include the Research Center.
Family Program: Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss!
Saturday, March 2 | Drop-in between 10:00 am & 1:00 pm | FREE
Celebrate Dr. Seuss's birthday at the Connecticut Historical Society! We will have a reading of The Cat in the Hat in our Cats & Dogs in Art and Life exhibit at 10:15 am, 11:15 am, and 12:15 pm. After the story, kids can make and decorate their own Cat in the Hat-style hat to wear home! For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x222 or email Erin Strogoff.
Cats and Dogs Exhibit Program: NEADS/Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans Visits the CHS
Saturday, March 2 | 1:00 - 2:00 pm | FREE
For almost 35 years, NEADS/Dogs for Deaf and Disabled Americans has been helping disabled people recover the independence they deserve, and this assistance comes in a package that is not only highly skilled, but also cute, loving, and dedicated: a NEADS dog. Come and hear all about NEADS and meet one of their dogs at this family-friendly CHS program. For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x289 or email Jenny Steadman.
Behind-the-Scenes Tours: Women's History Month--From Corsets to Spanx: Have We Come a Long Way, Baby?
Saturday, March 9 | 11:00 am & 1:00 pm | $5 members | $15 non-members
Corsets, hoops, and the dresses they helped women squeeze into shaped not only women's bodies, but their lives. See these nineteenth-century undergarments first hand, along with popular women's magazines of the day to learn how women followed the latest fashions, but also fought against clothes and ideas that confined them as they argued for women's health, freedom, and political participation.
Join us every Second Saturday of the month for a different sneak peek into non-public storage areas and see some of the Connecticut Historical Society collection not currently on exhibit. Tours last approximately 45 minutes and are appropriate for ages 12 and up. Tour price includes general admission. Space is limited. Don't be disappointed--buy tickets in advance! Tickets are available online until noon the day prior to the tour. For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x289 or email Jenny Steadman.
Putting the Genes in Geneaology: DNA and Family History
Saturday, March 9 | 3:00 - 4:30 pm | $10 Science Center & CHS members | $15 non-members
Connecticut Science Center Staff Scientist Stephanie Airoldi will visit the Connecticut Historical Society to explain the science behind DNA, demonstrating the extraction of DNA from wheat germ and showing how to read genetic code to determine family relationships. CHS genealogists will pick up the story from there, explaining how new genetic technology builds on more traditional methods of telling the stories of our ancestors. Space is limited and pre-registration is recommended. Register online or call (860) 236-5621 x289 or email Jenny Steadman for more information.
Family Program: Story and Crafts at the Museum
Tuesday, March 19 | 10:00 - 11:00 am | children FREE with adult admission | members FREE
Join us for story-time at the Connecticut Historical Society! Children will listen to a story, make a simple craft to take home, and have time to explore our hands-on exhibits. This program is recommended for children ages 5 and under; all children must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x222 or email Erin Strogoff.
Lecture: William Hosley, "Emily S. G. Holcombe: Champion of Connecticut State Pride"
Wednesday, March 20 | 5:30 - 7:00 pm | $5 for CHS members | $10 non-members
Celebrate women's history month by learning about Emily Seymour Goodwin Holcombe with acclaimed historian and lecturer, Bill Hosley. Preservationist, activist, collector, museum-maker, and civic visionary, Emily Seymour Goodwin Holcombe (1852-1922) was a champion and advocate for Connecticut State Pride. Mrs. Holcombe was a pioneer among the first generation of antiquarians, collectors, and preservationists, and her path-breaking projects--including the first large-scale restoration of a graveyard in the United States, launching the campaign that saved the Old State House, transforming the Oliver Ellsworth House in Windsor into one of Connecticut's first house museums, and organizing the largest public display of early American antiques ever mounted at the St. Louis World's Fair--are only part of her legacy. She shared her passion for history with her family and was the mother and grandmother of accomplished leaders in historic preservation and heritage education, including her grandson, the late Shepherd M. Holcombe. William Hosley has spent his career teaching and advocating for Connecticut's rich history. He has written five books, scores of articles and delivered lectures all over the United States on topics ranging from art and Americana to urbanism, place-making, and historic preservation.
Tickets may be purchased online and will be sold at the door. Light refreshments will be served. For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x289 or email Jenny Steadman.
Secrets of the Veeder House Tour
Saturday, March 23 | 11:00 am & 1:00 pm | FREE for members | $4-8 non-members
From the servants' quarters to the original elevator, this is a rare opportunity to explore the architecture and see some of the non-public details of the 1928 house that is now the Connecticut Historical Society. Tours last approximately 45 minutes and are appropriate for ages 12 and up. Tour price includes general admission. Space is limited. Don't be disappointed--buy tickets in advance! Tickets are available online until noon the day prior to the tour. For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x289 or email Jenny Steadman.
April 2013
Free Admission to the Museum Galleries
Saturday, April 6 | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Please note that free admission does not include the Research Center.
Family Program: Kids in the Kitchen
Saturday, April 6 | 10:00 am - 1:00 pm | FREE
Explore our Cooking by the Book: Amelia Simmons to Martha Stewart exhibit, and then join us to decorate your very own apron. Bring your apron home and use it the next time that you help out in the kitchen! All supplies are provided by CHS. For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x222 or email Erin Strogoff.
Behind-the-Scenes Tours: The Civil War 150 Years Later
Saturday, April 13 | 11:00 am & 1:00 pm | $5 members | $15 non-members
In honor of the Civil War 150th Anniversary Commemoration, take this rare opportunity to see Civil War-related material not usually on view to the public, including examples of private letters between soldiers and their families, uniforms, swords, guns and bayonets, and more. The tour culminates with the flag that decorated President Lincoln's box at Ford's Theater the night he was assassinated.
Join us every Second Saturday of the month for a different sneak peek into non-public storage areas and see some of the Connecticut Historical Society collection not currently on exhibit. Tours last approximately 45 minutes and are appropriate for ages 12 and up. Tour price includes general admission. Space is limited. Don't be disappointed--buy tickets in advance! Tickets are available online until noon the day prior to the tour. For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x289 or email Jenny Steadman.
Family Program: April Vacation at the Connecticut Historical Society
Tuesday, April 16 - Friday, April 19 | 12:00 - 5:00 pm | FREE with regular museum admission
Looking for something fun to do during April vacation? Visit the CHS and explore the exhibits using our fun family activity sheets. Children and adults work together to search for objects, try out exhibit interactives, and find answers to questions. To celebrate the school vacation, any child who completes a sheet will receive a prize! This program is recommended for children 10 and under.
For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x222 or email Erin Strogoff.
Family Program: Story and Crafts at the Museum
Tuesday, April 16 | 10:00 - 11:00 am | children FREE with adult admission | members FREE
Join us for story-time at the Connecticut Historical Society! Children will listen to a story, make a simple craft to take home, and have time to explore our hands-on exhibits. This program is recommended for children ages 5 and under; all children must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x222 or email Erin Strogoff.
Family Program: Story and Crafts at the Museum
Wednesday, April 17 | 10:00 - 11:00 am | children FREE with adult admission | members FREE
Join us for story-time at the Connecticut Historical Society! Children will listen to a story, make a simple craft to take home, and have time to explore our hands-on exhibits. This program is recommended for children ages 5 and under; all children must be accompanied by an adult.
For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x222 or email Erin Strogoff.
New Exhibit Opens:
Handweavers' Guild of Connecticut Biennial Show
April 20 - May 17, 2013
For more information, visit our Upcoming Exhibits page.
New Exhibit Opens:
This Won't Hurt a Bit! Relieving Pain, from Root Canals to Amputations
April 25 - September 28, 2013
For more information, visit our Upcoming Exhibits page.
Secrets of the Veeder House Tour
Saturday, April 27 | 11:00 am & 1:00 pm | FREE for members | $4-8 non-members
From the servants' quarters to the original elevator, this is a rare opportunity to explore the architecture and see some of the non-public details of the 1928 house that is now the Connecticut Historical Society. Tours last approximately 45 minutes and are appropriate for ages 12 and up. Tour price includes general admission. Space is limited. Don't be disappointed--buy tickets in advance! Tickets are available online until noon the day prior to the tour. For more information, call (860) 236-5621 x289 or email Jenny Steadman.
May 2013
Free Admission to the Museum Galleries
Saturday, May 4 | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Please note that free admission does not include the Research Center.
Special Event/Family Program: Handweavers Guild of Connecticut Demonstration Day
Saturday, May 4 | 10:00 am - 2:00 pm | FREE
Check back for more information! Photo courtesy of Jody MacBeth Brewer.
In the Community
See what else we're doing around Connecticut! Visit our In the Community page.