Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Hartford (must see)

The Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, formerly known as the Connecticut Historical Society, is a nonprofit institution in Hartford that serves as the official historical society of the state. Founded in 1825, it ranks among the oldest historical societies in the United States.

The museum functions as a library, archive, research center, and education hub, open to the public and dedicated to preserving and interpreting the state’s past. Its collection includes over 270,000 artifacts and graphics, more than 100,000 books and pamphlets, and one of New England’s largest assemblies of costumes and textiles.

The society began with an 1825 petition to the Connecticut General Assembly, signed by figures like Thomas Robbins and John Trumbull, aiming to preserve historical materials. After a brief early start, it was revived in 1839, holding meetings above a Main Street store. Educator Henry Barnard helped expand its reach statewide.

The society grew quickly. By 1844, its holdings included thousands of pamphlets, manuscripts, and historical objects. Thomas Robbins, the society’s first librarian, opened the collection six days a week and conducted tours featuring items like a chest belonging to William Brewster, a bloodstained vest from the Battle of Groton Heights, and a tavern sign of General Israel Putnam. Women began participating in leadership roles starting with Ellen D. Larned in 1870.

Under librarian Albert Carlos Bates in the late 19th century, the organization experienced dramatic growth in both membership and resources. In the 1950s–70s, it settled permanently in a former residence on Elizabeth Street, once owned by inventor Curtis Veeder, which was gradually adapted to house exhibitions and collections.

Although ambitious expansion plans in the early 2000s were never realized, the museum has remained active, with notable exhibits on subjects ranging from the Amistad and the American School for the Deaf to Connecticut-made furniture and women’s basketball. In 2023, it officially rebranded as the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, a name that better reflects its mission and broad cultural focus.