Youth & Families

Extended Hours! Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm, until 8 pm on Thursdays, Sunday noon - 5 pm.

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The Connecticut Museum for Families

The Connecticut Museum is a great place to visit with kids! Come on your own and explore the interactive exhibits, or join us for one of our many fun family programs!

Programs for Children and Families at the Connecticut Museum

Join us for one of our many youth and family programs offered at the Connecticut Museum. Visit our calendar to see what family programs are coming up soon at the museum!

Inspire Center

Every Saturday and Sunday families can explore, create, and invent in the Inspire Center! Using inspiration from Curtis Veeder, a Connecticut inventor, and the unique objects in the Connecticut Museum’s collection, the Inspire Center brings history and problem-solving together in this hands-on, creative space designed for visitors of all ages! Visit the Inspire Center page for more information.

Inspire Center made possible thanks to generous support from the Gawlicki Family Foundation.

Free First Weekend Family Programs

On the first weekend of every month, the Connecticut Museum offers free admission to the museum exhibits and Inspire Center. On Saturday, join us for a fun free family program. These drop-in family programs are typically scheduled from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm and involve a craft or activity for children and caregivers to work on together. Free First Weekend Family Programs are designed to be open ended and are usually appropriate for children ages 4 and up. No registration is required.

These programs are made possible through the generous support of Berkshire Bank.

Family Activity Kits

Family activity kits are available for pick up during all open hours and are included with the cost of admission. No need to reserve them in advance, simply pick them up during your visit! Each kit will include historic background information, images of items in the Connecticut Museum collection, and hands-on activities to complete at home. The themes and activities will change every other month.

  • March – April: Vote for Me!
    Uncover the history of the fight for woman suffrage! Families will explore the symbols, colors, and slogans of the Suffrage Movement, and then create their own “Votes for Women” sash.
  • May – June: Comics and Capes
    Did you know Connecticut was the first state in America to print a comic book? Take a fun-filled journey into the world of superheroes and comic books! Using inspiration from Connecticut comic books, families will create their own superhero, design a comic book cover, and more!
  • July – August: Play in the Past
    If you were a kid long ago, what kinds of games would you have played? Families will explore popular games from long ago and then learn how to make them using everyday household materials!
  • September – October: Touchdown Timeline
    Did you know Connecticut was a big part of football even before the NFL? Get a peek inside the historic world of our state’s football teams, players, coaches, and mascots. With inspiration from CT sports history, families will design their own equipment, player cards, and more.

History To Go Bags

Learn, create, and explore! History To Go Bags are a great way to experience hands-on, educational fun! These family activity kits include historical background information, activity instructions, necessary supplies, and a road trip map to sites throughout the state! Click here for more information and to place your order!

School Vacation Programs

Join us during your school’s summer or winter break for a vacation program for kids and families. Check out our upcoming events page for more information.

Planning Your Visit

Strollers are welcome in the museum. Please see our visitor’s map for more information about the location of the accessible entrance and elevators to help you easily move around the museum.

There is a family restroom with a baby-changing station on the first floor, directly behind the Welcome Desk. There are women’s and men’s restrooms as well.

Our gift shop has a selection of kid-friendly souvenirs for sale, as well as snacks and beverages. Please note that food and beverages are not allowed in exhibit spaces. There are fast food and area restaurants close to the museum, please ask at the Welcome Desk for recommendations.

We ask that parents and caregivers take an active role in their children’s behavior during their visit to ensure that everyone has an enjoyable experience.  Help prepare your kids for their visit by reviewing good museum manners before or during your visit.

  • Remember to use walking feet in a museum.
  • There are lots of fun things that we can touch and play with in the exhibits, but there are also things, like historic artifacts, that we can’t touch because we could damage or break the artifacts.
  • Please help us keep our historic artifacts safe by keeping food and drinks out of the exhibits. Food and drink can be consumed outdoors on the picnic tables, in the Auditorium Lobby, or in the Veeder Living Room.

Visiting On Your Own


Explore our family-friendly exhibits! In our permanent exhibit Making Connecticut, kids can dress up in historic costumes, try out life in a colonial home, “build” a town on one of our magnet boards, work a World War II assembly line, and try other hands-on activities.

Pick up a family activity booklet at the Welcome Desk to help your family find fun activities around the museum! These booklets are available in English and Spanish.

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Location

One Elizabeth Street
Hartford CT, 06105

860.236.5621

 

Museum Hours:

Tuesday - Saturday 10 am - 5 pm, Thursday until 8 pm
Sunday 12 pm - 5 pm

Research Center Hours:

Tuesday-Saturday 12 pm - 5 pm, Thursday until 8 pm
Always by appointment only.