Calling all explorers! Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner as we look closely at maps made by Bernard Romans, a Connecticut mapmaker. Then, travel through Connecticut towns using historic maps! This episode will be released on Saturday, April 25 at 10:00 am.
Find out more »Are you a true history detective? Join us on this fun-filled history quest! Using only a map as your guide, solve riddles and explore the museum in search of clues to uncover the unique stories of Connecticut’s past.
Find out more »Do you have a favorite sport? What about a favorite athlete? Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories to uncover the story of a professional basketball player from Connecticut! This episode will be released on Sunday, April 26 at 10:00 am.
Find out more »Give a warm welcome to spring with a special May Day celebration! Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner to explore the history of the maypole and other springtime traditions. Then, create your own May basket with your family! This episode will be released on Wednesday, April 29 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »**This event is postponed** Learn about the rise and fall of silk manufacturing in America with guest speaker Madelyn Shaw, Curator of Textiles at the National Museum of American History, Smithsonian Institution.
Find out more »Join us online for a conversation about “Charles”, the title character in Shirley Jackson’s lighthearted story of a very naughty little boy.
Find out more »What? A wooden ham? Why would you make such a thing? Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories as we take a close look at this wacky artifact from the CHS collection. We’ll find out how it connects to one of Connecticut’s most well-known historic legends. This episode will be released on Wednesday, May 6 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »This week, our short story club tackles “The First Seven Years”, a Bernard Malamud story about a simple shoemaker’s search for a husband for his daughter.
Find out more »**Update: All the spots in this program have been claimed! We will run “Witches in Connecticut” for a future online Coffee Hour — keep an eye on this page, our social media and weekly email newsletter for more information!** Did you know that the first American witch trial was in Connecticut? Join this interactive online program to learn more about Connecticut’s history of witch hunting.
Find out more »Did you know every quilt is unique? Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner as we look closely at quilts from the CHS collection. We’ll discover how basic shapes, like triangles and diamonds, can be used to create unique patterns. Then, design your own quilt square! This episode will be released on Wednesday, May 13 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Join us online to chat about Susan Glaspell’s “A Jury of Her Peers,” a feminist mystery from 1917 based on a real-life murder case in rural Iowa.
Find out more »Grab a snack and settle in front of your favorite device to learn some stories about espionage from the American Revolution in this interactive program. You’ll meet some famous spies and some that are not so well-known.
Find out more »Imagine you were a kid 70 years ago! What toys would you have played with? Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories to explore some popular toys from the 1950s and 1960s and discover what they can tell us about the past! This episode will be released on Wednesday, May 20 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Join us online to chat about Hemingway’s 1927 work, “Hills Like White Elephants.”
Find out more »Uncover your family’s unique history! Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner as we investigate how historic objects and oral histories can help uncover the fascinating stories of your ancestors. Then, work with your family to create a family tree! This episode will be released on Wednesday, May 27 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Casual chat about classic short stories. This week’s selection is Kate Chopin’s “A Pair of Silk Stockings”. Join us!
Find out more »Did you know that the first American witch trial was in Connecticut? Join this interactive online program to learn more about Connecticut’s history of witch hunting.
Find out more »Did you know that the first American witch trial was in Connecticut? Join this interactive online program to learn more about Connecticut’s history of witch hunting.
Find out more »Travel back in time with art! Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories to discover how historic artwork can help us connect with the past. Explore the fascinating story of Governor Jonathan Trumbull by looking closely at a unique drawing from the CHS collection. This episode will be released on June 3 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Join us online to learn about the evolution of the white wedding dress, using examples from our collection.
Find out more »Have some good old fashioned fun in the summer sun! If you were a kid long ago, what games would you have played? Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner to find out! Join my family and me as we explore some popular games from the past, and then get outside and try them with your family! This episode will be released Wednesday, June 10 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Join us for casual chat about short works of literature. This week’s selection: “The Lovely Troubled Daughters of Our Old Crowd” by John Updike.
Find out more »Join us for an overview of the history of Hartford’s most iconic department store and the story of Beatrice Fox Auerbach, the pioneering businesswoman who led G. Fox & Co. through its golden age.
Find out more »Why is Connecticut often called the nutmeg state? What is a nutmeg anyway? Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories to uncover the fascinating story behind this Connecticut nickname! Then, try out a special recipe featuring nutmeg and make a delicious treat for your family!
Find out more »Join us as we look at collection items that tell the stories of black Connecticans, both ordinary and extraordinary, from the 1600s to today.
Find out more »Enjoy live, world-class storytelling from the comfort of your home, led by 45-time Moth StorySLAM champion and acclaimed author Matt Dicks.
Find out more »Experience Connecticut’s magical history! Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner as we learn about Albert Walker, a famous Connecticut magician from the late 1800s. Then, learn how to create and perform a magic trick that will astound your entire family! This episode will be released on Wednesday, June 24 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Online program! Join us for a free screening of “Auntie”, a film that examines the lives of Caribbean families separated by migration, followed by a community discussion. All ages welcome!
Find out more »Join us for casual conversation about classic short works of literature. This week we’re reading legendary Hartford poet Wallace Stevens.
Find out more »Join us for our first virtual summer concert, with Dan Foster and Eric McDonald, and special appearances from the Irish dancers of Scoil Rince Luimni. We can’t all be out on the lawn at CHS, but you can enjoy this performance anywhere, showing at 5pm, Thursday June 25 on the CHS Youtube Channel. Dan Foster and Eric McDonald play traditional Irish music. With Dan on the fiddle and Eric playing guitar and singing vocals, their repertoire includes music that goes…
Find out more »Join us for an overview of the history of Hartford’s most iconic department store and the story of Beatrice Fox Auerbach, the pioneering businesswoman who led G. Fox & Co. through its golden age.
Find out more »Have you ever wondered why people always look unhappy in historic photos? Were they always bored? Did they just dislike smiling? Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories to investigate this mystery! Then, find your favorite family photo and share it with us! This episode will be released on Wednesday, July 1 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Where did colonists get their food? What did they like to eat? Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner to travel back in time and explore life during colonial times! Then, learn how to make a special colonial recipe! This episode will be released on Wednesday, July 8 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »This week’s online story club takes on Dashiell Hammett, the master of “hardboiled detective” fiction.
Find out more »Browse through our clothing collection to see the dramatic change in women’s clothing from the Civil War era to the Roaring ’20’s.
Find out more »Have you ever heard of Sergeant Stubby? Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories and uncover the story of Sergeant Stubby, a heroic dog from WWI, and celebrate his many acts of bravery during the war. This episode will be released at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Celebrate the release of Hamilton on Disney + by tuning in to this live, online talk. We’ll learn what this amazing musical gets right and gets wrong about Alexander Hamilton, the American Revolution, and the birth of the United States — and about why all that matters.
Find out more »***SOLD OUT!*** What was it like to step into a tavern in early Connecticut? Join this virtual program to find out!
Find out more »What is a telegraph? How is it used to send messages using Morse code? Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner and put your code-breaking skills to the test! Join us as we explore the history of Morse Code and work together to decipher this unique language of dots and dashes. This episode will be released on Wednesday, July 22 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Join us to discuss an excerpt from the autobiography of Dakota Sioux activist and author Zitkala-Sa.
Find out more »Explore the Connecticut roots of this legendary actress.
Find out more »Have you ever seen a bicycle like this? Do you think it would be easy to ride? Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories to find out! Look closely at a variety of Connecticut-made bicycles and investigate the many ways they have evolved throughout history.
Find out more »An event every month that begins at 9:00 am on day First of the month, repeating until August 31, 2020
Free admission to the museum galleries all day. Please note that free admission does not include the Waterman Research Center.
Find out more »Bang! Zap! Kapow! Journey into the world of some of Connecticut’s most well-known superheroes, including the Invisible Scarlet O’Neil. Then, create your own superhero identity and design part of your costume! This episode will be released on Wednesday, August 5 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Join us for Hartford hip-hop artists Tang and DJ Stealth! Chat with fellow concert-goers during the YouTube Concert Premiere at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQ7kJPjm_O8. John Manselle-Young, known around Hartford as Tang Sauce or Tang, has musical roots that go deep in African-American tradition. He is an active part of the Hartford arts community, performing widely as a B-boy, theatrical performer, and musician. His hip-hop performances have earned him recognition from Abiodun Oyewole of The Last Poets, a group founded in 1968 that has…
Find out more »Journey through our collection to find objects that tell the stories of Black Connecticans, both ordinary and extraordinary, from the 1600s to today.
Find out more »What candy was a popular treat for soldiers during WWII? What made this candy so unique? Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner to find out! Explore how candy was used to fuel U.S. soldiers during the war, and then make a special chocolate treat to enjoy with your family! This episode will be released on Wednesday, August 12 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »**Rescheduled from August 6** Our literary club takes on Zora Neale Hurston’s “Drenched in Light”, a story about a young Black girl with an indomitable spirit.
Find out more »Why are the mourners in this elaborate embroidery all missing heads? We don’t know! Tune in to this interactive, online program to learn about this item and some of the other weird, confounding, and bizarre stuff in our museum!
Find out more »What is weaving? What makes it so important? Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories and help us welcome our special guests, Tseyang and Tentso, weavers from Tibet. Join us as they share the story of their family’s connection with weaving while looking closely at some of their handmade items. This episode will be released on Wednesday, August 19 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Join us for a discussion about a dark moral fable by genre master Ursula K. Le Guin.
Find out more »Connecticans lived through a pandemic 100 years ago. What was it like? Join us to find out, through the eyes of a few residents who experienced it first-hand.
Find out more »Join us from home to hear storytellers from around the world tell true stories about lived experiences around the theme of “Letting Go,” led by 45-time Moth StorySLAM champion and 6-time GrandSLAM champion Matthew Dicks,
Find out more »What is a tavern sign? Why do so many of them feature images of animals? Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories to find out! Look closely at some of the tavern signs in the CHS collection to discover the stories they tell about life long ago. This episode will be released on Wednesday, August 26 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Join us for a deep dive into one of our new exhibits, “Fighting on the Home Front: Propaganda Posters of WWII,” on loan from the Detroit Historical Society.
Find out more »Join us as we cover a Raymond Chandler thriller about a busy night at a hotel full of shady characters.
Find out more »Do you have what it takes to be a spy? Pick up a Free First Saturday Grab-and-Go-Bag and find out! Investigate the hidden history of spies in Connecticut and then challenge yourself to decode messages using a Revolutionary War-era cipher!
Find out more »3…2…1…Blast off! Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner to take a journey into space! Explore Connecticut’s role in the space industry, learn how our state helped astronauts travel to space, and then create your very own rocket ship! This episode will be released on Wednesday, September 9th at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Join us online to chat with CHS staff about the suffrage movement in CT, and get a glimpse of some of the stories featured in our newest exibit, “A Vote of Her Own: The Long Fight for Woman Suffrage.”
Find out more »We invite all CHS members to join us for the Connecticut Historical Society Annual Members’ Meeting…
Find out more »Join us to explore Edward P. Jones’s story, “All Aunt Hagar’s Children.”
Find out more »Turn back the hands of time! Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories to learn about Daniel Burnap, a well-known clockmaker from Connecticut. Look closely at some of his unique clock designs and explore his impact on the clock-making industry in Connecticut. This episode will be released on Wednesday, September 23 at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »Join CHS and the Aurora Women and Girls Foundation to learn about women of color who fought for the vote in 20th-century Connecticut, and the ways that women’s civic leadership impacts Greater Hartford today.
Find out more »Join us and the Maanudam Parai Team for our third and final virtual concert on September 24 at 7:00PM! Chat with fellow concert-goers during the YouTube Concert Premiere at: https://youtu.be/cgQi66-RhWM. The country of India is home to many rich regional cultures, ethnicities, and languages. Tamil language and culture have ancient roots in India’s state of Tamil Nadu as well as neighboring Sri Lanka. We are fortunate to have a vibrant Tamil community here in Connecticut. Spread across the state, this…
Find out more »Join us online to hear from special guest, State Historian Walter Woodward, about his newest book, “Creating Connecticut.”
Find out more »Join us from home to hear storytellers from around the world tell true stories about lived experiences around the theme of “Mind Over Matter,” led by 45-time Moth StorySLAM champion and 6-time GrandSLAM champion Matthew Dicks.
Find out more »Photographer Pablo Delano will discuss his new book, Hartford Seen, the culmination of his project documenting the state’s capital city.
Find out more »This week we take a look at a real-life account of a WWII “Rosie the Riveter.”
Find out more »Discover how people all across America manufactured, farmed, and conserved in support of the war effort by exploring “Manufacturing Victory: The Arsenal of Democracy,” an exhibit from The National World War II Museum, and “Fighting on the Home Front: Propaganda Posters from WWII,” an exhibit from the Detroit Historical Society. Then, make your own toy airplane!
Find out more »Take a bite out of history! Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner to explore the history of Auerfarm, a well-known farm and orchard in Connecticut. Then, make a special apple treat and participate in the 2020 CT Apple and Pear Crunch Challenge. This episode will be released at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »In response to COVID-19, the CHS will be offering a new way to experience Homeschool Day! Included in registration, is a pre-packaged lesson which contains any necessary supplies, and an opportunity to participate in a live, interactive online workshop with other homeschoolers. This workshop is designed for children ages 5-7.
Find out more »Join us via Zoom to learn about the tales of witchcraft and dark magic that haunted some veterans’ memories of the Revolutionary War.
Find out more »What was it like to step into a tavern in early Connecticut? Join us to find out!
Find out more »In response to COVID-19, the CHS will be offering a new way to experience Homeschool Day! Included in registration, is a pre-packaged lesson which contains any necessary supplies, and an opportunity to participate in a live, interactive online workshop with other homeschoolers. This workshop is designed for children ages 8-11.
Find out more »**All Spaces Claimed!** Join us to examine three American monuments to learn about their past, present, and future. This program features an expert panel, and particpants will break into smaller groups for discussion.
Find out more »Join us to talk about David Sedaris’s nonfiction essay about loss and family identity, “Now We Are Five.”
Find out more »Did you know apples aren’t just for eating? Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories to look closely at some of the ways apples were used as inspiration for paintings or as a design for clothing! This episode will be released at 1:00 pm.
Find out more »In response to COVID-19, the CHS will be offering a new way to experience Homeschool Day! Included in registration, is a pre-packaged lesson which contains any necessary supplies, and an opportunity to participate in a live, interactive online workshop with other homeschoolers. This workshop is designed for children ages 12+.
Find out more »Sam Colt is a Connecticut legend. Join us tonight to learn about an important new book that assesses his life and legacy, praised by the Washington Post as overflowing with “relentless ambition, energy, entrepreneurship, ingenuity and wealth, and with deceit, fraud, jingoism and murder.”
Find out more »**Sorry, all spaces have been claimed!** Did you know that the first American witch trial was in Connecticut? Join this interactive online program to learn more about Connecticut’s history of witch hunting.
Find out more »Join us from home to hear storytellers from around the world tell true stories about lived experiences around the theme of “Stuggle and Survival”, led by 45-time Moth StorySLAM champion and 6-time GrandSLAM champion Matthew Dicks.
Find out more »This week’s selection is “Told in the Drooling Ward” by Jack London, narrated from the perspective of a patient in a mental-health facility.
Find out more »Join us to explore the history of the LGBTQ experience: stories of oppression and resilience, tragedy and triumph.
Find out more »Uncover the history of the fight for woman suffrage! Explore our new exhibit, A Vote of Her Own: The Long Fight for Woman Suffrage. Then, pick up a FREE activity bag to take home, containing everything you need to create your own “Votes for Women” sash!
Find out more »This week we read Ana Menendez’s “Celebrations of Thanksgiving: Cuban Seasonings,” a meditation on the relationship between food and cultural assimilation.
Find out more »What is a veteran? What are some of the ways people have been honored for their service? Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner to explore various medals and monuments throughout Connecticut dedicated to veterans.
Find out more »What was it really like for working women during World War II?
Find out more »Join us from home to hear storytellers from around the world tell true stories about lived experiences around the theme of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love,” led by 45-time Moth StorySLAM champion and 6-time GrandSLAM champion Matthew Dicks.
Find out more »Brrrr, it’s cold outside! What do you wear to stay warm during the winter? Tune into this episode of Objects Tell Stories to explore winter fashion throughout history.
Find out more »Are you homeschooling this year? Are you looking for educational resources? We can help! The CHS has a wide variety of materials to make homeschooling enjoyable for students of all grade levels. Join us to learn more about our offerings, which include pre-packaged activity kits; free mini lessons; interactive, virtual workshops; and more!
Find out more »Join us for a deep dive into one of our new exhibits, “Fighting on the Home Front: Propaganda Posters of WWII,” on loan from the Detroit Historical Society.
Find out more »Celebrate the holidays with this FREE Grab and Go Bag, available for one day only! Each kit contains ALL necessary materials to make your own holiday poppers for a special celebration!
Find out more »In this live talk, the hosts of the hit podcast American Girls will take us through the material culture of friendship, past and present.
Find out more »This week’s selection is Phillip Roth’s “You Can’t Tell a Man By the Songs He Sings.”
Find out more »Transform ordinary items into extraordinary art with a FREE family Grab and Go bag, available for one day only! Look closely at collages made by Clifford Mitchell, a Connecticut artist, and see how many shapes, objects, and colors you can find within! Then, create your own collage – ALL necessary materials included!
Find out more »Winter weather is here! Tune into this episode of Kat’s Creative Corner to explore some of the most historic snow and ice storms to ever hit Connecticut!
Find out more »Swords, hats, and a piece of Betsy Ross’s flag (maybe). Come and learn about some of the earliest objects collected by the CHS.
Find out more »In response to COVID-19, the CHS is offering a new way to experience Homeschool Day! Included in registration is a pre-packaged lesson which contains any necessary supplies, and an opportunity to participate in a live, interactive online workshop with other homeschoolers. This workshop is designed for children ages 5-7.
Find out more »This week’s selection is “Paul’s Case”, Willa Cather’s story of a teenager frustrated with his dull life.
Find out more »Think you know Connecticut? Match your knowledge against others, with prizes and bragging rights on the line! Categories range from CT history (of course), to sports and music, tv and movies, and more!
Find out more »