Name: Connecticut Historical Society
Address: One Elizabeth Street, Hartford,, Connecticut, 06105, United States
Telephone: 860.236.5621

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The CHS 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!

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.

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 sheet at the Welcome Desk to help your family find fun activities around the museum! Or, download the activity sheets ahead of time to prepare for your visit!

Food and Drink Family Activity Sheet

Transportation Family Activity Sheet

Did You Know?? Family Activity Sheet

Programs for Children and Families at the CHS

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

Free First Saturday Family Programs

On the first Saturday of every month, the CHS offers free admission to the museum exhibits and a fun free family program. These drop-in family programs are typically scheduled from 10:00 am – 1:00 pm, and involve a craft or activity for children and caregivers to work on together. Free First Saturday Family Programs are designed to be open ended, and are usually appropriate for children ages 4 and up. No registration is required.

School Vacation Programs

Join us during your school’s spring or winter break for a vacation program for kids and families. Create a masterpiece, learn a new skill, and explore the galleries at these programs designed for elementary-aged children.

Family Classes, Workshops, and More

Throughout the year, the CHS offers classes, hands-on workshops, storytimes, and other programs for children and their families. These programs often connect with our current temporary exhibits and are designed for a variety of ages.

August Adventures Summer Youth Program

Sign your kids up for a week of fun at the museum! The August Adventures summer youth program gives kids ages 5-13 the opportunity to uncover the past through exploration and discovery. Daily games, crafts, artifacts, and hands-on activities will make history come alive for kids. Register online for our 2018 August Adventures sessions!
Outdoor Concerts

Come enjoy the fourth season of the Connecticut Historical Society’s outdoor concert series! The concerts will take place on the beautiful front lawn at 1 Elizabeth Street, Hartford on the third Thursday of each month throughout the summer. Please see our upcoming events page for specific information regarding the artists who will be highlighted each month. Grounds will be open for seating and picnicking beginning at 5:00 pm, with the concert beginning at 6:00 pm.Visitors are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets. Food trucks will be available at each concert, but families are also welcome to pack their own picnic dinner. We will also provide lawn games from 5:00 pm until the end of the concert.All of the CHS outdoor concerts are free and open to the public.
Homeschool Day

Homeschool Days at the Connecticut Historical Society are programs specifically designed for homeschool families. These events give children the opportunity to enjoy engaging, educational workshops and to connect with other homeschool families.

Short workshops around a variety of topics are taught throughout the day. Families may sign up for as many or as few classes as they like, and workshops appropriate for children ages 5 and up are available at each session. Workshops are hands-on and participatory, and many include a take-home element.

On-Site Museum Education Programs

Museum programs, tours, and related activities are thematic and focus on a wide range of social studies topics from Connecticut history to civics and geography. Programs take place in the museum’s permanent and changing exhibitions or in other non-exhibit spaces at the CHS.

If you can’t come to us, our programs can come to you! Visit Classroom Outreach for more information on these participatory programs. These programs use reproduction objects and documents from our collection along with hands-on activities to bring history to life.