The Wadsworth Atheneum Art Museum in Hartford, CT
The longest, continuously open public art museum in America (yes, it beats even the MET in New York City!), the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art was founded by Daniel Wadsworth in 1842 and opened to the public in 1844. The term “atheneum” refers to a “cultural institution that includes a library, works of art and artifact, which is devoted to learning history, literature, art, and science.” Today, the museum has a collection of over 50,000 pieces of art, ranging from paintings and sculptures to furniture, installations, and china.
30 Places We Love in Connecticut
Connecticut may be the third smallest state (5,543 square miles), but what it lacks in size, it makes up with so many fun places to explore and so many family friendly activities. I have lived in Fairfield County in Connecticut for 20 years. And over the past 20 years my family has explored most of the Nutmeg State, from Greenwich to Mystic and Fairfield to Torrington. Since our daughter was born over a decade ago, we’ve found just about every spot to be kid friendly. While we plan on adding to this list each month, and will share annual updates, this is our first round of places we love in Connecticut.
20 New England Places to Visit in the Winter
New England is my home. I love it. Every trip I take outside New England is wonderful- and a wonderful reminder of how much I love where I grew up and where I now live with my family. New England is known for its beautiful beaches and ocean water in the summer, stunning foliage in the fall, countless places to ski and skate in the winter, and open spaces to enjoy the outdoors in the spring. However, if you’re prone to sunburns, frostbite, and allergies, consider these places to visit for plenty of indoor fun (and yes, they’re just as great in the summer too!)
Mark Twain House & Museum in Hartford, Connecticut
Sometimes, we travel out of state so much, my family forgets to visit all of the great spots right in our own “backyard.” With that in mind, we decided to check out a popular spot in Hartford: The Mark Twain House & Museum. For our tips on visiting the nearby Connecticut Science Center, read our post here.
American author Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, moved around the country, but spent 17 years raising his three daughters in the Nook Farm neighborhood of Hartford. The late 1800s was a time when Hartford was a thriving industrial city and Nook Farm was one of the most exclusive neighborhoods in the city. Fellow author Harriet Beecher Stowe lived next door (and penned Uncle Tom’s Cabin 20 years before Twain came to town). During the family’s time in Hartford, Clemens wrote dozens of his most popular novels and stories including The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court.
Connecticut Science Center
With over 40,000 square feet of exhibit space and dozens of interactive activities for kids of all ages, it’s no wonder the Connecticut Science Center welcomed it’s three millionth visitor in October of 2018, less than ten years after opening! The museum is located in the heart of Hartford, two hours from both New York City and Boston and is easily accessible from major highways.