Museums and Galleries

Explore art, history, and the environment — and have a fun time doing it — at the CT River Museum, celebrating its 50th anniversary. Permanent exhibits explore the River’s history from Indigenous peoples through the 20th century, and illustrate its environmental impact and importance in the region for water power, quarrying and the fishing industry. A vertical mural of the river winds up and down three floors of a Museum stairwell. Changing exhibits on the third floor explore art, history, and the environment. Day and sunset cruises are also offered aboard the Onrust, a re-creation of a 1614 vessel; and the RiverQuest, a 64-foot eco-tour boat. Learn about the River’s wildlife, observe bald eagles, or just enjoy a quiet sunset cruise. On Thursday evenings in July and August, live music is provided dockside.

Museum preserves the textile industry of southern New England at the height of the Industrial Revolution. Exhibits include thread factory floor, rooms from a workers rowhouse and owner’s mansion. Hours: Friday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Guided tours Sunday at 3 p.m. Admission: Adults, $7; seniors and students, $5. Information: www.millmuseum.org/

The Prudence Crandall Museum is a collection of objects, from clothing to books and more, from the life and times of Prudence Crandall, a female abolitionist teacher whose legacy is left here. See a full description on our Historic Homes & Sites page.

Exhibits focus on the fife and drum, not only as an important symbol of American patriotism during the Revolutionary period, but as an integral part of military strategy in the 17th and 18th centuries. The museum is a visual and musical history of America on parade, from the Revolutionary War to the present. Theme displays feature drums, fifes, military swords, music, uniforms, medals, awards and photographs. Hours: June 30 through Labor Day weekend, Saturday and Sunday, 1-5 p.m.; third weekend of July and fourth weekend of August reserved for private activities. Admission; Adults, $5; youth age 12-17, $4; seniors, $3; children under age 12, free.

Set on the campus of Norwich Free Academy in Norwich CT, this unique museum was founded by philanthropist William A. Slater more than a century ago. Housed in a stunning architectural treasure designed by  architect Stephen C. Earle. The museum offers a diverse collection of fine and decorative arts,  replicas of great Greek and Roman sculpture, historical artifacts, and ethnographic material spanning five continents and 35 centuries. Exhibits rotate regularly. See film screenings, discussions, book signings, and other events. An interpreter-guided tour is free with admission. The Museum shop is filled with unique gifts, including fine art prints and reproductions, the works of Connecticut artisans, and other items. Open year round, Tuesday-Sunday.

Interactive hands-on exhibits for the entire family. Don’t miss our Long Island Sound Marinelife Tank, Parent Pockets, a self guided tour of the Museum and Kidsville, an entire kid-sized town. Themes include arts and science, health and history. Have fun while learning. Explore the Discovery Room, see live animals and say hello to Richter the Red Tailed Boa Constrictor.
Hours: Open Tuesday thru Saturday 9:30am - 4:30pm and Sundays Noon - 4:30pm. Admission is $10 per person (Children under 1 year Free). Group rates available in advance.

Whimsical, one-of-a-kind rooms filled with hands-on play and learning, for kids ages 1 to 8 and their grown-ups. Hours: Sunday-Tuesday, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.; Wednesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission: $8 per person. Information: www.kidcitymuseum.com

Permanent exhibits on the Native and natural history of southern New England include a cool descent into a glacial crevasse from 18,000 years ago. Walk through a 1550 Pequot Village. Interactive computer programs, films providing additional information and interpretation of the exhibits. Two research libraries, one for children. Museum store and restaurant.
Hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 9am - 5pm.
Admission: Adults $22, Seniors & Students with ID $17, Youths 6-17 $13, Children under 6 Free.

Eighteenth-, 19th- and 20th-century art and decorative arts, American Impressionist paintings, contemporary American art, changing exhibits. Outdoor Children's Art Park.
Hours: Tuesday thru Saturday, 10am - 5pm, Sundays 1-5pm.
Admission: Adults $12, Seniors $9, Active Military $7, Students $5, Children 11 & Under Free. Members and New London residents are also Free.

Collection of more than 2,000 puppets from the world over. Each exhibition features a different view of the variety of styles and periods in puppetry. Hours: Friday-Sunday, noon-5 p.m. or by appointment Admission: Free; donations accepted. Information: www.bimp.uconn.edu/

Mystic Seaport is a maritime museum that preserves artifacts of America’s seafaring past. The Seaport’s grounds cover 19 acres on the Mystic River and include a re-created 19th-century coastal village, a working shipyard, and formal exhibit halls. The Seaport is home to more than 500 historic watercraft, including four National Historic Landmark vessels, most notably the 1841 whale ship Charles W. Morgan, America’s oldest commercial ship still in existence. The Seaport is a great adventure for families. It hosts many seasonal celebrations, along with exhibits and festivals related to seafaring life, such as the annual sea music festival and a lobster fest. A gift shop on the grounds has many high-quality products, from books and maps to toys and home décor, all with a seafaring theme. Open year-round.

In the early 20th century, Florence Griswold’s boarding house in Old Lyme was the hub of one of the most important summer art colonies in America. The colony attracted artists Henry Ward Ranger, Childe Hassam, and Willard Metcalf and others who were in the vanguard of the Tonalist and Impressionist movements. Today, visitors see the boarding house and much of the work of these American Impressionists, an adjacent gallery building with rotating exhibits, and extensive gardens. Special programs are offered in summer and holiday seasons.