CT Open House Day is Saturday. Here’s what you can do

(WFSB) – Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of Connecticut Open House day.

To celebrate, places around the state planned to offer an array of attractions on June 8, 2024.

Here’s a few spots to check out, according to the state’s tourism website, ctvisit.com.

1796 Old Farm School, Bloomfield

Check out a schoolhouse built in 1796 and ring the belfry bell. Play children’s games from the 1800s & learn about a Bloomfield treasure.

The Old Farm School is located at 153 School St. at the corner of Park Avenue.

Ancient Burying Ground, Hartford

Learn about the history of this oldest-surviving English settlement site. There are family-friendly scavenger hunts and guided and drop-in tours.

Berlin Historical Society Museum, Kensington

The museum celebrates local history with creative displays that include stone artifacts left by indigenous people, the beginning of the tinware industry and the Yankee Peddler, Berlin Iron Bridge Company,  Simeon North’s pistols, Olcott Cheney clocks, the brick industry, Prentice Zippers, American Paper Goods, the old Berlin Train Station, and The Leatherman. There’s also 19th century artwork and needlework. It is currently highlighting the Wide Awake lantern carried in Abe Lincoln’s campaign, and an award winning film on the black soldiers from Berlin who fought in the Civil War.  The museum was added to the Freedom Trail back in May.

Bristol Historical Society, Bristol

A special exhibit honors Bristol’s schools and their history, including the opening of the principal’s office in Bristol’s first high school.

Burlington Elton Tavern and Center Schoolhouse, Burlington

The Burlington Historical Society is welcoming visitors for guided tours of the Elton Tavern and Center Schoolhouse, both of which are historic landmarks.

Center Church, Hartford

Volunteers from the 1636 Heritage Partnership open the 1807 Meeting House sanctuary for self-guided tours. Learn more about nearly 400 years of history and view stained glass windows surrounded by the architecture of the church

Collinsville Canoe & Kayak, Canton

10 percent off canoe, kayak, paddle board and bike rentals.

Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, Hartford

Free admission all day, for all ages, to the museum exhibitions and the Inspire Center.

Connecticut Science Center, Hartford

Everyone Pays Kids’ Price. People can go for full day of family fun. Experience 165 hands-on exhibits, including our brand new traveling exhibition, Science Fiction Science Future.

Connecticut Trolley Museum, East Windsor

Free admission for Connecticut residents.

Connecticut’s Old State House, Hartford

It’s Game Day at Connecticut’s Old State House. The plan is for fun historic games, new games, and games full of Connecticut history. Admission is free.

Dinosaur State Park, Rocky Hill

A 200-million-year-old fossil trackway, nature trails, arboretum, and interactive exhibits bring the Mesozoic era to life. Explore a paleontological museum and enjoy the outdoors, all in one trip. The park features over 750 early Jurassic dinosaur footprints – one of the largest dinosaur track sites in North America – preserved in place inside the museum, alongside exhibits about dinosaurs, fossils, and Connecticut geology.

Galleries @ WORK_SPACE, Manchester

Visit the Galleries @ WORK_SPACE for the opening of “Cogs & Canvas: A Steampunk Art Extravaganza.” Located on Main Street in Manchester, we offer a vibrant showcase of creativity within a historic setting. Enjoy live music, create your own masterpiece at our interactive art station, and explore diverse artworks across our 3 galleries and shop. With ample free parking and nearby dining, it’s the perfect cultural outing in the heart of the downtown.

Happy’s Indoor Golf, Southington

Play golf in a judgement free facility.

Use the code OPENHOUSE24 to get 50 percent off a simulator rental when playing on June 8. The indoor golf simulators are typically $50/hour.

Harriet Beecher Stowe Center, Hartford

The Harriet Beecher Stowe Center will be participating in the open house day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The museum is offering free self-guided, first floor, walk-through tours of the historic Harriet Beecher Stowe House.

Additionally, it is hosting a lawn party for community to come and enjoy the green space.

Hartford Taste Festival, Hartford

Hartford Taste Festival is a celebration of the food, music, art and community. Admission is free! There are 33 restaurants, 29 musical acts, and numerous live artists on site for the two-day festival, which is free to the public on June 7-8 on Pratt and Trumbull Streets in downtown Hartford from 12 p.m.- 9 p.m.

Huguenot House Museum, East Hartford

Open between 1 p.m. and 4 pm. Visitors will receive a guided tour of the 1761 Makens Bemont House. They can also see the 1850 Burnham Blacksmith Shop and 1821 Goodwin Schoolhouse. Complimentary brochures are available and post cards and stationary will be half price

Hungerford Nature Center, Kensington

The Hungerford Nature Center provides science and environmental programs, birthday parties, special events, camps, interactive STEAM exhibits, a playground, a pond, 27 acres of forested habitat with walking trails and is home to a variety of domestic and wild animals.

Kellogg Eddy House Museum, Newington

Offering free tours of the Kellogg-Eddy House Museum from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Georgian Colonial home is located at 679 Willard Ave. in Newington. It features finely restored period rooms highlighting the history of the town. This house is the Town Museum and will be open free of charge on Open House Day.

Iwo Jima Memorial, New Britain

Free historical tours. The memorial is the only one built by survivors of the Battle of Iwo Jima.

Mark Twain House & Museum, Hartford

11a.m. to 3 p.m. lawn party.

There will be dancing, music, sweet treats and hot dogs, free museum tours, lawn games, art activities, and more.

Museums on the Green: East Windsor Historical Society, East Windsor

The Museums on the Green is the home of the East Windsor Historical Society and offers six buildings, and several barns, to explore, including a schoolhouse, probate court, barber shop, and more.

New Britain Industrial Museum, New Britain

New Britain’s “Hardware City” collection:  Hand and machine tools, kitchen & household appliances, builders hardware, 200+ years of innovation and manufacturing.

A special is being offered: Stanley Rule & Level 1880s repro. poster – One to family or group with admission.

New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain

Free Admission from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and one free coffee per visitor until 2:30 p.m.

New Britain Youth Museum, New Britain

The Youth Museum offers programs for children and families as well as hands on exhibits and play areas.

Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society, West Hartford

On June 8 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m., visit the Noah Webster House for free. The museum teachers will lead visitors through a tour of Webster’s East Garden to explore how herbs were used for flavoring food, making medicine, fragrances and insecticides. Create a lavender sachet to take home.

Nowashe Village and Wood Memorial Library & Museum, South Windsor

Celebrations will feature nature programming and take place in Wood Memorial Library, Nowashe Village, and Station 43 Wildlife Sanctuary. Enjoy bird walks, family friendly crafts and activities and learn about Connecticut’s varied environment and wildlife from local experts including a Master Wildlife Conservationist and a certified arborist. This event is free; however, donations are encouraged and appreciated. We hope to see you!

Old New-Gate Prison & Copper Mine, East Granby

Connecticut’s only underground experience offers visitors the opportunity to explore 300 years of history with modern relevance. Old New-Gate is recongnized as the Nation’s first chartered copper mine and first state prison. Today visitors can explore the prison ruins/exhibits and take a tour of the copper mine that once housed incarcerated people. Admission is free.

Pitkin Glass Works, Manchester

There’s an opportunity to visit the remains of the first glass factory in the state, and the only one in the northeast still standing.

Selden Brewer House 1828, East Hartford

Prominent tobacco farming family house at 265 Main St., East Hartford. Home moved from the banks of the CT river. First floor decorated to 1850s with original furnishings. Beautiful rose garden in full bloom. Tours given by Al Brewer, 10th generation Brewer family member. Free, but donations appreciated. Free pin given.  

Stone Age Rock Gym, Manchester

Stone Age Rock Gym will be offering PWYC Day on June 8. “Pay what you can” allows anyone to check-out indoor rock climbing on their budget.

The American Clock & Watch Museum, Bristol

Enjoy free admission all day, and special activities for all ages. Listen to the ticking and chiming of the clocks, take part in one of the scavenger hunts, enjoy the sundial garden, and get an up-close look at what makes a clock tick with a repair person in the clock shop. Curious about a vintage watch you own? For a $10 fee, you can chat about it with Micah Tasker of The Vintage Watchman, who will be at the museum from 1:00-3:00. In addition to these activities, visitors will want to check out the two new exhibits – Seth Thomas: Clocks for Every Need and 70 Objects for 70 Years. These are just a few highlights that the museum has in store for this special statewide celebration.

The Bristol Bazaar LLC, Bristol

It will be offering a free Bristol Bazaar Tote Bag with purchase to the first 20 customers who mention celebrating the CT Open House Day.

The Carousel Museum, Bristol

Free Admission for everyone. Carousel rides for children are just $1 each!

The Simsbury Free Library, Simsbury

Join us for a day filled with connection, exploration, and history for Connecticut Open House Day!  Families can delve into their roots with free family tree printables (while supplies last). Its genealogist will be here to guide visitors, sharing insights and unraveling mysteries of your ancestry. Guests can also tour the library, browse its eclectic furniture collection, and visit its Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. It also has several unpublished books chronicling Simsbury’s history and yearbooks brimming with nostalgia, waiting to be discovered.

Truck Day, Manchester

Connecticut Open House Day means it’s Truck Day at the Lutz Museum. Admission is free and the big trucks will be outside of the museum from 12 p,m, to 3 p.m.

Vintage Radio & Communications Museum, Windsor

Tour displays covering the full history of human communications from pre-electronics era through the 1980s.  Displays include radio, TV, motion picture, telegraph, teletype, telephone all the way up to personal computers.

Wethersfield Museum at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, Wethersfield

Stop by the Wethersfield Museum at the Keeney Memorial.

Cultural Center (200 Main St.) to see Castle on the Cove: The CT State Prison in Wethersfield and Legendary People, Ordinary Lives. Wethersfield Historical Society’s Hurlbut-Dunham House (212 Main St.) and the Cove Warehouse will also be open for tours from 12 p.m.-4 p.m. Refrigerator magnets featuring its historic sites will be offered as a free gift.

For other events around the state, check out ctvisit.com here.

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