The first weekend in May marks Connecticut Landmarks’ opening weekend. Our historic sites and their staff welcome visitors to open the door to the past with tours, hands-on programs, and special events. Tours of our seven historic house museums are available from May through October. Days and times vary by location. Make your reservations today!

Our 2025 season features new events including Forest Bathing, Drum Circles, hands-on print-making and flower-pounding, and temporary exhibits such as Letters of Unity: Building LGBTQ+ Community Through the Written Word opening in June at the Palmer-Warner House. Returning favorites include Things That Go Bump in the Night at the Nathan Hale Homestead; the Hempsted Houses’ Juneteenth Festival; Suffield Garden Club’s 47^th Annual May Market at the Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden; and the Sunset Sounds Concert Series at the Butler-McCook House & Garden. Details and registration for all events can be found on our events calendar.

We look forward to welcoming you to our sites this season!

The serene grounds of Winvian Farm will set the scene on Friday, May 16, as best-selling author Martha Hall Kelly discusses her newest as-yet unreleased novel, The Martha’s Vineyard Beach and Book Club. Attendees to this intimate event will enjoy a talk and Q&A from the author herself over delicious light refreshments and tea service. Tours of Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden available as add-on.

Remaining tickets for this exclusive event are very limited, and we anticipate that they will sell out, so act fast!

Learn more about this signature event »

Connecticut Landmarks is hiring for several part-time positions.

• Museum Interpreters lead interactive visitor tours, programs, events, and hands-on activities at the various historic sites owned and operated by Connecticut Landmarks, with key openings at our sites in Hartford, Coventry, East Haddam, and Bethlehem. No tour experience necessary — training provided!
• The Preservation Assistant performs regular maintenance and repair tasks and minor restoration projects at all 12 of CTL’s historic properties. The Preservation Assistant will be required to have the necessary trades skills to perform routine maintenance on and repairs to the buildings and landscapes.
• Two Gardeners sought to care for the historic gardens—museums in and of themselves—at three of our properties. One will be based at the Bellamy-Ferriday House & Garden in Bethlehem; the other will serve the North Central region at the Phelps-Hatheway House & Garden in Suffield and the Butler-McCook House & Garden in Hartford.

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until positions are filled.

Job descriptions, information and application instructions available here »

Connecticut Landmarks is pleased to announce the appointment of Shaelyn Amaio as Deputy Director of Connecticut Landmarks effective April 1st.

Shaelyn grew up in Connecticut, where her tourism journey began as a ride operator at Lake Compounce when she was in college. Shaelyn has worked as a museum educator, strategic planner, and project manager at museums and design firms in New England, New York, and Alabama. A Central Connecticut State University alumna, she also earned a graduate certificate in museum education from Tufts University and a M.A. in museum anthropology at Columbia University. She first came to Connecticut Landmarks from the New York Transit Museum on an IMLS-funded project in December of 2018, and her responsibilities slowly increased to include oversight of visitor experience, interpretation, and marketing. Shaelyn’s expanded role will include responsibility for site operations, membership programs, marketing, and financial management.

“Having worked at Connecticut Landmarks for 6 years, I am continually impressed by the dedication of my colleagues and the significance of the stories we share,” she said. “Museums can be tools to help us imagine a brighter world, and I look forward to continuing the work.”

If you see Shaelyn at one of our sites this season, say hello! She can also be reached by email at shaelyn.amaio@ctlandmarks.org.

Are you passionate about LGBTQ+ history and storytelling? Do you have letters, diaries, photographs, postcards, newspapers, magazines, audio recordings, or other personal accounts highlighting how written words have built and nurtured LGBTQ+ communities? The Palmer-Warner House, a Connecticut Landmarks museum, wants to hear from you!

Letters of Unity: Building LGBTQ+ Community Through the Written Word is a new exhibit debuting this June that will celebrate the power of written communication in shaping LGBTQ+ identity, activism, and community. From love letters to zines and personal diaries to protest flyers, these artifacts tell the stories of resilience, connection, and creativity that have sustained LGBTQ+ communities across generations. Using the Palmer-Warner House’s collections and donated items, this exhibit will weave together your stories and those of the home’s previous residents Frederic Palmer and Howard Metzger, who created a safe space together in East Haddam.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: May 16, 2025

Interested in contributing items? View submission guidelines here »

All of our historic house museums are seeking excellent storytellers with an interest in local history to connect with our audiences of all ages. Does that sound like you? Part time seasonal Museum Interpreter positions are now open, offering roughly 10-12 hours per week from May-October at our historic sites around the state.

Learn more on our Opportunities page »

A membership to Connecticut Landmarks is the perfect gift for history buffs, old home enthusiasts, families, lifelong learners, nature lovers, and explorers. Our members enjoy free admission to all seven of our historic sites across the state, discounts to programs and in our museum shops, invitations to special events, plus so much more! Know someone who loves museums, botanical gardens, historic houses, and science centers? Buy your loved one a NARM level membership, opening the door to over 1,000 cultural institutions across the nation, including Connecticut Landmarks’ seven historic house museums. Memberships not only support our education and preservation work, but they truly are the gift that keeps on giving all year long.

Purchase a gift membership and we’ll send you a digital certificate to download and present as a gift! A special welcome package will be mailed to the gift recipient in January, which will include a membership card, a certificate listing the gift giver’s name and gift message, as well as some Connecticut Landmarks souvenirs.

Gift a Membership »

2024 was an exciting season of educational programming, engaging events, and preservation efforts that brought people from near and far to begin their conversation with history at our historic sites. Our seven historic house museums are starting points for deeper exploration and greater appreciation of the Connecticut experience. We welcome you to read our 2024 annual report to learn about all we have done this year and how you can support opportunities to help connect people to history! We can’t wait to welcome you back next season for events (new and returning favorites), programs, field trips, and house tours.

Read our Annual Report »