Things to do in Hartford
Known as an enjoyable city to live, work, and play, Hartford offers the vibrancy of a big-city arts and entertainment scene paired with easy access to New England's colonial history, charm, and natural beauty. Business travellers will find many lively options for relaxing after their meetings, and holidaymakers can explore New England's charms without giving up the excitement of the city.
Regarding place to visit in Hartford, the Mark Twain House and Museum is a worthy pilgrimage site for book lovers, as is the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center; the Old State House provides a taste of the city's proud democratic history; the Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public museum in the country; and the Hartford Stage is a celebrated, award-winning theatre venue.
Riverfront Recapture is a non-profit organisation working to reconnect metropolitan Hartford with the Connecticut River and it has established a network of several beautiful parks and public recreational facilities along the shoreline. Here, free events are staged year-round, and visitors can walk, run, bike, picnic, enjoy boating and rowing activities, fish, or set sail on a river cruise. The Mystic Seaport, only a short drive out of the city, is also a joy for tourists as it genuinely still has a classic old New England feel.
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
The Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public art museum in the United States, and famously boasts the largest collection of paintings of the Hudson River School, a mid-19th century …
Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art
The Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public art museum in the United States, and famously boasts the largest collection of paintings of the Hudson River School, a mid-19th century American landscape art movement influenced by Romanticism. These fine paintings, originally obtained by Daniel Wadsworth, are now considered American masterpieces. The Wadsworth Atheneum now houses over 50,000 works of art ranging from the ancient to the contemporary, and the building itself is fascinating. The museum also hosts excellent temporary exhibitions and special events such as lectures and seminars.
Website www.thewadsworth.org/
Old State House
The Old State House was built in 1796. It is one of the oldest state houses in the country and has been named a National Historic Landmark. Visitors can tour the magnificently rest…
Old State House
The Old State House was built in 1796. It is one of the oldest state houses in the country and has been named a National Historic Landmark. Visitors can tour the magnificently restored rooms, listen to the audio tour and visit the education centre and museum shop. Celebrated as the site where Connecticut's democracy was born, the Old State House is an interesting monument to the state's proud history and contains some quirky and fun artefacts as well as more sombre, historic ones. The museum hosts frequent events and exhibitions and is open to the public year-round. A visit should entertain and educate the whole family.
Website www.ctvisit.com/listings/connecticuts-old-state-house
Mystic Seaport
Located just under an hour's drive from Hartford, Mystic Seaport is a popular excursion from the city where visitors can experience a classic New England seafaring community. Its f…
Mystic Seaport
Located just under an hour's drive from Hartford, Mystic Seaport is a popular excursion from the city where visitors can experience a classic New England seafaring community. Its four sections include a restored 19th-century village that comprises more than 30 shops and businesses; the waterfront, which features tall ships and other historic vessels that visitors can climb aboard and explore; the preservation shipyard, where antique vessels are restored using traditional methods and tools; and a collection of galleries and exhibits. Mystic Seaport, which describes itself as 'The Museum of America and the Sea', is the perfect family destination. It has several restaurants, boating activities and programmes for children.
Website www.mysticseaport.org
Mark Twain House and Museum
Mark Twain, one of America's most celebrated writers, lived in a stately house on Farmington Avenue between 1874 and 1891. This elegant, 19-room mansion, built in a Victorian Gothi…
Mark Twain House and Museum
Mark Twain, one of America's most celebrated writers, lived in a stately house on Farmington Avenue between 1874 and 1891. This elegant, 19-room mansion, built in a Victorian Gothic style, was where Twain wrote many of his most famous and successful works (including The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn), and has since been declared a National Historic Landmark. Visitors to the Mark Twain Museum Centre can anticipate a fascinating Ken Burns documentary detailing Twain's life and work, and state-of-the-art exhibition facilities. William Faulkner once called Mark Twain 'the father of American literature', and anyone with even a passing interest in American culture, would be ill-advised to pass up a visit to this significant, and memorable museum.
Website www.marktwainhouse.org