Exhibitions

Legendary People, Ordinary Lives
Orientation Exhibition on Wethersfield History

New Photo Exhibit - Celebration of Wethersfield's 375 Years
Opens September 24th

Please see exhibition descriptions below.

Visit these exhibitions at the Wethersfield Museum, located at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, 200 Main Street, Wethersfield, Connecticut. The building is handicapped accessible and has ample free parking in the rear.

Museum hours are Monday-Saturday, 10-4, and Sunday, 1-4. Admission is $5.00 for adults, which admits visitors to all three galleries. Admission is free to Society members, residents of Wethersfield and to children under 16.

ORIENTATION EXHIBITION

Do you know how to rope onions? Would you like to try different architectural styles on a house? Are you interested in ships and the sea? Ever wondered what school was like in the “Good Old Days?” All these questions are part of the exhibition “Legendary People, Ordinary Lives,” which was funded in part by a grant from the Connecticut Humanities Council.

This exhibit employs a thematic approach to history, organized around six areas which focus on the history of Wethersfield’s architecture, agricultural heritage, historic preservation, social and suburban development, and entrepreneurial spirit. Among the “legendary people” featured is Wallace Nutting, whose restoration of the Joseph Webb House and interest in the collection and preservation of historic objects and architecture inspired many local historians. Also included are quotes from “ordinary people” of the time.

The exhibition brings together a wide range of artifacts from the Society’s collection, many on view for the first time. These include a Connecticut River Valley Doorway from the Churchill House in Newington (no longer standing), portraits of Sarah Noyes Chester and Ashbel and Abigail Wright, chests made by Wethersfield cabinetmakers Edward Shepard and Peter Blin, a sweetgrass bonnet made by Sophia Woodhouse, agricultural implements, maritime artifacts, and signs from the Wethersfield Village Hotel, the Thomas Griswold Co. seed company, and the distinctive Hubbard Community.

Interactive activities to engage visitors appear throughout the exhibition. Among them is a magnet board with movable architectural elements inviting visitors to change the design of a house. Finally, the “Signposts to History” directs visitors, through photographs, text and maps, to 24 other sites nearby where they can see and learn more.

IN THE CHANGING GALLERIES

NEW PHOTO EXHIBIT CELEBRATES TOWN'S 375th

Opens September 24th. As part of the Town of Wethersfield’s ongoing celebration of its 375th Anniversary (1634-2009), Wethersfield Historical Society will be opening a new exhibit based on its recently published book of photographs, “Wethersfield – Images of America.” The exhibit will feature more than 100 images selected from the society’s collections as well as those from private collections belonging to individuals, organizations, clubs and houses of worship. The large format photographs and insightful text panels will detail the town’s “recent” history from the 1860s through 2008, reflecting the diverse, complex and multi-faceted community that Wethersfield has become in its 375th year.

A special opening reception will be held on Thursday, September 24th from 6-8pm at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center, 200 Main Street. The event is open to the public and will feature light refreshments. Everyone is welcome to help Wethersfield celebrate this important anniversary.

The exhibition is supported by grants from the Greater Hartford Arts Council and the Keeney Trust at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, which will allow the society to complement the photographs with several hands-on components and interactive ways for additional community participation. Within the exhibition, special education trunks can be used inside the gallery or taken “on the road” to participating classrooms. These trunks will allow young people the opportunity to experience the hands-on material culture, as seen in the photographs, to reinforce learning and have fun at the same time. For more information, please contact the society offices as (860) 529-7656 or visit our website at www.wethhist.org Happy Anniversary, Wethersfield!

CONNECTICUT ROCKS! – Value-Packed Format

Connecticut Rocks! proved such a popular exhibit and useful educational tool, that it has been condensed into a value-packed format in the Watson Gallery, where students can continue to learn about the state’s unique geology and how it affects where they live, work and play. Visitors are encouraged to touch the rocks that lie beneath the landscape, build a hill-top town and construct their own stone wall. Cartoon character Rocky, especially designed for the exhibit by graphic artist Phil Lohman, serves as a guide for young visitors to the exhibit.

Don’t forget to visit the museum gift shop for books and gifts as well as special items related to the exhibits, such as Magnificent Magnetic Stones, World War II poster books for children and adult books such as In Harm’s Way and The Greatest Generation.