Exhibitions

Legendary People, Ordinary Lives
Orientation Exhibition on Wethersfield History

V for Victory: Wethersfield and World War II
An exploration of one town’s contributions on the battle front and home front

Connecticut Rocks!
A fun and interactive look at the state’s geology!

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 $3.00 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

V FOR VICTORY: WETHERSFIELD AND WORLD WAR II – ON VIEW THROUGH 2007

Based on recently recorded oral histories, the society’s latest exhibition – V for Victory: Wethersfield and World War II -- incorporates excerpts from the compelling recollections of more than 20 members of the “Greatest Generation.” It explores the efforts of men and women who served as soldiers, sailors, marines and air personnel, in both the European and Pacific theaters, as well as those working for the war effort on the home front.

The war changed the quiet town of Wethersfield in many ways. From a population of less than 10,000, more than 1,200 young men and women served their country in active service. Hundreds more carefully stretched their ration points and recycled valuable materials needed for the war effort. Still others served in the defense industries at nearby Pratt & Whitney and Colt Manufacturing. Returning servicemen transformed their formerly quiet town into a bustling suburb, the Wethersfield that we recognize today.

From Basic Training to the Battle of the Bulge to the Atomic Bomb, V for Victory captures one community’s varied experiences, often harrowing or heroic. Truly a community-wide effort, the exhibition features hundreds of loaned vintage photographs, military objects and personal memorabilia from more than 40 donors. Of special interest are a strong collection of uniforms in pristine condition, battlefield souvenirs, personal correspondence and a model of an LST (Landing Ship Tank).

A family-friendly exhibit for all ages, V for Victory features a number of hands-on activities for young children, such as try-on clothing and a Ration Book Scavenger Hunt (fun for adults, too!).

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.