For nearly one hundred years Benjamin Adair and his descendants called Westport home. Likely born into slavery in North Carolina, Adair built a prosperous life through a series of smart investments and his association with financier Morris Ketchum. Married to Ursula Mingo of Long Island’s Shinnecock nation, for decades Adair’s daughters became prominent educators and ...
Riddle me this! Can you find all 12 of the Museum’s town history “quilt” squares? Hidden around town at partner locations are 12”x12” beautifully designed artworks inspired by town monuments, buildings and industries mimicking the quilt style. Solve a riddle (pay close attention to the highlighted words) for the location and write down your answer ...
Ever wanted to know how a dress from your favorite period drama was made? Have questions about fashion from the past? Join our Director of Programs and Collections, Nicole Carpenter, as she creates a reproduction gown based on 18th century examples and techniques. Visitors are encouraged to ask questions about the process of creating a ...
Imagine it’s the summer of 1920. Westport is a sleepy farm community that lures New York’s most glamorous couple-F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald—to its shores. Seeking respite from their whirlwind Jazz era lives, the Fitzgeralds set up in an 18th century farmhouse that has seen Revolution and the building of a nation over many decades. ...
First Saturdays are a great opportunity to experience what we have to offer at the Westport Museum free of charge on the first Saturday of each month. Young visitors can enjoy a scavenger hunt in the museum, the diorama of Westport featuring an audio tour by Joanne Woodward, coloring pages, colonial games and more. Adult ...
Survey the resting place of past Westporters and learn their stories as you meander through Saugatuck Congregational Church’s Evergreen Cemetery. Discover gravestones belonging to everyday citizens as well as prominent individuals and families. Meet at the southernmost entrance of the cemetery along Evergreen Avenue. We recommend you wear comfortable walking shoes and bring bottled water ...
Our felt pumpkin kits are the perfect craft to celebrate the spooky season. Celebrate a spooktacular Halloween with your own miniature pumpkin creation! Miniature pumpkin kits will include one felt pumpkin, stuffing, felt face pieces, coloring book and a lollipop. Participants may drop in anytime between 11am and 5pm to decorate a miniature pumpkin. Can’t ...
Join us for an in-person discussion with the illustrator of Who Was Accused in the Salem Witch Trials?: Tituba, a graphic novel exploring the Salem witch trials through the eyes of Tituba, one of the first women to be accused of witchcraft. Follow the terrifying events of the 1692 Salem witch trials from the perspective ...
Whether you find them creepy or cute, dolls remain popular toys and collectibles amongst children and adults. From the sweet to the sinister, take a look at dolls housed in the museum’s collection. Just as the famous Annabelle doll calls Connecticut home, you may find some... hauntingly beautiful dolls right here in Westport. Make sure ...
Ever wondered why you shouldn’t walk on a grave or why there are so many skulls on tombstones? Do you know the story of Connecticut’s witch trials? Join Westport Museums Programs & Collections Director Nicole Carpenter at the Greens Farms Lower Cemetery to discuss the 18th and 19th century superstitions associated with cemeteries and the ...
First Saturdays are a great opportunity to experience what we have to offer at the Westport Museum free of charge on the first Saturday of each month. Young visitors can enjoy a scavenger hunt in the museum, the diorama of Westport featuring an audio tour by Joanne Woodward, coloring pages, colonial games and more. Adult ...
Darkness, Inside the Mind of Connecticut’s Witches is a unique Halloween experience. Enter 1647 and witness the witch trials that European colonists experienced through their own words, in the darkness that pervaded their everyday lives. Sit with us in the dark and hear about superstitions of witchcraft and the belief that danger—both physical and supernatural—was ...
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Browse recent events hosted by the Westport Museum for History and Culture. For more information about these events, please contact our team.
