Experience the growing, harvesting, and historical process of making cocoa in Westport Museum’s hands-on exhibition that explores the connection between chocolate and Westport’s mercantile past in the 18th and 19th century. Learn more about the history of the cocoa industry in the American colonies and how the Saugatuck River and other regional waterways supported this ...
Visitors can explore several examples of wedding gowns—both white and the less traditional—in the Museum’s collection in I Thee Wed: Western Bridal Fashion from the Collection. Discover how these iconic dresses and their place in the world of fashion relate to wealth, class, gender, and women’s rights. Or try creating your own wedding dress with ...
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 ...
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 ...
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 ...
Can you go into the Sanitarium escape room and make it out? Can you uncover the truth of the Westport Sanitarium? Rumors have spread of strange goings on inside the patient wing. Like the famed Nelly Bly, you are a reporter who has gone inside the sanitarium to investigate but find yourself locked inside the ...
Though the buildings are long gone, the site of the Westport Sanitarium—one of two in Westport—stood in what is, today, Winslow Park. Follow our docent through the park and discover the tales of the administrators, doctors and patients that lived and worked in the sanitariums. See images from the time and ear tales of heartbreak, ...
The ghostly apparition of Washington Irving, author of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, has been resurrected for a special reading of his frightful tale about the Headless Horseman. Audiences of all ages are encouraged to hear an abbreviated version of his famous story in our historic barn. Enjoy light refreshments while you listen. Tickets free ...
Come sip a cocktail and view special pieces from the museum’s collection! This event is for members to enjoy private access to our newly renovated historic barn space and never-seen-before collections. Registration is recommended for members. Cocktails and Collections is an exclusive, 21+ members-only event. Interested in joining? Become a member now!
Sneak along the paths of downtown as you hear curious tales from the darker side of Westport’s past. Care for a stroll along the waters that once contained the runoff of the Embalmers Supply Company? Peek into the windows of the former Coffin Tack factory, rest at a speakeasy, and hear about the Westport Museum’s ...
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 ...
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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.