Connecticut is home to many adventures waiting to be explored.
Known as the Constitution State, Connecticut plays a significant role in understanding America’s history. From vast beaches and diverse landscapes to storytelling attractions that bring history to life and ever-evolving scientific advancements, Connecticut fosters an environment for achievers, inventors and explorers.
“Students can channel their inner scientists and inventors as they explore the Eli Whitney Museum and learn about various processes through hands-on mechanics.”
Connecticut Museum of Culture and History
Located in Hartford, the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History immerses students into the culture, history and geography of one of the earliest states in the US. This engaging field trip destination offers students of all ages an exploration into the culture of the Native communities with the Native peoples of the Quinnetukut program. Students can learn about local Native cultures through sensory learning and examining artifacts. Students also have the opportunity to listen to a Native American story and experience the power of culture through storytelling. Older students can practice their knowledge of politics with the “The Three Branches of Government” program. Students get to elect a governor and participate in an essential part of a court trial, gaining direct experience in how law-making works and learning about the rights and responsibilities of individuals. The Slavery and Resistance in Connecticut program also enables students to explore the history of slavery in the state and the powerful resistance movement that contributed to the granting of freedom to the people of Connecticut.
Mark Twain House and Museum
Step back into history and into the Gilded Age during a visit to the Mark Twain House and Museum. Situated in the heart of Hartford, students get to walk in the shoes of one of the most famous writers in American history. Through different hands-on tours, students can immerse themselves in the past. Younger students can understand how the daughters of Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) lived and what being a child during the Gilded Age was like through books, games and songs from the era in the Hands-on Tour: Growing Up in The Gilded Age. Exhibits like Sam’s Biographies and Creative Writing: the Mark Twain House Fiction Workshop encourage students to expand their understanding of writing and reading and invite them to use their creativity to become writers like Twain.
Talcott Mountain Science Center
The Talcott Mountain Science Center, situated atop a mountain in Avon, offers students an adventure-filled experience with opportunities to explore the environment in exciting ways. Become an astronaut and explore space with TMSC’s skygazing programs. Inside the 44-foot dome located in the planetarium, students can experience the life of an astronaut and venture through outer space as they study and witness the cosmos, including planets, galaxies, and other celestial objects, through state-of-the-art telescopes. Students can participate in various programs ranging from robotics, coding and chemistry to nature, energy and geocaching. Professional sites, such as bioengineering labs, hydroponic greenhouses, and whale-watching expeditions on the beaches of Hammonasset State Park, bring students out of the classroom and allow nature to become their teachers.
Eli Whitney Museum and Workshop
In Hamden, students can channel their inner scientists and inventors as they explore the Eli Whitney Museum and learn about various processes through hands-on mechanics. Programs consist of different experiences suitable for all grade levels. Students can build a windmill and become experts on understanding the importance of sustainability in the Sustainable Energy: WindPower workshop. Physics and critical thinking are put to the test as students learn how wind can become a more effective energy solution. In the Bird Beak Variations workshop, students learn why different birds have unique features and how these differences impact their survival strategies. The ElectriCity workshop invites students to become electricians and use circuits to understand what it takes to power a house and produce electricity.
