American Clock & Watch Museum facts for kids

American Clock & Watch Museum

Location	100 Maple Street Bristol, Connecticut, United States
Type	Horology museum

Street clock at the museum.

Display of Connecticut-made shelf clocks by various manufacturers.

General display of various styles of American-made clocks by various manufacturers.

The American Clock & Watch Museum (ACWM) in Bristol, Connecticut, is a special place all about clocks and watches! It's one of the only museums in the United States focused just on horology. Horology is the study of how we tell time, from ancient tools to modern clocks. This museum is super important for learning about American clocks, especially the ones made in factories during the 1800s and early 1900s.

The museum is in Bristol, Connecticut, a town famous for making clocks a long time ago. It's made up of old houses and a newer building. Bristol is easy to get to, just a short drive from Hartford, Connecticut, or a bit longer from New York City.

The ACWM is a non-profit museum, which means it's run for education, not for making money. Many helpful volunteers work there alongside a small staff. It started in 1952 and was first called The Bristol Clock Museum.

Amazing Clock Exhibits

The museum shows off clocks and some watches from all over the world and from different time periods. But the main focus is definitely on American clocks. A big part of the museum tells the story of Eli Terry. He was a very important person in clockmaking.

Eli Terry and Mass Production

Eli Terry changed how clocks were made in the early 1800s. Before him, each clock was made by hand, one at a time. Every part had to be specially fitted together. Terry came up with a new idea: using machines to make parts. These machine-made parts were so exact that they could be swapped out easily. This meant clocks could be put together much faster.

This new way of making things, called mass production, was a huge step forward. It helped start the Industrial Revolution in America. Connecticut clockmaking, along with making firearms, showed the world how factories could make many items quickly and cheaply.

Research Library

The ACWM also has a very important library. It's full of books and old catalogs about clocks and watches. This library is especially good for finding information about old American clock brands. If you're a serious researcher, you can visit the library by making an appointment ahead of time.

See also

• Horology

Similar Museums to Explore

• Cuckooland Museum
• Deutsches Uhrenmuseum
• National Watch and Clock Museum
• Mussee Internationale d'Horlogerie
• Timexpo Museum in Waterbury, Connecticut (closed)
• Willard House and Clock Museum
• Charles River Museum of Industry
• The Waltham Museum, Inc