New Haven Museum and Historical Society facts for kids
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| Established | 1862 |
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| Location | 114 Whitney Avenue New Haven, Connecticut |
| Type | Historical |
The New Haven Museum and Historical Society is a cool place in New Haven, Connecticut. It started way back in 1862. Its main job is to save and share the history of the New Haven area. The museum has lots of interesting things. You can see art, old photos, furniture, and other items from New Haven's past. They also have fun programs and special shows all the time.
Contents
Discovering New Haven's Past
The museum has many exciting exhibits. You can learn about the city of New Haven itself. There is also a special exhibit about La Amistad. This was a famous ship involved in a fight for freedom.
Amazing Collections
The museum also shows off local art and beautiful decorative items. They have collections linked to famous people and places. These include Eli Whitney, who invented the cotton gin. You can also see things from the Winchester factory. There are items related to Yale University and the East Rock area. You can even find things from Noah Webster, who created the first American dictionary. There are also items connected to Benedict Arnold.
Learning Through History
The museum offers special learning programs. These programs let you explore local history in a fun, hands-on way. You can ask questions and discover things for yourself.
The Whitney Research Library
The museum has a special library called the Whitney Research Library. This library holds many old papers and records about the New Haven area. These go all the way back to when the first settlers arrived.
What You Can Find
The library has rare books and over 300 collections of old papers. These include personal letters and business records. You can also find old court papers and city documents. There are maps and about 4,000 architectural drawings. The library also has account books and about 75,000 old photographs. It also holds about 30,000 printed books and pamphlets.
Exploring Family History
The library is a great place to learn about your family's history. It has records about births, deaths, and marriages. You can find old town records and lists of people arriving in American ports. There are also census records for New Haven County. The library has a full set of New Haven city directories from 1840 onwards. These books list people and businesses in the city.
The Museum Building
The building where the museum is now was built in 1929. It was designed by an architect named J. Frederick Kelly. The building is in a style called Colonial Revival. This means it looks like old colonial homes.
Special Features
The building includes parts from old New Haven houses that were torn down. For example, it has a fireplace mantel and decorative urns from the Nathan Smith house. There is also a mantelpiece from the Benedict Arnold house. The Ingersoll Room inside the museum is decorated with furniture and portraits. These items are from the 1700s and 1800s. They show what life was like for the Ingersoll family of New Haven.
See also
- List of historical societies in Connecticut
