The Children's Museum, Connecticut facts for kids
| Established | 1927 |
|---|---|
| Location | 180 Mohegan Drive West Hartford, Connecticut, USA |
| Type | Children's museum, Science and Nature museum |
The Children's Museum in Connecticut is a special place for young people to learn about science and nature. It is the oldest museum for children in Connecticut, United States. In fact, it is the fourth oldest children's museum in the entire country! Each year, more than 200,000 people visit this museum, which is designed especially for kids aged 2 to 8.
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About The Children's Museum
The museum offers many exciting things to explore. You can find interactive exhibits that let you touch and play to learn. There are also over a hundred live animals to see and learn about. The museum also provides science and nature classes for children of different ages.
History and Location
The museum first opened its doors in 1927. It was originally known as the Children's Museum of Hartford. In that same year, a local businessman and nature lover named Joseph S. Miller gave the museum his huge collection of 50,000 insects!
For many years, until 2006, the museum was called The Science Center of Connecticut. It used to be located at 950 Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford. In 2022, the museum temporarily moved its operations to its current location at 180 Mohegan Drive, also in West Hartford.
The Children's Museum Preschool
The Children's Museum is also home to The Children's Museum Preschool. This preschool is one of the oldest in the United States. It is also one of the few preschools that focuses on teaching science and nature.
Past Attractions
The museum's former location had some very popular attractions that are no longer there. It used to have New England's second largest planetarium, which closed in 2022. There was also a life-sized model of a sperm whale named Conny. The sperm whale is Connecticut's state animal. Visitors could even walk inside Conny the Whale! Conny was taken down in 2023. However, her tail was saved and will be put up across Trout Brook Drive in West Hartford.
External Links
- The Children's Museum Official Website: http://www.thechildrensmuseumct.org/
