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    Connecticut's Old State House

    4.2 (16 reviews)
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    Scott G.

    Connecticut's Old State House is a cool spot to visit and learn some CT history! This building served as the home to all three branches of the CT state government from 1796 to 1878. Here's the scoop: Hours are Tuesday-Saturday from 12-5PM, though Thursday they're open later, until 8PM. The last ticket is sold one hour before closing. Adult tickets are only $8 each and can be purchased at the front desk when you walk in. They have discounts for seniors, AAA members, etc. and children 5 and under, active military, veterans, etc. are free with ID. Parking is available on-street (metered, but free after 6PM and on weekends) or in the nearby State House Square Garage at 55 Market St. Before you leave have them validate your parking and it's only $5 (versus the $2 per half hour that the garage charges). Once inside, you can choose to take a guided tour or do self-guided. I chose self-guided, and they gave me an informational packet to read, which guided me through the various rooms including the Senate Chamber, House Chamber, court room, etc. I thought the coolest room was the Museum of Natural and Other Curiosities, which is located on the top floor. On display you can see a taxidermy two-headed calf, many other taxidermy animal heads, a two-headed piglet, reptile heads, etc. Very interesting stuff! Once you finish touring the main building, head to the basement for a more interactive/kids area where you can learn more about CT history. There's also a historical Hartford Fire Department truck on display, which was super cool to see! Overall an interesting and inexpensive place to visit if you like CT history!

    Connecticut's Old State House, Hartford
    Bruce K.

    Located in downtown Hartford, the Old State House is still closed in late May due to the pandemic. Maybe that's changing soon. You can still walk the grounds and take photographs and that's what I did. This beautiful building was completed in 1796 and was the center of Connecticut's legislative activities for the next 82 years. After 1878, the building served as Hartford's city hall and remained an active government facility until 1915. In the early 20th century, after Hartford's construction of a new city hall, the Old State House became vacant and remained so for long periods-only used sporadically as a community center for the Red Cross and other local groups. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1960 and that saved it from destruction. When it's open, the exhibits are of course about the history of Hartford and important events in Connecticut history. The building has a reputation of paranormal activity so maybe that's something that will interest you. There is metered street parking all around downtown Hartford and paid parking lots near the building. [Review 15168 overall, 670 of 2021, number 24 in Connecticut.]

    Old Fire Truck
    Cam E.

    Built in 1796, the Old State House in the capital of Hartford, Connecticut, is worth the visit if you are in town for whatever reason you should find yourself here. The exterior is made of brownstone on the lower floor and of red brick on the upper floors. The interior main floor with 20 foot height ceilings are in the old Federal style of the time. Three main rooms are on the top floor: Assembly Hall, Legislative meeting room, and Joseph Stewart's Museum of Curiosities. On the second floor is a grand courtroom where the famous Amistad trial was held in 1839. The main level has a Museum of the People of Connecticut, with many photos and artifacts representing events/changes throughout Connecticut' s history. For entry: Adults are $6.00 Seniors, AAA, Students are $3.00, Active Military/Retired Veterans and children are Free. Do take a guided tour. The tour guides very well informed and equipped with much knowledge to answer any questions. **Open Monday to Fridays: 10AM to 4PM. Closed Saturday & Sunday**

    Lego version of the house inside the house!
    Jason F.

    I stopped by here earlier today with my wife. I had been past the Old CT State House many times before but was never able to take a tour due to the limited 10-5 hours. So I made sure whenever I had a free day in Hartford to do the tour. Whenever we arrived at the old state house we were immediately greeted by a very nice lady. After talking to her for a bit we found out that the noon tour would start in a few minutes. She also informed us that we could get a AAA discount off of the $6/person ticket and paid $6 for both of us. Since it was a random Tuesday the tour consisted of the tour leader, myself and my wife. It started with a video which gave a quick 5 minute overview about the house. We then proceeded through three floors of history. Interestingly enough most of the looks are attributed to a 1920s renovation and so a lot of what you see isn't very original. Still, we learned a lot about the house itself as well as the history of CT. Last but certainly not least you are treated to the Musuem of oddities which contains items like a two headed calf, narwhal horn, etc. The bottom line for me is that I might stop by here in the future. While I wouldn't consider it to be an essential thing to do while in the Hartford area it is certainly cheap and gives you some history on the old state house as well as the CT government.

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    6 months ago

    Great museum. Friendly staff. Large galleries. Broad collections. Friendly staff. Convenient hours.

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    4 years ago

    Such a beautiful museum and really great tour! Make sure to check out the museum of oddities, it won't disappoint!

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    The Senate and Victorian rooms are very historic and demonstrate what different periods in history were like.

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    Riverfront Boathouse - evening sun at the boathouse

    Riverfront Boathouse

    (7 reviews)

    North Meadows

    A beautiful park! It was the perfect place for the Head of the Riverfront Regatta wasn't pleased…read morewith the parking situation but that had nothing to do with the park. When the crew races are there it is extremely packed so it's not really a good time to take a leisurely stroll as there are literally thousands of people there. Beautiful place to take pictures by the water or the boathouse especially at this time of the year with the leaves.

    What a hidden gem within Hartford! I was here for a low-key corporate picnic. The Boathouse sits…read moreright on the Connecticut River and functions as both practical boathouse (lower level) and event space (upper level). The parking was incredibly convenient and directions to the Boathouse itself were very clear. We did have a small spot of difficulty finding the door to go to the upper level however. Once upstairs, the view of the CT River, East Hartford, and Hartford was spectacular. The late summer afternoon sun plus faint breeze made for a perfectly comfortable time. People mingled at standing tables and around the benches on the upper deck (and there were a respectable number of benches, which isn't often the case). Inside the event space were polished wooden floors and high ceilings. A coworker noted the restrooms were somewhat oddly placed behind a long hallway closed off by a door and there were some cobwebs in the window frames, but otherwise the space was quite nice. The staff at the bar on the deck poured wine just shy of the adjective "liberal" which was great. However, some other coworkers had to request adjustments of the food arrangement to prevent cross-contamination for those with allergies (adjustments were made promptly). The food - seasonal tapenade for appetizers and build-your-own pasta bar for the main - were well done otherwise with a good array of options. On the whole, a respectable event space on a scenic river. There were other groups actively using the rowing space/lower level, but you could barely tell because the upper level was high enough away.

    Tiffany Juliet House - Wedding 8/17/24

    Tiffany Juliet House

    (36 reviews)

    4.5 stars Overall I had a great experience working with the…read moreowners of this place and booking a bridal shower for my friend being out of town. I called, they gave me a quote and several days to decide. Once I decided, they send me a contract through email and I mailed back the contract with the check. The place is amazingly beautiful. The room was decorated very nicely. The staff were all very young, probably high school students and greeted us outside in the cold. Once everyone was inside, they service our food. The scones were delicious, tasted home made and the jams and creams were equally tasty. The sandwiches were okay, a little dry but the deserts were just as good as the scones. My only beef about the whole experience was that they used Stash tea bags for the afternoon tea. I mean anyone could buy those tea from the supermarkets. If you go to a place designated for afternoon tea, you would expect at least some loose leaf teas allowing the customers to smell, appreciate, and enjoy all the different tea flavors. If they had loose leaf tea, it would elevate the whole experience ten fold. Also, they had some sort of punch on the side, with no explanation and the punch pitcher did not work so guests couldn't really enjoy it until the very end. The house can host two parties, one on the second floor and the other one on the main floor. The owners live in the same building. There are plenty of parking at the house and also across the street because the owners own that too.

    I am so glad I chose this venue for my best friend's Bridal Shower. From the beginning, Corrine was…read moreamazing to work with and was so accommodating in meeting all of the requests I had regarding the date, menu, and decorations. She was always available to speak and no detail was too small for an instant response. The day of the shower went seamlessly! I arrived early to add personal touches, but the entire space was set up for me as soon as I arrived and the staff was so accommodating in helping with anything I needed. As the guests began to arrive, they helped to greet everyone and it was both causal and formal at the same time as the staff passed around breakfast pastries for our brunch and refilled mimosas for everyone to grab upon arrival. When it came time to move into the next room for brunch, one of the two waiters working with us that day made the announcement and helped to guide everyone to their tables. The tables were set up beautifully! We chose to have the "mismatched tea cups" instead of the white ones and every guest commented how adorable and unique they were. The waiters brought a box of assorted tea bags over for each person to choose and everyone loved it! Originally, I planned to use the silk flowers as the centerpieces for the tables, but we upgraded to fresh cut. Even the silk flowers were beautiful and elegant- Corrine has beautiful taste in every piece of decor. Throughout the entire event everyone kept asking how I found out about The Tiffany Juliet House. Everyone was so impressed with the amazing service, the attention to detail ( the light fixtures, the carpet, the window treatments, molding- everything is beautiful inside). I cannot thank Corrine and her team enough for helping to make my friend's bridal shower such a wonderful and memorable event for everyone. They went above and beyond in planning and executing a flawless day and I can go on and on about how spectacular everything was- the food included!

    Connecticut's Old State House - museums - Updated May 2026

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