"Make Us Free" I…read morelearned about the Amistad story from Steven Spielberg's 1997 movie. In 1839, a Spanish slave ship called La Amistad was carrying African slaves to Cuba. Under the leadership of Joseph Cinque (the central figure of the Amistad story), there was a prison break on the ship and two of the Spanish crew were killed. The ship ended up in New Haven, CT where a Supreme Court trial took place to decide the destiny of the slaves. Were they Spanish property? Were they free men? Were they criminals? What exactly were they? You will find this powerful memorial in front of the New Haven City Hall. It's a striking three sided sculpture with a trio of sculpted panels depicting Sengbe Pieh, also known as Joseph Cinque. Each panel shows him at different stages in his life -as a free African, as a defendant in the Supreme Court trial, and as a free man ready to return to Africa. The gorgeous sculptures of Cinque are 9 feet tall, resting on a 2 foot granite base. The three-sided base contains a large inscription that tells the story. The full inscription reads: Make Us Free This monument is a memorial to the 1839 Amistad Revolt and its leader, Sengbe Pieh, also known as Joseph Cinque. Sengbe Pieh was one of the millions of Africans kidnapped from their homes and transported in bondage to the Americas. Sold into slavery in Cuba, he and forty-eight other men, and four children were bound aboard the schooner La Amistad. During a storm, Sengbe Pieh successfully freed himself and his fellows. The Africans seized the ship, but their offers to steer La Amistad homeward were thwarted. After futile weeks at sea, they were captured off Long Island by the U.S.S. Washington. On this site, the Amistad Africans were jailed awaiting trial for piracy and murder. To aid their struggle for freedom, the Amistad Committee formed, counting in its number ministers Simeon Jocelyn, Joshua Leavitt, and James Pennington; merchant Lewis Tappan; professor Josiah Gibbs; and lawyer Roger Baldwin. The Africans were tried twice prior to their ultimate triumph before the United States Supreme Court, where former President John Quincy Adams courageously defended them. Sengbe Pieh and his fellows were declared Free Persons. The Africans sought to return home. To raise funds for their voyage and to further the anti-slavery cause, they engaged in a series of speaking tours. In 1841, after a sojourn that profoundly influenced the abolitionist movement, they set sail, free at last. To commemorate the heroism of the Amistad Africans and those who shared in their quest for freedom, the 1989 Amistad Committee commissioned his sculpture by Ed Hamilton and dedicated it on September 26, 1992. Erected 1992 by the 1989 Amistad Committee One of the best movie courtroom scenes I have ever seen has the great Anthony Hopkins as an elderly John Quincy Adams arguing for the freedom of the slaves before the US Supreme Court. If this doesn't give you goose bumps, go check to see if you are breathing. Check this out.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EZFr4VLPW9Q

The Amistad memorial has been on my list for some time. It commemorates the fight to establish the…read morefreedom of those slaves who took control of the slave ship The Amistad. After two trials, it was announced that they were in fact Freemen and allowed to return to their homes in Africa. It is a cornerstone in the abolitionist movement, and crucial case to abolishment of slavery in the USA.

Very good museum. Well organized, helpful staff, and an excellent collection. A little treasure.read more

This is one of my favorite places to pass time in New Haven when I'm in the area. There are four…read morefloors so there's definitely a lot to take in when it comes to exploring all of the art. Each time I find myself immersed in a new exhibit. On my most recent trip, I started from the top floor and made my way down, whereas usually I'll do the opposite. This time I was able to catch a few pieces on the modern art level that I must have overlooked on previous visits. The staff is really friendly and pretty helpful! I love that this is right downtown and close to a bunch of restaurants and bars.

The Florence Griswold Museum is more than just a beautiful museum. To show even more support this…read moreyear, I decided to buy a family membership. For years my family has been visiting the museum in the fall for the Wee Faerie Village, an extraordinary outdoor display of faerie villages that are created by local businesses and individuals. There isn't enough room for me to gush about this event. The beauty, creativity, and the scavenger hunt keep us coming back. The museum offers a glimpse into history, beautiful art, extraordinary gardens, breathtaking views of the river. and more.

We ventured to Old Lyme, Connecticut on Sunday for the final day of Mystical Murmurs: An Enchanted…read moreEnvironment by Adrien Broom. The exhibit features a fairy ring of gigantic mushrooms. The artist was born and raised in Old Lyme. The installation is meant to encourages us ponder the magical mysteries of the forest. We also really enjoyed the Amanita sculptures outside the main building housing the museum's permanent collection. We were able to photograph these just before one of the museum staff sold them off to a local mushroom enthusiast (since Sunday was the last day of the mushroom exhibit). While we came specifically for the mushroom installation, we also really enjoyed our visit to the other galleries. The museum showcases the work of the artists of the Old Lyme Artist Colony, a nexus of American Impressionism and has some beautiful impressionist landscape painting, including many by female artists of the 19th and early 20th century. The grounds here are also beautiful with gorgeous views of the Lieutenant River. There was also an exhibit of small fairy houses when we visited. Beautiful spot with nice staff and docents. Would definitely return here!

Truly fabulous find!! We wanted to explore Yale University and ended up selecting the gardens as a…read moremap location. The gardens drew us in and we could not stop exploring!!! 6 greenhouses and each filled with fascinating varieties of plants and trees. We were enthusiastically welcomed by truly master gardeners/groundskeepers gifted with the greenest of thumbs (I was so envious). Absolutely loved their vast variety of plants, flowers, and trees. The grounds were so lush and colorful, vibrant with so many types of flowers/flowering plants, bushes and trees. We even saw student experiments which were fascinating as well. We both really loved this beautiful and magical place!! Looking forward to visiting here again.

In memory of Andrew…read moreand Billy The Clinton Town Hall was built back in 1936 with money donated by William Stanton Andrews. It is a lovely building in a great location that is a pleasure to visit. The inside has an absolutely gorgeous marble lobby with gold crown molding and several huge fountains that are extremely cool. A beautiful red tail stag is in the entrance of the main lobby and was donated in 1978 by Sturges Redfield. The stag was carved in Europe and has been in his family for over a century. Pretty impressive critter. The Town hall also contains the Clinton Historical Society Museum Room that has different exhibits of local history and the building also contains 5 working fireplaces and a 450 seat auditorium. Quite an impressive place. One thing that is missing are the kitties. For years the Town Hall had a lovely and friendly cat named Andrew but he eventually got old and passed on. He was replace by Billy, a rather plump but lovable feline that that also ended up leaving this world. I have heard they aren't going to get any new cats which is a shame. Being greating by Andrew or Billy was always a treat. The Clinton Town Hall is a cool place even without the kitties. A interesting place to pay taxes or do tedious government stuff. Everyone here is always friendly and will go out of their way to help. They even have some beautiful river views from the back and a kayak and canoe ramp by the dock. A very cool town hall that has so many cool and interesting things to do and look at.

Town Hall in Clinton, CT. Their webmaster, Allison, helped me with a web project. Everyone I…read morespoke with at the town hall was very nice.

As a self proclaimed library connoisseur, this is definitely on my top 3 libraries I've been to…read more The place was huge, like a campus. I've only explored the children's section which is where I spend most of my time because of my toddler. They had clean family bathrooms. There was a book case shaped like a train and a little play train station. There was a baby section for them to crawl in; toys, play kitchen, and train table. I loved that there were little reading nooks built into the walls. In front of the librarian desk, there's a huge play tree where kids can go in it. On the side, a big craft room with blocks and magnetic tiles. They had a fish tank, a tank with worms/isopods, computers, and so much stimulation for the little ones. I'm sure they have great activities, events, and resources as with other libraries. The librarians were friendly; it was a busy Saturday afternoon because it was kind of rainy out. The little kids were being rowdy at one point and the librarian shushed them in a stern but friendly way. All of us parents were trying our best, but things got out of hand when you mix a bunch of little kids together lol. Overall, I wish this library was closer to me, I would be there often!

Wonderful Library! The collaboratory is one of a kind. The staff is friendly and helpful. I'm so…read moreglad we found this Library and it certainly is well worth the drive from Northford!!

Wonderful experience I learned so much. Beautiful experience…read more Victor was a great guide

After years of waiting to check this place out my best friend finally dragged me and it was worth…read moreevery minute! This property is small but mighty. Our tour guide was incredible! He was so knowledgeable about Pollock and Krasner's life and the art scene in which they lived during their time. The tour includes a look inside Pollock's studio, which is breathtaking as well as a tour of their home. The property is so tranquil and peaceful as well might I add. If you are an art lover/fan this tour is a must do!

So quiet that time seems to stand still while you are here. You can smell the old wood in the…read moremedical history room. Very conducive to studying for long hours without feeling spent.

This library, like the medical school building that houses it, is full of hidden pockets and…read moreinteresting spaces. There are sections devoted to varying levels of quietness, but most of the library is blanketed in a no-speaking-unless-necessary zone. Silence your phone and avoid noisy snacks (the library has a no-food rule, but there is a Keurig machine in the entrance you can use for a fee)! If you want to do group work/feel less self conscious about making noise, there are 3 group study rooms one level down. These can be reserved ahead of time, and two of them have whiteboards! The Morse Periodical Room is a well-lit "ultra quiet zone" that is perfect for when you need to buckle down and focus on a project. The Historical Library Reading Room is where to go when you want to feel like you're in the library from Disney's Beauty and the Beast/an old-fashioned library. The Cushing Room in the lowest level is a fun place to bring visitors/check out jars of brains/pictures of people with different . Not somewhere that I would want to study in for hours, but definitely a place to check out. The information room is lovely during the day, but once the sunlight fades it gets pretty dim. There are lots of computers and macs, and you can print here if you have an account. If you like to explore, this library is full of little nooks where you can find a study space that suits your taste. Take the time to walk around before you pick a spot! Main complaint: closes at midnight. Guards will go around kicking people out at this time. There's a warning bell at 11:45pm.