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Mashantucket, CT

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Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center

4.3 (62 reviews)
Closed • 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

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Pequots hunting caribou during the Ice Age
Matthew L.

The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center is a Native American culture museum that opened in Mashantucket, Connecticut in August 1998. It was founded by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. Federally recognized since 1983, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation consists of descendents of the Pequot Native Americans who have historical roots in the state of Connecticut. They historically spoke Pequot, a dialect of the Mohegan-Pequot language, which became extinct by the early 20th century. The tribal nation currently consists of more than 1,100 members, with about 200 of them residing on their reservation in Ledyard. The museum focuses on the history of the Pequots and other Native American peoples of eastern North America. The Mashantucket Pequot tribal nation also owns and operates the nearby Foxwoods Resort Casino: one of the largest casinos in the world. The 308,000-square-foot museum facility was built at a cost of $193.4 million, largely funded by casino revenues. My family and I recently visited the Pequot Museum during the long Thanksgiving weekend. I've visited the museum a number of times since it first opened, but this was the first visit for my two young sons. Since Thanksgiving occurred a couple of days before, my wife and I felt it was important to show our sons an accurate portrayal of Indigenous Americans (and their treatment) as opposed to the ones in the "fairy tale" narratives of the First Thanksgiving or Columbus' arrival in the Americas. The museum features some excellent interactive exhibits and life-size three-dimensional dioramas which showcase the culture of the Pequots and other Algonquian peoples from the Pre-Columbian era right up to the present day. Highlights for us included the "Pequot Village", "Life in a Cold Climate", and a 185-ft observation tower where visitors can get an excellent view of the entire Mashantucket Pequot reservation (including the casino). My family and I feel that the history and culture of our local indigenous peoples should be preserved and embraced, and this museum truly does a great job at doing that. We all highly recommend a visit to this museum!

Shanda C.

This history museum was amazing. I recommend you spend a whole day to actually look at all the exhibits in addition to the movies that they provide I will be return to look at exhibits that I didn't get a chance to see for all the exhibits that they have to be free is amazing and a great experience I will be returning and I recommend.

Allegra M.

Terrible signs. I felt trapped. I just wanted to leave!!!!!!!!!!!! Way too expensive. You'd think they would want people to learn about their culture. As $25 fee can be prohibitive to many people. *Terrible* design. Like an abandoned airport. More money than sense. Get a grip. Not recommended.

Diane C.

5/22/24: A Hidden Gem! Excellent museum with a great educational learning experience about the Native American Pequot Indians. We were fortunate to follow a middle school group led by a docent who was an ancestor of the Pequots. If I remember correctly, the guide was a grandson of a chief. The guide had a great way of speaking to the kids. Of course, there were a couple of smart aleck kids. The guide was very professional and didn't put up with any nonsense. Overall, the guide was very informative. Bravo to him! During our visit, we sat in a theatre and viewed, "The Witness". It's a half hour film that dramatizes the events of the Pequot War, 1636-38, including the massacre of approximately 600 Pequots at Mystic in 1637. "The Witness" is quite a riveting and important short film to watch, particularly in these times of hatred. We walked the through a Pequot Indian village. The highly detailed village was setup in a virtual like display. The entire museum is very visually detailed. In addition, there's a Hall of Fame room with photos of famous people who have native Pequot ancestry. There's so much to see. Admissions range from $13.00 to $22.00. The museum has a café, but it was closed. The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center is located at 110 Pequot Trail. Mashantucket, CT. It's very close to the Foxwoods Casino. WiFi and even data usage for GPS is somewhat spotty in the outside surrounding area. You might want to check out directions ahead of time. A couple of large parking areas are available on the museum grounds.

Megan K.

Everyone should absolutely come and visit this museum. Everyone. I have been to many, MANY museums. And this one is now by far one of the most impressive I've ever been to. The stream that runs through the exhibits on the first floor is incredible. Walking through the village replica is like being transported in time. I don't think I have enough words to even describe how in awe I was the whole time I visited here yesterday. Incredible. You will leave with a deep sense of understanding and respect. Life changing museum. Thank you.

From the entrance
Patricia N.

A beautiful October day to venture up a couple of hours to visit this amazing museum. It was highly recommended up in the woods of central CT. Enjoyed the multiple displays and the recreation of the Native American villages back in the day. Brianna was at main help desk and Ms Foster, the children's craft coordinator, were exceedingly friendly and informative to us as we tried to maneuver through this huge building to ensure we visited all important sites. At one point, a male member of staff saw we were unable to find a particular display and he personally guided us right to the floor/area. Happy we visited, entrance fee $25.

Brittany C.

Came here on a Wednesday and there was barely anyone there! Gave me the perfect chance to enjoy all the exhibits and informational history that is right here in our backyard. Great displays and depictions of what life would have looked like. Very primitive and realistic just like I remember when I visited as I child. The only downfall was the observation tower was broken, the escalator that brings you to the glacier exhibits was out of order and the store didn't have the white and purple replica wampum like I remember.

Sarah A.

This is probably the best museum I've been to in a while as far as content, presentation, and staff. The village was so well done that I felt like we were intruding. My 4 1/2 year old enjoyed it but I think it would have been helpful for him if there was a children's area. That would really be my only suggestion. The staff were very friendly and knowledgeable and seemed like they enjoyed what they do. My son had so many great questions as a result of this trip and it unlocked a whole new topic of interest for him. Cons: lots of walking. The entrance fee of $25 per adult might prevent someone from visiting. The staff member asked if any of us were military, first responders, etc. I'm a nurse and he applied a discount so that helped. The gift shop had a lot of empty shelves, unsure if they were in the process of restocking or not.

Scott G.

Back when I was a kid, my parents took me to the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and I remember thinking the place was so cool... now many many years later, I decided to visit again, and found it just as interesting! Here's the scoop on this awesome museum: The museum is located just a couple minutes away from Foxwoods Casino. There's a very large parking lot, though it is some distance away from the building. Admission tickets are $25 for adults, or cheaper for senior, students, and children. Once inside, you walk into a large open lobby (called the "Gathering Space") where they often host special events. This is "Level 3" on the map. There's a gift shop on this level, and a cafe upstairs, though the cafe was closed when I was there (their website says it's temporarily closed). There's also an 18-story observation tower that you can pay an extra fee to go up in, though it was also closed when I went, and so I'm not sure what the hours are for this or the cost (it's not listed on their website and I didn't bother to ask when I was there). To see the exhibits, you can take either the elevator or ramp down to Level 2, where you'll find a scale model of the Mashantucket Pequot reservation, as well as some small displays and photographs of modern-day tribal life. As you continue on, you'll take the escalator to Level 1 (the very lowest level), where you'll find displays of native art and creation stories. Next you'll enter "Life in a Cold Climate" where you'll see cool life-sized models of large animals that once roamed New England, like the mastodon, giant beaver, and dire wolves. There's also a life-size diorama showing an ancient caribou hunt. Further down the hall are exhibits about ancient tools. By far the coolest part of the museum is the Pequot Village! This village includes life-cast figures of Native American people wearing traditional clothing, and taking part in various tasks of daily life like cooking, talking, weaving, working, etc. You'll see an actual waterfall, trees, campfires, wigwams, and more! It truly feels like you're in a Pequot village! There are audioguide speakers available to narrate everything that you're seeing. As you finish up with the exhibits, you'll end by learning about what life on and off the reservation was like from the 1600's all the way up to the 1980's. It was eye opening to see how the government tried to take the tribal land from the Pequot's and created regulations that made it difficult for them to build homes on their own property. Overall, this museum gives you an amazing perspective of Native American history, and displays it in a way that people of all ages will enjoy. I would highly recommend checking it out!

Jen S.

A hidden gem in Connecticut! It's really a must-see. It's located right behind Foxwoods. Highlights of this place , aside from the lovely staff : - an 18 storey observation tower - a beautiful lobby with flags from native tribes all over North America - an interactive map of the land so you can see where everything on the property - an exhibit on the ice age and how that affected the land and the tribes There are also a couple of movie rooms but we did not get a chance to enjoy them. Our son has a short attention span :) My absolute favorite exhibit is the room Creation stories and art that goes with it!! You also learn about hunting and basket weaving. It's just so informative and wonderful. There's something for everyone! As an FYI they will be closed soon until the Spring. So be sure to keep this place in mind come March.

Mashentucket Pequot history in CT
Jordan M.

We arrived a little bit too late to be able to go through the museum at reasonable pace to see everything so we have to come back sometime in the future. My 99-year-old grandmother was with us so our pace would be slow. They stop selling tickets at 4:00 p.m. and close at 5:00 p.m. One of the Tips indicated that a guide could have walked us through in about an hour but the front desk did not offer that as an option to us so I'm assuming the guide was not available at the time we arrived. Nevertheless, we were allowed to see everything there was to see on the main level and also visit the gift shop without having to purchase tickets to the museum.

View tower! Open to the public every day
Jo E.

Beautiful, informative, interactive exhibits. Friendly and helpful staff. My 6 year old was enthralled with everything and had a great time in the interactive real life exhibit. We learned so much- about the deep indigenous roots that deserve a louder voice today! Highly recommend to educate ourselves about the past of this land and it's people. We also loved the view tower!

Meeting room
Rich P.

GOSH... if you've been to the exhibit at Foxwoods come Back This place is AWSOME to say the least. We took several hours to complete our visit but well worth it It is a beautiful well laid out museum I have been to most of the museums in NYC and this is Right up there..or better really tells their story. the attached pictures do it no justice Some of the exhibits show Tribal Life and are So lifelike...

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“Here's the scoop on this awesome museum: The museum is located just a couple minutes away from Foxwoods Casino.”

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RISD Museum - Vincent!

RISD Museum

4.6(207 reviews)
37.9 mi•College Hill

I visit a lot of art museums and a lot of colleges, but I'm enough of an amateur in the art world…read morethat this was not on my radar, and I happened upon it mainly because my trip through the area was marred by rainy weather. This museum is the property of the Rhode Island School of Design (a separate, but partner institution to Brown). It is open to the public, charging a significant entry fee but with some free days that did not include the day I visited. The interior is quite substantial, containing multiple floors in multiple buildings. The collection certainly was not boring, ranging from a geographic history tour to a special exhibition on how the Inuit view seals to a floor of current student art (which must be a big deal to get into). I probably spent an hour and a half getting a solid perusal, dodging multiple school groups along the way. The collection wasn't all good, but it was thought-provoking, and given that it's an easy walk from pretty much anything else in downtown Providence, it is worth considering a stop her eif in the area.

First time exploring Providence, and while sadly was only here for one day, this was one of the…read morebiggest recommendations I got for an attraction to see. And coming through here, yeah, I can definitely see why. The RISD Museum has a really amazing and eclectic assortment of works from many different eras and locations, and you are certain to find something here to pique your interest. In one building, I went from seeing some ancient Egyptian, Roman, or Chinese statues, to Renaissance and early-modern paintaings, Victorian and Gilded age furniture, an assortments of modern and contemporary works, plus several rotating exhibits which had some very fascinating subject matters. The entire building has a somewhat strange floorplan, but this leads you to explore, discover, and find your path through the exhibits in different ways, almost like working through a puzzle to find some hidden treasures. And if you take your time, the museum can easily eat up half a day at least. As for a couple things to keep in mind; Parking can be a little tricky right close to the museum itself, as there are some street spaces nearby and paid parking garages. But frankly, downtown Providence is so nice that I'd advise parking further away and enjoying a lovely walk over along the canals. Admission price is very reasonable, but Sundays are apparently free entry days (or at least was when I visited). So yeah, if you only have a couple hours to kill in this town, the RISD Museum is very much worth a visit. Hope others can come and enjoy this amazing spot.

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RISD Museum - Risd student exhibit

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Mystic Seaport Museum - 3.22.2025

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4.3(286 reviews)
7.3 mi

I was visiting family in CT and they wanted to bring me here. Upon entrance, staff were very…read morefriendly and helpful with schedules and must sees. I immediately noticed a newfoundland safety rescue presentation and couldn't miss it. There were at least 10 dogs set up for various rescue scenes. It was interactive for children and a sight for dog lovers. Pets and slobber came free. The village experience was interesting, the ship tour and interactive chant/rope pull was also fun to watch. Food was delectable even if water just couldn't stay cold in the heat. We missed the boat ride by a couple minutes so caught the newfoundland show again (not the least bit mad). I'm a little old for a late night Lego movie, but the set up would be perfect for children! I can't wait to go back with the younger kids in our family.

This maritime museum is huge, sitting on a 19-acre piece of land. It is immersive, recreating a…read more19th century seafaring village. Entrance fee is $35 for adults and $33 for seniors. They have flexible re-entry so you can go out and come back if you want to eat or do some things outside. You can see a fully operational shipyard, restored coastal village with some shops open and with active staff telling you about the crafts and other facts about the area: blacksmiths, printers, woodcarvers, etc. You should wear comfortable shoes since you will do a lot of walking on dirt roads, gravel, and wooden docks. The gift shop has shirts, sweaters, books, magnets, mugs, caps, and many other items. There are also places where you can eat here. Parking space is ample on the other side of the road (across the museum). The museum is interesting especially if you want to learn about maritime history and life back in the day. Shops are different; however, there can be a feeling of repetition after visiting one shop after the other.

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Mystic Seaport Museum - So pretty

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Mystic Seaport Museum - Shipyard

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Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center - museums - Updated October 2026

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