Edited to add response to their comment: We both certainly have very different opinions of what a…read morecalm demeanor looks like. She screamed at one of the parents in a nasty and unprofessional way and aggressively yelled at children when their parents weren't nearby, to the point that two of them were in tears, and one was sobbing so hard her mother had to console her and remove her from the building. As mentioned in my original review, accountability is not their strong suit. I'm happy with my decision not to return and will be sure to spread that message. During a time when everything is so expensive, I'd much rather spend my money elsewhere. We have visited many museums across Connecticut and have never been treated this way. The only reason we kept returning was because Ms. Robyn is an excellent educator. Other than that, the staff is horrible, and the place is falling apart. Everything is old and beat up.
We are a homeschooling family that has participated in the museum's monthly classes for both Littles and Bigs, organized by our homeschool group for over a year. Unfortunately, we have consistently had negative experiences because of one staff member, Nicky Georgiano. Each time we visit, she approaches our children with a harsh and overly aggressive demeanor. While we always address any issues immediately, her behavior on November 5, 2025, was far beyond what is acceptable.
As soon as we arrived, she started raising her voice at the children over small issues. When they built a fort using the museum's foam building blocks, she began shouting that someone could get hurt. We promptly had the children take the structure apart. However, just minutes later, she stormed down the hallway, pointing and reprimanding the children for running. Her tone and body language were excessively hostile and intimidating.
Later, we received an email stating that Nicky had approached the children calmly, but that could not be further from the truth. In reality, she was the complete opposite of calm. She kept following our group throughout the museum, and what upset one of the children to the point of crying uncontrollably was when she yelled at them in a very aggressive manner.
What made the situation worse was the director's handling of it. When I expressed my concerns, the director dismissed them, defended Nicky's actions, and insisted that "rules are rules" and "it's a liability." While I understand that safety is important, it does not excuse the poor treatment of visitors, especially children. Accountability and professionalism should be the standard, yet neither was demonstrated.
It is also unsettling that staff members sit together in the office watching children on security cameras. This behavior is incredibly inappropriate and frankly very creepy.
It is unfortunate because Ms. Robyn, one of the educators, is wonderful, and our children have always enjoyed her classes. However, the behavior of Nicky, along with the lack of leadership from the director, has completely ruined this experience for us. My family and I have decided not to return and will be taking our business elsewhere.
Management, please review the many complaints regarding Nicky's behavior. She consistently creates a negative experience for families and is unsuitable for a children's environment.
