Connecticut River Museum

Known best today for his literary masterpieces and frank observations on society, Mark Twain was an active participant in the spiritualism craze that swept the United States during the 19th century. Throughout his life, including the time he spent living in Hartford, he took an interest in the spirit world by attending seances, palm readings, and meeting mediums. Join historian Jason Scappaticci for a lecture that explores the supernatural through the lens of one of America’s greatest literary minds. This lecture will be available in person and over Zoom. To access the live stream, please purchase a Virtual Ticket.

Swing by the Connecticut River Museum for take-home craft activities that engage kids with the Connecticut River’s stunning wildlife and rich history. Crafts will take place in the Museum’s Boathouse. A program just for kids 4+ and their caregivers, River Tales includes a story and craft activity themed around nature. Join us for an extra-spooky River Tales as we read Bat Loves the Night by Nicola Davies, a beautifully detailed exploration of bat behavior and navigational skills as they hunt for food. Questions? Email astromberger@ctrivermuseum.org.

Join exhibiting artist Evie Lovett for a hands-on experience making photographs using objects, the light of the sun, and water. With cyanotype photography, photographs are made by placing objects on specially coated non-toxic light-sensitive paper, exposing it to the light of the sun, and developing the image in water. The result is a captivating image in shades of dark blue to white. Create a work of art and discover the process behind Lovett’s artwork, on view in Watermark: Capturing the Connecticut exhibit. Although supplies will be provided, attendees are welcome to bring their own flowers, leaves, or plants, which can be used to make cyanotypes. RSVP is required. Members $10; Non-Members $15

With generous support from The Petit Family Foundation, the Connecticut River Museum is pleased to provide sensory friendly items including bean bag chairs, noise-canceling headphones and fidget toys available for this special one-hour program. Exhibits with loud noises and/or bright lights are modified to allow people with a range of abilities to experience all the Museum has to offer. A designated quiet room is set up for the duration of the event to allow visitors to decompress, take a break, and experience the Museum at their own pace.

Join us aboard RiverQuest and Onrust for a magical evening on the Connecticut River to witness the incredible Tree Swallow phenomenon. Each night at sunset, hundreds of thousands of Tree Swallows gather and perform stunning aerial ballets before settling into the reeds for the night. Enjoy over two hours on the water, taking in the breathtaking scenery and the unique show the swallows create. This small group experience offers a special, ever-changing glimpse into the river’s natural wonders.

Sea Lamprey have a bad reputation: they invaded the Great Lakes in the mid-1800s, they suck the blood of other fish, and many consider their appearance to be off-putting. But these parasitic creatures are not all that they seem. Sea Lamprey play an important and under-recognized role in the Connecticut River ecosystem, providing food for other river species and bringing in vital nutrients from the ocean. Join Steve Gephard for a talk that dissects these misunderstood fish and challenges our ideas of which species are “good” and worthy of our appreciation. As a Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection fisheries biologist, Steve Gephard worked tirelessly for 42years to restore a viable population of Atlantic salmon and other migratory fishes in the Connecticut River. Now, he educates the public about the role fish play in the ecosystem and works with governments in North America and Europe to conserve salmon populations in the North Atlantic.

Join us aboard RiverQuest and Onrust for a magical evening on the Connecticut River to witness the incredible Tree Swallow phenomenon. Each night at sunset, hundreds of thousands of Tree Swallows gather and perform stunning aerial ballets before settling into the reeds for the night. Enjoy over two hours on the water, taking in the breathtaking scenery and the unique show the swallows create. This small group experience offers a special, ever-changing glimpse into the river’s natural wonders.

Join us aboard RiverQuest and Onrust for a magical evening on the Connecticut River to witness the incredible Tree Swallow phenomenon. Each night at sunset, hundreds of thousands of Tree Swallows gather and perform stunning aerial ballets before settling into the reeds for the night. Enjoy over two hours on the water, taking in the breathtaking scenery and the unique show the swallows create. This small group experience offers a special, ever-changing glimpse into the river’s natural wonders.

Shanties & Sails are back! Enjoy an evening of Sea Shanties. Hear talented shanty and sea-song musicians for a FREE one-hour live performance. Add to your evening to continue the fun. Book a trip on the Onrust! Shanties: FREE, Onrust: $25 This music series is generously supported by Privé Swiss Wellness. Littlefield and Morneault Joseph Morneault, performing with David Littlefield as Littlefield and Morneault: A duo of folk music presenting ballads, the sea, and songs of local historical interest. David Littlefield is a lifetime resident of Old Lyme and has worked many years at Mystic Seaport. He is known for his scholarship on whaling and the history of the whaling ship the Morgan, as well as his songs about local businesses that supported or were supported by the shipping trades. Joseph Morneault is the president of the Maritime Music & Tradition Society, which features as its primary event the annual CT Sea Music Festival held in Essex, CT. Joseph is a social historian and author with a focus on the late 18th century, and can be regularly heard performing every Monday night at the Griswold Inn in Essex. ONRUST Onrust is a re-creation of the vessel Adriaen Block built in 1614. […]

Members: $30, Non-Members: $35 Join author and historian Jerry Roberts aboard Onrust for a trip back in time to 1814! On this special cruise, passengers will trace the path of the British Raid on Essex during the War of 1812, which saw 27 ships set aflame in the single greatest loss of American shipping of the entire war. Explore the real-world locations of this dramatic chapter in Connecticut history alongside the author of The British Raid on Essex: The Forgotten Battle of the War of 1812. Jerry Roberts has been in the history business for over 30 years. He has served as Vice President in charge of Exhibits at the Intrepid Sea Air Space Museum in New York City, and as Executive Director of the National Lighthouse Museum project in NYC, the Connecticut River Museum in Essex CT, and the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks, CT. He has designed and built over fifty exhibits, designed and project managed several major museum expansion and infrastructure projects. He has written several books and other historic publications and has co-written and appeared in a number of documentaries. The Connecticut River Museum may record this event, including all questions, comments, etc. by the audience. […]

Shanties & Sails are back! Enjoy an evening of Sea Shanties. Hear talented shanty and sea-song musicians for a FREE one-hour live performance. Add to your evening to continue the fun. Book a trip on the Onrust! Shanties: FREE, Onrust: $25 This music series is generously supported by Privé Swiss Wellness. My Druthers Rebel songs of Ireland & the Sea! Consisting of a rotating lineup of all-stars from the Connecticut music scene, My Druthers has had shows throughout New England, the Midwest & Southeastern US, as well as Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. Renowned for their raucous & rowdy take on the age-old tradition, it’s hard not to raise a pint, stomp your feet, and sing along with these salty rebels and CT shantymen! ONRUST Onrust is a re-creation of the vessel Adriaen Block built in 1614. Built over several years in upstate New York using traditional plans and means, the Onrust is a wholly unique ship that serves to educate and entertain visitors curious about the age of exploration, the fur trade, and our early colonial history. She is available for public cruises as well as private charters.

Shanties & Sails are back! Enjoy an evening of Sea Shanties. Hear talented shanty and sea-song musicians for a FREE one-hour live performance. Add to your evening to continue the fun. Book a trip on the Onrust! Shanties: FREE, Onrust: $25 This music series is generously supported by Privé Swiss Wellness. Rick Spencer and Dawn Indermuehle develop and present theme-based music and history programs, performing songs that give cultural insight into interesting times, places, and events in American history. Rick and Dawn carefully craft their vocals and accompaniment to sound as true to a song’s era or style as possible. Their vast repertoire includes music from the Colonial era to the present day. Rick and Dawn use these songs to illustrate the evolution of our nation’s culture and history in an informative and entertaining way. Onrust is a re-creation of the vessel Adriaen Block built in 1614. Built over several years in upstate New York using traditional plans and means, the Onrust is a wholly unique ship that serves to educate and entertain visitors curious about the age of exploration, the fur trade, and our early colonial history. She is available for public cruises as well as private charters.