During your trip to the beautiful state of Connecticut, you will find many events and activities to take part in. Whether you are exploring the outdoors through hiking and biking, or visiting various landmarks famous to this region, there is something for everyone. While there are a number of things to do during your visit, Connecticut’s landscape is dotted with various museums for children and adults that are both interesting and educational.

The Children’s Museum of Southeast Connecticut, located in Niantic, Connecticut, strives to provide various programs for children that are educational, exciting, and fun. The museum hosts scavenger hunts that are created for varying age groups. Kids can play on wooden boats, go to the fish market, play on the sandy beach and explore the discovery room filled with endless toys, arts and crafts, and mirrors to keep the little ones busy. Along with the space inside the museum, there are also two outdoor play areas for adventurous and curious explorers. View the Long Island Sound from the highest point of the tree house, or imagine the depth of the ocean from an authentic research submarine, the Benthic Explorer.

If you are interested in art museums, the Florence Griswold Museum is a spectacular attraction to visit during your travels. The museum is known as a nationally recognized center for American art and history which encompasses both modern galleries and historic buildings. Numerous educational programs are offered which integrate art, history, and landscape within each, providing a hands-on experience for visitors. The museum houses an award-winning exhibition gallery for its various collections, and the historic Griswold House, the main boarding house for artists from 1910. Endless art displays, exhibits, programs and events are hosted throughout the year.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is a fun, exciting and incredibly intriguing museum located in Norwalk, Connecticut. The Mansion is one of the earliest and finest surviving Second Empire Style country houses ever built in America. The Museum was created in order to conserve and faithfully restore this magnificent 62-room mansion while providing numerous educational programs focused on the material, artistic and social culture of the Victorian era. Tours are given throughout the week from 12-4 on Wednesday through Sunday.

If you are interested in history and transportation, the Railroad Museum of New England is a wonderful place to visit during your trip to Connecticut. This not-for-profit educational and historical organization was found in 1968 and provides programs that explore the region’s rich railroad heritage. Visitors can explore locomotives of all types including passenger cars, freight cars, and cabooses among others and view railroad artifacts dating back to the 1840’s.

The Discovery Museum and Planetarium, located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, is a great place to visit if you are passionate about music, science, and exploration. The center houses more than 60 instruments ranging from the rare to the antique to the widely popular along with performance videos, audio, hands-on programs, models, touch screens, images and photographs. Along with the musical display, the planetarium provides continuous shows for children and adults that take you on a journey through the solar system. There are permanent exhibits within the museum along with exhibits that change throughout the year.

Whether you are in search of a history museum, an art museum, a science museum or a children’s museum, Connecticut has something for everyone!