Category: Summer at the Museum

Glebe House Museum Announces “Hands-on-History” Summer Experience for Children

This summer, step into another time with the Glebe House Museum’s immersive Hands-on-History program, running from August 4–8, 2025. Now in its 36th year, this beloved program offers children ages 6–12 a unique opportunity to explore life in 18th and 19th century Woodbury through engaging, hands-on activities at our historic site. The full-day program runs Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, providing a safe, educational, and exciting environment led by experienced educators.

Participants will delight in creating colonial crafts, churning butter, making candles, playing historic games, and exploring the Gertrude Jekyll Garden, while also learning about herbal remedies, kitchen gardens, and nature-inspired art. Designed to spark curiosity and foster a deeper appreciation for history, horticulture, early American trades, and the arts, the program is both enriching and fun.

The program fee at the Glebe House located on Hollow Road in Woodbury, Connecticut is $250 for members and $275 for non-members. Pre-registration is required, and space is limited, so early registration is encouraged. High school students aged 14 and up are invited to apply as Youth Leaders, earning community service hours and a stipend while supporting program operations.
To learn more or to register, visit www.glebehousemuseum.org
, call 203-263-2855, or email office@glebehousemuseum.org. Don’t miss this opportunity to give your child a summer filled with history, discovery, and creativity.

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Washington’s Institute for American Indian Studies Holding Green Corn Festival Brings Visitors and Indigenous People Together August 13

The Institute for American Indian Studies, located in Washington, CT, is holding its 18th annual Green Corn Festival on Sunday, August 13th from Noon to 4:00 pm at River Walk Pavilion, 11a School Street, in Washington, CT. This festival gives visitors a glimpse into Native American life and traditions.

Corn is an integral part of the annual lifecycle of Native American people that have welcomed the season when corn ripens with a celebration for centuries. In recognition of this time-honored tradition, join IAIS Museum Staff as they welcome the first corn of the summer 2023 season with flute music by Allan Madahbee (Ojibwe), drumming, children’s activities curated by the Institute’s staff like making corn husk dolls to take home, and traditional stories told by a professional Native American Storyteller.

For shoppers and collectors, don’t miss the vendors that are selling Native American-inspired arts and crafts at a variety of price points. All the festivities are taking place in a beautiful park with a sheltered wooden pavilion, picnic tables, and plenty of free parking.

If you have always wondered what Indigenous food tastes like, you will be able to try some authentic Native American cuisine and more at the Green Corn Festival. Jason Cogswell Lamb, Schaghticoke, of Mashquanon’s Wetu will be cooking up some of his favorite contemporary and traditional indigenous cuisine sure to delight the palette. GV Bites Food Truck will be whipping up Colombian fusion food, and Polar Sweets Ice Cream will be serving more than 40 flavors of ice cream that will help beat the heat!

The annual highlight of the Green Corn Festival is the Native Nations Dance Troupe led by Erin Meeches, from the Schaghticoke Tribal Nation. Each dance performed has an uplifting and unique story or purpose. Some use movements that imitate animals and others represent an aspect of cultural significance. These traditional dances are sure to delight because they evoke the beauty, honor, and tradition of Native People. The Quahog Bay Drum Group led by Devin Wixon from the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribal Nation will accompany the dances. The dancing will take place at 1 p.m. and at 3 p.m.

Admission for this event held rain or shine, is $15 for Adults, $12 for seniors, $10 for children, $10 for IAIS Members, and free for members’ children. Pre-registration is greatly appreciated, click here to register https://iaismuseum.charityproud.org/EventRegistration/Index/13017.

About Green Corn
The expression “Green Corn” refers to the first ripened sweet corn that you can eat. The Green Corn Ceremony is marked with dancing, feasting, fasting, and religious observations. In the Eastern Woodland areas, Native people depended on three staples – corn, beans, and squash. These food items were so important that they were called “The Three Sisters.” The Three Sisters were mixed together to make a vegetable dish called succotash that is still popular today.

About Institute for American Indian Studies
Located on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have the 16th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located at 38 Curtis Road, Washington, CT.

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Seaport Association Participates in Summer @ the Museum – Funding Provided by a Grant from CT Humanities

The Seaport Association was awarded a grant from CT Humanities for participating in Connecticut Summer at the Museum 2023 initiative. This program invites Connecticut children ages 18 and under plus one accompanying Connecticut resident adult to visit participating museums free from July 1 through September 4, 2023.
CT Humanities is honored to partner with the CT Office of the Arts again to administer the CT Summer at the Museum Initiative in 2023. The Department of Economic and Community Development, in partnership with the Office of the Governor, Connecticut State Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood, and Connecticut Humanities, will deliver these financially accessible summer enrichment opportunities to families and children of all ages using funding provided through ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act).

“The Summer at the Museum program in 2022 was very successful. We were delighted to be able to introduce so many new children to Sheffield Island Lighthouse and can’t wait to do it again this summer. We are very proud to be among the grant recipients,” said Mike Reilly, President of the Seaport Association. “This grant program allows us to expand our reach and also helps us achieve our mission of education by introducing children from Connecticut to our historic lighthouse and its maritime history, which is such an important part of Connecticut’s cultural heritage.”

In accordance with this program, the Seaport Association has set aside a limited number of free seats at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. for a three-hour cruise to Sheffield Island for Connecticut children ages 18 and under plus one accompanying Connecticut resident adult from July 1 – September 4, 2023. Reservations must be made in advance online only. There are a limited number of tickets allocated each day. To make reservations for a cruise to Sheffield Island Lighthouse Museum click here. Tickets are subject to availability. Special events are excluded.

Children will enjoy a narrated tour on the way to the island and an hour and a half of picnicking on the beach or in the new wooden pavilion, touring the historic lighthouse, looking for shells on the beach, and taking a walk through the Stewart B. McKinney Wildlife Refuge to view the colorful sea birds sheltered in the marshes and sandy shoreline of the island. An added bonus is the telescope installed by the Seaport Association which is free to use and affords fabulous views of the Connecticut coastline and the skyline of Manhattan. A visit to Sheffield Island is an interactive and immersive learning experience, which is a cornerstone of the Seaport Association’s mission.

About the Seaport Association
The Norwalk Seaport Association was founded in 1978 by a group of local citizens who had the vision to revitalize South Norwalk and preserve Norwalk’s maritime heritage. The Seaport Association offers a cultural, environmental, and historical journey to the Norwalk Islands. The Sheffield Island Lighthouse and the Light Keeper’s Cottage provide a unique historical and educational venue that strives to increase awareness, appreciation, and consideration for the environment and how the preservation of historic buildings contributes to our quality of life. The combination of the Lighthouse and the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge offers an unparalleled opportunity to educate children of all ages and adults about the importance of preserving Long Island Sound, our environment, and our maritime heritage.

About Connecticut Humanities
CT Humanities (CTH) is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. CTH connects people to the humanities through grants, partnerships, and collaborative programs. CTH projects, administration, and program development are supported by state and federal matching funds, community foundations, and gifts from private sources. Learn more by visiting cthumanities.org.

About Connecticut Office of the Arts
The Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) is the state agency charged with fostering the health of Connecticut’s creative economy. Part of the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development, the COA is funded by the State of Connecticut as well as the National Endowment for the Arts.

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Free Admission this Summer at Institute for American Indian Studies Funding Provided by a Grant from CT Humanities

The Institute for American Indian Studies was awarded a grant from CT Humanities for participating in Connecticut Summer at the Museum 2023 initiative. This program invites Connecticut children ages 18 and under plus one accompanying Connecticut resident adult to visit participating museums free of charge from July 1 through September 4, 2023.
CT Humanities is honored to partner with the CT Office of the Arts again to administer the CT Summer at the Museum Initiative in 2023. The Department of Economic and Community Development, in partnership with the Office of the Governor, Connecticut State Department of Education, Office of Early Childhood, and Connecticut Humanities, will deliver these financially accessible summer enrichment opportunities to families and children of all ages using funding provided through ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act).

“The Summer at the Museum program in 2022 was very successful. We were delighted to be able to introduce so many new children to Native American culture and history and can’t wait to do it again this summer. We are very proud to be among the grant recipients,” said Chris Combs, Executive Director of the Institute for American Indian Studies. “This grant program allows us to expand our reach and also helps us achieve our mission of education by introducing children from Connecticut to the 12,000-year-old history of eastern woodland Native Americans,” Combs continued.

Children are welcome to explore the Institute’s galleries that trace the 12,000-yearlong stories of Connecticut’s Native American peoples from the distant past to their lives and culture today. The core exhibit takes children from a time at the end of the Ice Age to modern times. A second gallery presents artifacts, images, and themes reflecting both early colonial and modern tribal lifestyles across North America. The Children’s Discovery Room is an interactive space that shows children what life would have been like if they were a Native American living 600 years ago. An indoor longhouse is an elongated wigwam that contains both original and replicated artifacts and provides an immersive experience. A highlight of any visit is taking the trail to the replicated Algonkian Village that depicts life common to an Algonkian village of 350 to 1000 years ago.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies
Located on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have a 16th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located at 38 Curtis Road, in Washington, Connecticut.

About Connecticut Humanities
CT Humanities (CTH) is an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. CTH connects people to the humanities through grants, partnerships, and collaborative programs. State and federal matching funds, community foundations, and gifts from private sources support CTH projects, administration, and program development. Learn more by visiting cthumanities.org.

About Connecticut Office of the Arts
The Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) is the state agency charged with fostering the health of Connecticut’s creative economy. The State of Connecticut as well as the National Endowment fund part of the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development, the COA for the Arts.

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