Tucked away in the stylish little berg of Hamden, Connecticut you’ll find the always unique Eli Whitney Museum. Now, before you open up Wikipedia to figure out why that name seems so familiar, remember that Eli Whitney is the famed American inventor known best for developing the cotton gin and greatly expanding the prevalence of interchangeable parts.
That’s right. Interchangeable parts. Just like how John Travolta in Michael had to invent standing in line, building big things out of smaller, easily replaceable things is an idea somebody had to have. (End digression).
The Eli Whitney Museum delves into the life of Whitney and fellow early-1900’s inventor A. C. Gilbert, but more importantly, it celebrates the spirit of craft and invention that these two men are best known for with the unusual “Workshop” attraction. At the workshop, children have the opportunity to design and build creations from simple to complex, all under the helpful guidance of an apprentice. Walk-in projects can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour. See example projects here.
While your children work their brain muscles, you can visit the few exhibits on-site, our favorite of which is simply the site itself. The grounds are free for exploration, and the peaceful New England weather of Hamden can make for a stunning afternoon.
The Eli Whitney Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday afternoons. Learn more about it here.
Note: This museum is geared strongly toward children ages 6-12. If you do not have someone in your group of this age who could take advantage of the workshop programs, we would not recommend this attraction.
If you’re browsing Greater New Haven and Fairfield County hotels, consider the Holiday Inn Express Shelton Hotel – Trumbull. Not the closest you’ll find to the Eli Whitney Museum, but a great choice for those traveling with children.
The Connecticut Visitor’s Bureau fancies the Eli Whitney Museum a fine Spring Break 2009 destination. They’ve also listed some additional options here.
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2 Comments
I visited this museum a few years ago and found it highly informative even without children. Although it is not somewhere that you’d spend hours visiting, it is a unique place and not to be missed especially from an historical point of view.
There you have it, folks, straight from someone who knows the area far better than I ever will.
Thanks for your comments, Marion, and congratulations on the recent re-release. As the author of an unpublished novel myself, I can only imagine what the thrill of finally making that jump must have been like. I hope all continues to be well.
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