Category: News & Events

Who’s Buried Where and Why Do We Care?

And we are back by popular demand with round three.  This year’s tours will be on the dates and times listed below and run rain or shine.  We are delighted to bring you four tours this October.  You may reserve the series HERE or sign up for individual tours by clicking on the name below.  All tours start promptly at 1:00 at the entrance to the cemetery and take approximately two hours.  Our tours are refreshed every year so plan on meeting new “residents” even if you have been on a tour to a cemetery previously.

Oct 4     Connecticut School for Boys Ancient Burial Grounds  near 435 Lewis Avenue

Oct 11   St Boniface  955 Old Colony Rd

Oct 18   St Stanislaus  Ann Street

Oct 26    B’nai Abraham   113 Corrigan Avenue

While the cost is free, we would appreciate your donations.  The suggested donation is $10 per tour and can be done on-line when your reserve your seat.

Thursday September 25th 6:30-7:30 41 W Main Street Meriden

Welcome to another chapter in our ongoing lecture series about the immigrants whose rich diversity made Meriden!  Between 1840 and 1870, nearly 1 million French speakers emigrated from Canada to the northeast United States and formed “Little Canada” communities, one of of which was Meriden.  Join Martha Colaresi (née Benoît) as she explores the heritage, trials, tribulations and triumphs that shape the story of French Canadians crossing the border, finding their way to Meriden, and becoming Franco-American.  Register HERE.

Guided tour  “Wampum to War Bonds” starts at 11:30 and 1:30

If you haven’t seen the new Andrews you’re not going to want to miss it.  Step through time on this immersive historic home tour, where each room reveals a different era in Meriden’s past—from the lives of Native peoples before European settlement to the transformation of the homefront in the post-World War II years. As you move from one space to the next, discover how women and children shaped and experienced daily life in each period, from early farming and industry to the rise of the silver trade and wartime sacrifice. Rooted in Meriden’s unique local history, the tour highlights everything from 18th-century hearthside chores to 20th-century life, offering a vivid, room-by-room journey through the evolving story of home and community. The guided tour, Wampum to War Bonds, starts promptly at 11:30 and 1:30. You are free to tour on your own when a guided tour is not in progress. Seats are reserved and limited in number to enable our visitors to see and hear easily.  Click HERE to reserve your spot.

The Homestead is NOT handicapped accessible and not airconditioned. Should the temperature prove to be too hot we will notify registered guests on the front page of our website and through Zeffy.

Thursday August 28 6:30-7:30 Meriden Museum & History Center, 41 West Main Street

Italian immigration has played a significant role in shaping the cultural, economic, and social fabric of Meriden, particularly during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In this lecture, we will explore the major waves of Italian migration, the push and pull factors that drove millions to leave their homeland, and the experiences of Italian immigrants as they settled in Meriden. From the challenges of assimilation to the preservation of cultural identity, we will examine how Italian communities left a lasting legacy that continues to be felt today. Register HERE.

Thursday July 24 6:30-7:30 Meriden Museum & History Center ,41 West Main Street

xplore the rich history and enduring legacy of Polish immigrants who begin settling in the area in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. We will discuss why they come to Meriden because of the  opportunities in the booming silver and manufacturing industries,  taking on physically demanding jobs while forming tight-knit communities centered around churches such as St. Stanislaus. The lecture also emphasizes the role of Polish cultural traditions, language, and mutual aid societies in preserving identity and fostering resilience amidst discrimination and economic hardship. Through  personal stories, and historical documents, the presentation paints a vivid picture of how Polish Americans helped shape Meriden’s cultural and economic landscape.  Reserve your seat HERE.

Thursday, June 26 6:30 PM – 7:45 PM 41 W Main St, Meriden, CT 06451, USA

Join us for another chapter in our ongoing lecture series sharing the story of the  diverse communities that made Meriden. This evening, Erika Slocumb from the Harriet Beecher Stowe Center focuses on African Americans as they arrive in the New World. By 1775 Connecticut had roughly 5100 slaves. Wallingford, which included Meriden and Cheshire at the time of the Revolutionary War had many enslaved people. Often overlooked stories of African -Americans in early Meriden will be shared. Reseve you seat HERE.

Thursday May 22 at 6:30 41 W Main Street, Meriden, CT

Bring your Meriden antiques, heirlooms, and forgotten treasures to the Meriden Museum & History Center, where we will help uncover their hidden stories. Whether it’s a dusty old photograph, a curious trinket, or a centuries-old artifact, every object has a tale to tell. Join us for a night of exploration, conversation, and surprising connections to the past—because history isn’t just in museums, it’s in your hands!  Reserve your seat now by clicking https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/relics-and-revelations-show-and-tell-at-the-museum

Monthly Lecture Series     Trailblazers: Women in Meriden

Join us for an engaging lecture exploring the rich history and impact of the women in Meriden’s past and present. This event will delve into the contributions of the women in the city, from its early settlers to today’s women of note. Reserve your seat now by clicking HERE.  (We have sold out the last 2 lectures so please be sure to register.)

This Friday you are invited to our opening reception for our spring exhibit, Quills to Clicks: How News Has Shaped Meriden and Beyond.  This is a wine and cheese reception from 6:30-8:00 for members before the public opening of the exhibit on Saturday the 5th at 10AM.  RSVPs are required.  Please click HERE if you plan on coming.

Saturday April 5th 10-3 and Sunday April 6th 11-3

Opening of the spring exhibit. Quills to Clicks: How News Has Shaped Meriden and Beyond  Guided tours begin at 11 and 1 for this exhibit.  A guided tour of  Innovation & Industry begins at 2 on Saturday and Sunday. Polished Perspectives begins at 12 on Saturday and Sunday.
All exhibits are open during our regularly scheduled open hours through Saturday June 14th.  See below for open hours. We do ask that if you would like a guided tour during regular hours that you call ahead and make a reservation in order to ensure that we have a tour guide available. 203-639-1913.  Guided tours during weekend hours are available on the posted schedule as seen above.

Thursday April 22nd 6:30-7:30

Monthly Lecture Series     Trailblazers: Women in Meriden

Join us for an engaging lecture exploring the rich history and impact of the women in Meriden’s past and present. This event will delve into the contributions of the women in the city, from its early settlers to today’s women of note. Reserve your seat now by clicking HERE.  (We have sold out the last 2 lectures so please be sure to register.)

41 W Main Street Thursday March 27th at 6:30 PM

Join us for an engaging lecture and  discussion exploring the rich history and impact of Irish immigration in Meriden, Connecticut. This event will delve into the challenges, triumphs, and cultural contributions of the Irish community in the city, from its early settlers to its lasting legacy.  The evening will feature the history of Irish immigration in Meriden, including its social, economic, and cultural dimensions from the Ancient Order of the Hibernians, local people of Irish descent and museum staff. Please register HERE.

We invite you to arrive early and explore our new West Gallery, currently featuring the exhibition “Polished Perspectives: The Art of International Silver“.