Free admission We parked on street close bye…read moreI enjoyed my visit here, many famous paintings Free audio tour as well Many shops and restaurants near bye

This is a nice mid size museum at the edge of the Yale campus. We spent about two hours here. It…read morehas everything from sculptures to modern art pieces. The current exhibit on Indonesian textiles was very interesting. I also enjoyed the many pieces from Picasso and Kandinsky. They even have a Calder mobile. We also enjoyed the William Blake exhibit with his poems and prints. The staff was nice and friendly. The museum was clean and their map flyer really helped us navigate through the many rooms. Free admittance and free lockers are provided in the basement for our big purses, coats, and water bottles.

Did not have the pleasure of entering because it was closed, but the exterior looks nicely…read morepreserved and the surrounding environs make for a pleasant walk.

Great Bridgeport Amphitheater! Open air summer concerts good vendors what more could you want?…read moreWell... it gets a 4 out of 5 for the 308 section acoustics - so hard to hear in that section. They should really fix that issue!! Love the local commute for Fairfield County!!! So happy they opened this venue up!!

Went back to the venue for another concert. Another great show and again seating and outdoor but…read morecovered option is great when the weathers nice. The workers we all encountered were so friendly as well. Great space and for not to far of a walk, the parking garage is free

Came here with family on a 2 hour weekday tour…read more Our tour guide Sara(h?) was very informative, clear and engaging. She made the experience great. She also made sure guests who needed to take breaks and sit were accommodated. The compound itself is incredible. The buildings, vision, art collections - all very interesting. Even if you're not super into art, I bet you would enjoy the diversity of things to see here. Highly recommend!

I recently spent a long weekend in Connecticut with my husband and some friends. The impetus for…read morethe trip was - in part - to visit the Glass House. It definitely lived up to my pretty high expectations. So what is the Glass House? Also known as the Johnson House, it's a house designed by American architect Philip Johnson for use as his own residence. Johnson lived at the house (and the rest of the property, more on that below) on weekends for over 50 years. The house is one glass-enclosed room, which includes a kitchen, dining area, bedroom, and living space (as well as one bathroom that is contained within the black cylinder in the right side of the structure. Because the house is almost entirely of glass, you can see through it to the landscape beyond, making it blend in to its surroundings and beautiful but different in each season. The house is an important piece of American architectural history and was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1997. Now owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, you can sign up for a tour to visit the home - you cannot visit or even see the house without signing up for a tour (the house is not visible from the street!). Tours are available April-December, typically, so check dates before you book a tour. They offer several different tour options: a 1-hour "Glass House Tour," which allows you to see the Glass House and the Brick House; a 2-hour "Glass House + Galleries Tour," which allows you to see the Glass House, the Brick House, the Painting Gallery, the Sculpture Gallery, outdoor sculptures, and Da Monsta, a visitor center and exhibition space); an extended tour lasting 2.5 hours; a self-guided tour (currently offered on Sundays only); group/private tours; and an in-depth 3-hour tour. The website has all of these options spelled out so you can choose the option that is right for you. We selected the 2-hour "Glass House + Galleries Tour," and I'm so glad we did. I wouldn't have wanted to miss the painting and sculpture galleries! You meet your tour at the visitor center (there isn't parking there, but there are paid lots nearby) - you cannot drive yourself to the property. Then you board a little shuttle bus with the rest of your tour and you're on off on a very short drive to the property. We walked down a path, while our guide pointed the studio and a few other notable things on the grounds (a Donald Judd sculpture that is enormous and very cool, just in front of the house, being one). Then you're at the Glass House. First a view of the outside while the guide explains the architecture and context of the design. Then you can wander through the interior of the space. It's minimalist (duh), but it's also incredibly beautiful. I found it an inspiring design. (FYI - no air conditioning in the house, so in the summer, it can be quite steamy in the house.) Since we were there for the Glass House, I was surprised by just how much I enjoyed touring the other spaces! Then we were off to the Brick House, the Glass House's opposite, just a few steps away. The Brick House was such a pleasant surprise; it has a bedroom, reading room, and bathroom, connected by a skylit corridor. The design of the Brick House is so different from the Glass House (bright, colorful, lush - that bathroom with all its marble, that colorful reading room, and the vaulted ceiling and Fortuny-covered walls of the bedroom!?), but I loved it entirely. I could certainly see why Johnson would have spent quite a bit of his time in the Brick House. Then our guide pointed out a few more features and sculptures on the grounds before we visited the Painting Gallery. The gallery contains works by Frank Stella, Andy Warhol, Robert Rauschenberg, and more, so it's worth a visit to see what they have on exhibit. But it also features some amazing design features! The exterior of the gallery is a grass-covered mount, and the gallery's art is displayed by use of a rotating "poster-rack," which is operated manually (Johnson preferred to view six works at a time, but the system allows for the storage of 42 paintings). Then it was time for a visit to the Sculpture Gallery - another incredible building (this one inspired by the architecture of the Greek isles). Because I'm running out of characters (I have a lot to say about this experience), I will just say that the our tour ended at Da Monsta. Then it's back to the visitor center via the shuttle bus, where you can do some shopping at their very cool design shop. Our tour guide was lovely - informative, interesting, incredible well-versed in everything Glass House-related. It was a hot day, so I got a bit sweaty and overheated at times, but it was worth it to visit this bit of American architectural history. It was an American travel bucket list item for me, and I'm so glad to have made it there finally. I'd go again!

"They took all the trees put 'em in a tree museum And they…read morecharged the people a dollar an' a half just to see 'em" (Joni Mitchell) The Fairfield Museum is undergoing renovations and we could just see two exhibits. The admission fee was accordingly waived for us. One exhibit was on quilts. The exhibits were drawn from their extensive textile collection. These colorful scenes of early New England life were gorgeous. If you ever wanted to know how quilts are pieced and stitched together or if you're just a quilt lover, you will enjoy this exhibit. The second exhibit was a biggie -it drew a TV crew (Cable Connecticut 12) into the room to film a segment. Guess who made a 2 second guest appearance in their piece? Ever seen those childrens books abiut "Busytown" by Richard Scarry? He was a Fairfield native and quite a few of Fairfield's businesses and landmarks ended up in those books. The exhibit is an immersive experience that allows you to select one of his animal cartoon figures and walk through the colorful streets of Busytown. You can teach your kids how communities work, what jobs people have, learn about transportation and all kinds of interactive exhibits- think opening doors and reading things inside the door. This has got to be a blast for kids or a nostalgic visit for anyone who grew up on Scarry's books.

Great local history museum! The front desk had great resources and the exhibits were wonderful.read more

"Someday I will be in California Go to places movie stars…read morehave been Hollywood and trolley cars and oranges And palm trees bending in the wind" (Chuck Berry) Want to do something different and kind of cool? Take a ride into the past at the Shore Line Trolley Museum. Your adventure begins in the middle of a residential neighborhood at the Sprague Visitor's Center- it's the ticketing office, museum and gift shop. But the real adventure begins just outside the Center's front door where you see a set of train tracks. Hop aboard a 103-year-old trolley car and take a 1.5-mile scenic ride through a salt marsh, past the sandstone quarries, cross over from East Haven into Branford, see a few osprey nests, and spend a half hour or so at the trolley barn for a lesson on the museum's collection of street railway vehicles. There are nearly 100 vintage transit vehicles on site. Our tour guide was a delightful fellow named J. Calvin, and he was a wealth of knowledge as he spoke about the history of public transport, the difference between trolley cars, street cars, and cable cars. We stopped at about a dozen vehicles for a briefing including a horse drawn car and a mail car. We also saw a very chilling exhibit - a NYC subway car that was trapped under a pile of rubble in a tunnel connected to the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. It was in perfect condition and after excavation was sent to Shoreline. I have to give another shoutout to our tour guide who did a great job interacting with the children in our group and made one little boy's day when he asked him to push a button on a pole, to engage the flashing lights, clanging bells and gate for a train crossing.

The Shoreline trolley Museum in East Haven has so many authentic artifacts from the museum exhibits…read moreright down to the actual conductor of the trolley. Connecticut has a rich history of using trolleys across the state up until 1948. The cars have been refurbished to the identical, original specifications. For history lovers, there is a wealth of information in every corner of the museum. The museum was founded to preserve the unique heritage of the trolley car. They currently have a collection of nearly 100 vintage vehicles as well as artifacts and documents from the trolley era. The Connecticut Company New Haven Line trolley system covered 256 miles of track within the City until 1948 and over 700 miles of track throughout the State of Connecticut. During the actual trolley ride, the conductor explains in great detail all of the aspects of the trolley car. The scenery in autumn is breathtaking. For admission to the museum and the trolley ride , you also receive a phenomenal pumpkin and apple of your choice. This is truly a Connecticut gem for both adults and children!

I went because of a Groupon. It had expired, but the docents kindly honored it anyway, and I shall…read morestill argue with Groupon about it. The museum itself isn't that big physically, and is in a bunker attached to a working airport. Small plans, and you can see them land and take-off at the end of the museum. Do not go outside without a docent. The museum may be small, but is FULL of artifacts about WWII, Connecticut airplane production, and other wars as well. Items are well marked with explanations, and there are several full sized plans and helicopters. You can't go into them, but you can see inside. There is a restroom for patrons. There's no AC, but several powerful fans.

I'm not really into aviation history, but I saw this place online and thought I'd check it out!…read moreWhat a cool spot! Here's the scoop on this hidden gem: The CT Air & Space Center is located right next to the Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford (if you go out the back door of the museum building, you'll actually be on the airport property). Free parking is available in the lot in front of the building. Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for veterans, and $5 for children 6-12. The museum is currently only open Saturdays and Sundays 10AM-4PM. The museum itself is fairly small, but there's a lot to see! Inside you'll find vintage aircraft and airplane memorabilia and artifacts related to CT's aviation history. The main display piece is a restored Corsair fighter plane, and they also have a few military helicopters. There are additional planes and a larger helicopter outside, you just need to ask a staff member to accompany you, as it is a working airport. You're even allowed to sit in the cockpit of one of the planes, the 1973 Cessna 150 that says "Conn Motor Club" on the side. The museum is staffed entirely by volunteers who are all very friendly and knowledgeable. I'd recommend asking one of the staff members to show you around, so they can tell you the history behind the different aircrafts. One of the most interesting things I learned was about Gustave Whitehead of Bridgeport, CT, who, according to some evidence, flew an aircraft in 1901 and 1902, which would have predated the Wright Brothers first flight in 1903. While small, the museum is currently working to restore the 1929 Curtiss Flying School Hangar (located right next to the current building), and this would allow for the museum to expand and have more room to display their aircrafts. Overall a very cool and interesting place, stop by and help support them in preserving CT's aviation history!

First off, this fair has been an annual event for a long time. I have gone many times over the…read moreyears because it is close to my home and feels like being in the country. Lots to do and see here making it a great annual tradition. This is a fun and affordable event for the whole family. You will find lots to see and do. Horse and tractor pulls, pig races, flower and vegetable displays, pigeons, crafts, vendors, food and lizards. Plus rides for the children, music, classic cars, tractors and antique farm machinery to see. Used to be bunnies, pigs, birds, cows, goats and other farm animals. Not so many anymore because of diseases and fewer farms in this area of CT. Or maybe I missed them. The food is always good and affordable. This is an event to go to.

This is a below average CT agricultural fair with a limited selection of food options, relatively…read moresmall and limited traditional agricultural exhibits and an odd, rather open layout. The place feels more like a carnival than the typical New England fair. There were a couple of highlights, including a very nice farm museum (albeit it housed awkwardly in a modern 1990s-constructed building), a small reptile exhibit and a sausage and broccoli rabe sandwich. This is not worth a visit unless there's absolutely nothing going on and you happen to be in the area.