Every year in early December the library has a Gingerbread House Festival with approximately 150…read morehouses on display, open to the public. Raffle tickets are sold for the houses and or scenes created as well as other items donated by local stores and businesses. The museum uses this as one of several fund raising events throughout the year. At the close of the event, raffle winners can pick up their items in plenty of time to feature them at home as part of their Christimas seasonal decorations. 2024 is the 14th year of this tradition; it is well worth a perusal as the quality of the displays are exceptional. Stop by and make this an annual Christmas event for you and your family.

That library actually hosts Gingerbread House Festival from a day after Thanksgiving to the last…read moreweekend before Christmas every year. I believe this is the only library in all of New England to hold a festival of gingerbread houses. It's one of the largest Gingerbread House Festivals in New England. In addition, they have an impressive permanent bird / natural animal collection as well! I love this historic library for reasons I think make it a special place to visit. You don't have to be from South Windsor to step foot inside to browse valuable treasures. That's one unique library for the community.

This place was mostly good. It is small and well-contained, so it is hard to lose anyone there. The…read morewebsite reccommends ages 2 to 10 but ideally, I would not say it is for anyone over 7. The animals were nice to look at. My granddaughter wanted to hold one of the rabbits, but they were not brought out that day. The staff brought out one animal for the morning session, and one for the afternoon, but what they bring out is random. They one handling the animals seemed into the children, but other than that, none were out on the floor to interact with the childen. My granddaughter had fun, but it got old after a couple of hours.

An amazing fun place for children and adults , they have live entertainment and lots of fun…read moreactivities for kids . The place is decorated like a little town and they even have a small stage for indoor events . I love the fact that they also rescue and care for animals . The staff is incredibly warm and helpful :) Definitely worth a visit .

The Cheney Homestead is part of the Manchester Historical Society. I'm not from the area, but I had…read moreno idea Connecticut was once big in silk production, or that there was this family who got insanely wealthy to where the house is (was) surrounded by mansions owned by different sons and their branches of the family. The family matriarch stayed in the home though, as then did one artist son and two cousins into the 1970s. It was then donated to the historical society. The furnishings in the house are not original to the Cheney family, but are era appropriate so you get a good idea what the house would have looked like. The docents are knowledgeable and obviously invested in their subject - one was in era clothing on a hot, hot July day. The house is also pretty accessible for those with mobility issues - you can get to the second floor by walking outside, and chairs are available if needed. There is no AC and the gentle breeze through the windows cannot always be relied on. For visiting schedules, per their website, "The Homestead is open on the second Sunday of each month from 1 to 4 p.m., when the knowledgeable tenant conducts tours for visitors. The Historical Society conducts Open House at the Homestead on Heritage Day in June and again in early December, the school tours, a special October walk, and other events throughout the year."

From the owner: Our community-based art studio uses 19th Century drawing techniques that make accurate drawing…read morepossible for everyone - especially for those “who can’t draw a straight line” (but would like to!) Contact us to visit the studio in Manchester, CT to learn more!

Went to a ginormous tag sale here today!! The selection was mind boggling! All the crew were very…read morehelpful and friendly. I got some excellent buys!! The sale happens tomorrow also 10 to 2. I plan to go again!! Cash or card ok. Bags are available for your purchases. Many families were there, looking and buying. Great selection for everyone!

What local gems the Historical Society of Windsor's museum and 1700s houses are!! The Historical…read moreSociety staff, which I think may be almost all volunteers, are exceptionally well trained and deeply knowledgeable to help answer your history questions, assist with research in their extensive upstairs library, help with genealogical conundrums, share their extensive knowledge of all things (and I mean ALL things!) Windsor, and to share the lifestyle of the 1700/1800s families that lived in Windsor. You can bring your elementary school aged children (who will get free admission) to the 1767 Chaffee House or the 1758 Strong-Howard House and they'll be captively entertained, learning about how folks lived in the 18th and 19th centuries. They won't even remember they own cell phones...for a few hours, at least. Adults will appreciate the many diverse speakers and presentations the Society puts on, the respect shown for the town's cultural history going all the way back to the original Native American occupants, and, my absolute favorite, the manufacturing history of a very industrious town...just to name a slight few of the many aspects the Historical Society's vast collections and records touch upon. I found the staff here to be so generous with their personal and professional knowledge, that I find it a pleasure to come back again and again. With the changing displays, their extensive catalog of artifacts and the plethora of speakers they invite, you can virtually see something new each time you visit. Don't hesitate to bring the entire family- from kids to grandparents, as there truly is something here for everyone.

Sometimes you end up at a little historical site in a small town, and it's just nice to see a…read moretown's history and people who care about their community. I didn't plan to come here, but I really appreciated their town historical display for the last 150 years through high school photos. An employee walked us through the display, and I just love the passion. And Gene Pitney went to high school here! I love Gene Pitney. I can't say come out of your way to come see the town's history, but certainly if you live in the area, it's charming and quaint. There is a memorial bell out front that they have on their souvenirs, which I got.

That institution is one of my favorite places to visit in town…read more What I like about the historical society is that it is home of events like annual book sale and craft fair. The book sale is held every spring (usually held from late April to early May). The craft fair is always held during Thanksgiving weekend. On the other hand, you'll find historic books and pamphlets, newspapers, maps and many more covering the good ol' Rockville (as once called the Loom City because manufacturing was popular in Rockville back in the 19th / 20th century) and the entire town of Vernon. Nice staff running this place to make sure that everything valuable about local history is preserved for future generations. Expansion occured 10+ years ago to add wheelchair-accessible entrance. Overall, what a fantastic place worth visiting to find interesting stuff about Vernon-Rockville's past.