1. The Kate

    1. The Kate

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    Old Saybrook, CT

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    The Kate

    4.7 (27 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

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    Stacy H.

    We did not see a show. We were there for the small museum. A $10 donation is suggested. It's not a big exhibit but it's interesting for any fan of the great Kate. The town is very proud of their native star. You can self guide or have a docent tour. They have a small gift shop. I recommend stopping by if you're in the area.

    Loretta M.

    Perfect venue. Every seat was a great seat. Free parking is a plus. The museum was enjoyable

    Gift shop
    Dee C.

    It's a small theatre and very cozy to see assorted genres of musical artists. Approximately 280 seats. They serve drinks and have a gift shop. The staff is very friendly and helpful too.

    Alexis B.

    The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center - aka The Kate - is a performing arts center in Old Saybrook. Kate Hepburn lived in Old Saybrook and passed away there in 2003 at the age of 96. The Kate opened in 2009 and includes a 285-seat theater and a small museum dedicated to Katharine Hepburn. We stopped by for a visit as a short detour on our drive from Mystic to New Haven. The museum has some Hepburn artifacts on display - letters written to her family during the early years of her career, costume and personal wardrobe pieces, two paintings of her, and more. There's also a small gift shop where my friend and I picked up some souvenirs. The museum isn't large, but it's free to visit (although they do suggest a small donation to visit) and a worthwhile stop in Old Saybrook if you love Katharine Hepburn or classic cinema! I'd love to stop by to see a movie or a concert at the theater if I can when I'm next in the area!

    July 6 - Aug 18 2024 ONLY: open Saturday & Sunday! Regularly M-F only
    Jen W.

    I am a Katherine Hepburn fan and The Kate offers a small museum on their ground floor in honor of Ms. Hepburn that I have been wanting to visit. First off parking: the town has several street side parking spaces available for no charge. They also have a couple of lots behind some of the buildings. Just look down the alleys between shops to see if parking is back there. The building has a grand entrance, up many steps, between huge pillars. This is not the entrance you are looking for. Walk to the right side of this impressive staircase where 'The Kate' sign is located and you will see an entrance at ground level. On the day of our visit a live production was in process. We were greeted at the door and asked if we were there for the show. As we were there for the museum only we were pointed in the right direction. A snack bar was open because there was a show taking place. I don't think this would usually be available. Just to the left as we entered is where you make your donation to the museum. It is asked that five dollars per person be donated. You can either drop some cash into the clear donation box, or scan your credit card at the reader to the side of the cash donation box. If you are paying for more than one person by card, use the 'up arrow' button on the card reader to change the total by five dollar increments. Otherwise it will scan the card automatically for five dollars. The museum has several glass cases, each outlining a particular area of Katherine Hepburn's life. Begin in the far left corner where you'll be able to read a letter she wrote to Santa as a small child and see photos of her family. Moving around to the next case to see home movies and photos of the devastation to their home from the Hurricane of '38. (That was a tragic hurricane: if you are not familiar with the history it's worth reading about.) Continue to move around the room to see props from movies and plays, letters between Katherine and her family, awards and more. A letter from Huge Heffner to Katherine's mother is on display along with magazine covers of the two of them. Toward the end of the museum is information about the Katherine Hepburn award presented to other actors. It's a small museum that you can get through in about an hour. We were approached by two docents during our visit who offered up some information about the collection and let us know they were available to answer questions. A very small gift shop offers t-shirts, magnets, books, movies and post cards. I had been wanting to see the museum and included it in a day trip itinerary to the area. It was totally worth the trip.

    Jim L.

    We saw the group Not Fad Away at The Kate, four talented musicians that gave a 90 minute high energy performance and tribute to the roots of rock and roll. They were fun. This was our first time at The Kate, a small theater in Old Saybrook. Great place, lots of parking in the area, friendly staff with a small museum in tribute to Katharine Hepburn, the benefactor for whom the theater is named. Anxious to see another show.

    Hammer of the Gods
    Elizabeth C.

    Everyone either on staff or volunteering was so helpful and sweet. It was our first time there and we were greeted by such lovely women who were so proud of The Kate and it's story. The women told us about the history and told us to take a look around the museum as it was a little early for the show we had come to see. It was a very cute little museum all on Katherine Hepburn. After a bit it was time for us to head into the theater and get ready for the show. Before we went in I ordered a glass of Frose which was so tasty. I wish I could bring home the frose machine with me. Definitely could have drank those all night. We headed to our seats which were 5 rows from the stage. Honestly I think any seat in there was a great seat. It was a quaint theater. Not a bad seat in the house. We fully enjoyed the show Hammer of the Gods. The performance was wonderful as the venue was perfect for it. It seems like there were a lot of locals at the theater and everyone we met was so nice. We were given suggestions for breakfast and apple picking the next day. It was a great experience all together.

    Back in the day...meet and greet with Big Al Anderson!
    Stanley M.

    While I'm a former resident of the "Nutmeg State" I never had the opportunity to visit Old Saybrook Connecticut. Lucilky for me, Old Saybrook is the home of the Katherine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. I've visited the Kate twice; once in 2019 with the Duchess and again this summer with an old friend. They've got a lively calendar there with many great performers...on both occasions I saw "Big" Al Anderson with his backup band The Floor Models. Al is a native son of the Nutmeg State, former guitarist for NRBQ and a songwriter whose songs have been recorded by luminaries like Bonnie Raitt, Jimmy Buffett, Tim McGraw, George Strait, Alabama, Vince Gill, The Mavericks and many, many more. Both trips to this lovely, intimate venue were memorable! It's worth a trip... tho lodging in the vicinity can be hit or miss.

    Outside The Kate
    Serena P.

    Cute little museum and super friendly staff. Nice to stop and learn about Katharine Hepburn's life which seems to loom pretty large in the whole town. The nice lady at the front showed us around and told us a little about each of the displays in the room that is the museum. In addition to knowing a lot about Hepburn (no relation to Audrey), she seemed super knowledgeable about the town in general. Wish we could've seen a show or something, but for a random afternoon stop, this exceeded expectations.

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    9 months ago

    Great venue to watch opera. Volunteers were super friendly and helpful. Good coffee and wine

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    11 months ago

    Fun venue with great chance to see shows. The museum about Katherine Hepburn on bottom floor adds to experience

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    4 months ago

    Great venue small and intimate...no bad seat in the house. I've seen some good jazz groups there. Friendly staff

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    Ask the Community - The Kate

    Are the front two rows too close to the stage for comfortable viewing? Do you have to look up?

    There is approximately 6' from the first row to the stage and you might find that you're looking up from that vantage point. There are no sightline issues at the Kate so even a seat in the last row is great. Thanks for your interest.

    Do they have a bar?

    Yes , but very small, beer and wine only

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - The Kate

    more. A letter from Huge Heffner to Katherine's mother is on display along with magazine covers of the two of

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    Florence Griswold Museum - Mushroom installation

    Florence Griswold Museum

    (51 reviews)

    The Florence Griswold Museum is more than just a beautiful museum. To show even more support this…read moreyear, I decided to buy a family membership. For years my family has been visiting the museum in the fall for the Wee Faerie Village, an extraordinary outdoor display of faerie villages that are created by local businesses and individuals. There isn't enough room for me to gush about this event. The beauty, creativity, and the scavenger hunt keep us coming back. The museum offers a glimpse into history, beautiful art, extraordinary gardens, breathtaking views of the river. and more.

    We ventured to Old Lyme, Connecticut on Sunday for the final day of Mystical Murmurs: An Enchanted…read moreEnvironment by Adrien Broom. The exhibit features a fairy ring of gigantic mushrooms. The artist was born and raised in Old Lyme. The installation is meant to encourages us ponder the magical mysteries of the forest. We also really enjoyed the Amanita sculptures outside the main building housing the museum's permanent collection. We were able to photograph these just before one of the museum staff sold them off to a local mushroom enthusiast (since Sunday was the last day of the mushroom exhibit). While we came specifically for the mushroom installation, we also really enjoyed our visit to the other galleries. The museum showcases the work of the artists of the Old Lyme Artist Colony, a nexus of American Impressionism and has some beautiful impressionist landscape painting, including many by female artists of the 19th and early 20th century. The grounds here are also beautiful with gorgeous views of the Lieutenant River. There was also an exhibit of small fairy houses when we visited. Beautiful spot with nice staff and docents. Would definitely return here!

    The Kate - artspacerentals - Updated July 2026

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