CT Open House Day at Stanley-Whitman House

Step back into the rhythms of early New England life at Stanley-Whitman House on Connecticut Open House Day, featuring free guided historic house and garden tours led by knowledgeable staff and costumed volunteers.

Visitors can explore the museum’s ca. 1720 National Historic Landmark house, a beautifully preserved and interpreted example of Colonial architecture, and the living history gardens that have flourished on the site since the museum’s founding in 1935. The museum's immersive tours share stories of those who helped shape Farmington’s place in Connecticut and American history -- the Tunxis people, the Smith and Whitman families, enslaved persons, Puritan settlers, and Revolutionary War patriots.

A highlight of the day is historic interpreter Dennis Picard's presentation of "Foodways: Dye Plants," a hands-on exploration of how colonial families used plants such as madder, goldenrod, and walnut hulls to dye cloth and yarn.

As part of your visit, be sure to stop into the museum store, which features an expanded seasonal selection of handmade goods, garden-themed gifts, and new books exploring everything from natural food preservation to folk herbalism, protest history, and early American domestic life.

Advance registration is encouraged but not required; walk-ins are welcome throughout the day. The last house tour begins at 3:00 PM.