About the Museum of Connecticut History Collection
The Museum of Connecticut History at the Connecticut State Library holds an estimated 44,000 individual items that showcase the state’s evolving political, military, and industrial histories. Decorative arts, artwork, furniture, personal and political memorabilia, military and activist uniforms and flags, coins and paper monies, print and image material, industrial machinery, household appliances and tools illustrate the life and times of Connecticut citizens in the context of the nation. Collection items date from a Governor of the Colony’s sword to Gilbert Stuart’s Portrait of George Washington purchased by the state in 1800, to Samuel Colt’s 1847 patent repeating revolver, to WPA Federal Arts Project artwork created by state artists, to the 1998 Connecticut Freedom Trail commemorative quilts. Representing unique and rare materials collected by State Librarian George S. Godard in the early 20th century, those collected by the Museum since that time, as well as donations from all over the country, help to tell the diverse stories of the people of the Constitution State.
The Museum of Connecticut History’s Collection is important for understanding the cultural impact of Connecticut manufacturing nationally and locally, beginning with the “Provisions State” moniker. Household appliances and products, typewriters, early bicycles and automobiles were produced by a diverse local workforce in Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport, and Waterbury and sold across the U.S. and beyond. Connecticut’s firearm manufacturing affected 19th-century American colonization of the West, arming the U.S. military in times of war, and the continued legacy of gun culture and violence. The Collection also illustrates 18th through 21st century political activism including statewide campaign memorabilia and 19th & 20th century women’s suffrage struggle and efforts.
Collections within the Museum of Connecticut History include:
Connecticut Governor Portraits
The State of Connecticut has a long tradition of commissioning portraits of its chief executives upon their retirement from office. In its collection, the Museum of CT History has portraits of 73 Connecticut Governors from the 17th century to the present. The portraits can be roughly divided into seven time periods: Royal Connecticut (1662-1769); Revolutionary-era and Early Republic (1769-1827); Pre-Civil War (1827-1858); Civil War and Reconstruction (1858-1895); Progressive Era (1895-1923), the Interwar Era and WWII (1923-1951), and modern Connecticut (1951 to 2019).
Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Co. Collection
The Colt Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company Factory Collection was donated to the Museum of Connecticut History in 1957. The collection constitutes one of the finest assemblages of early Colt prototypes, factory models and experimental firearms in the world. The collection also includes Colt-made Gattling guns, shotguns, and automatic weapons. In 1995, the original “Rampant Colt” statue that had adorned the Hartford Colt factory was added to the collection as a museum acquisition.
Mitchelson Coin Collection
In December1911, Joseph C. Mitchelson’s vast collection of thousands of rare and unique coins and currency, both colonial and federal, were conveyed to the Museum of Connecticut History. Supervising the arrangement of the collection was Mr. T. J. Comparette of the Philadelphia Mint. Quoted in the Hartford Courant, he noted "I think it is undoubtedly one of the finest gifts that ever was given to any American library." An additional 3,000 specimens have been added in the century since his gift.
Connecticut Woman’s Suffrage Association
The Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association worked tirelessly from 1869 to 1920 to obtain the vote for women, first in school and local elections and then on a state and national level, working in collaboration with many other equal rights, equal franchise, and constitutional union groups. This collection includes parade flags, town banners, occupational pennants, a purple cape, “Votes for Women” sashes and pins. CWSA’s records are held by the State Archives (see RG101).
Military Collection
The Museum of Connecticut History's military collection preserves and interprets the rich legacy of Connecticut's citizen-soldiers from the colonial era to the present day. More than a repository of uniforms, flags, weapons, and collected souvenirs, our collection serves as a gateway to understanding the personal experiences of Connecticut men and women who answered the call to serve, placing their individual stories within the broader context of the conflicts and causes that shaped our nation's history.