Ridgefield, Conn.— Welcome back! Beginning on Thursday, March 2, Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center (KTM&HC) is open to the public for museum tours and exhibit access. Tickets are now available for purchase online, over the phone, and at the Visitor Center.
In January and February, our curatorial team assessed and cleaned our collections and the interior of our historic tavern. They also worked to refresh and reinterpret specific spaces, improving the visitor experience. As we reopen, visitors will be able to see the results of these efforts for themselves. For example, throughout the museum, our beautiful wood floors are shining: recently cleaned and waxed, they now better showcase their historic detail. And a second-floor bedroom features new collections items and an updated layout, to better reflect and engage with our 19th-century history.
On our historic tavern museum tours, visitors engage with centuries of site-specific stories, learning about the experiences of our former residents and their connections to larger national narratives. We’re excited to offer two tours this season: “Meet the Residents,” a highlights tour through the museum’s period rooms that provides glimpses into the lives of the people who lived in the home from the colonial era to the early 20th century; and our newest tour, “War at Home,” which shares the experiences of the residents of our site during the Battle of Ridgefield in 1777 – how they navigated their community’s division and the impacts of war.
The museum will be open Thursdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with tours going out at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. We recommend purchasing tickets online in advance, as tour capacity is limited – but we also welcome walk-ups! Learn more and purchase tickets here: https://keelertavernmuseum.org/visit/museum-tours/.