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Connecticut's Old State House

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Connecticut's Old State House

Connecticut's Old State House is open to the public! Some of CT's most important stories of freedom, democracy, and civic action began here.

Today, it is a museum, gathering spot, and place of civic exploration for thousands of visitors each year. Welcome to Connecticut’s Old State House: the place where history and civics meet! Located in the heart of Hartford, Connecticut, this building served as a home to all three branches of state government from 1796 to 1878. Some of our state’s most important stories of freedom, democracy, and c

ivic action – from the Amistad trial to Prudence Crandall, to the landmark Constitutional Convention of 1818 – connect to this National Historic Landmark. Today, Connecticut’s Old State House serves as a history museum, gathering spot, and place of civic exploration for thousands of local, national and international visitors each year. We look forward to welcoming you soon! Connecticut’s Old State House is open Tuesday through Saturday, 12-5 PM.

09/03/2026

Connecticut-born indie hip-hop supergroup 𝗕𝗔𝗣 𝗣𝗔𝗖𝗞 brings together RapOet, Tang $auce, Hydro 8Sixty and Klokwize, combining classic, head-nodding boom bap sounds with live instrumentation.

Individually, you may have seen or heard them on Netflix, NPR, ESPN-TV and 106 & Park — and together, they’ve shared stages with legends like KRS-ONE and performed at festivals throughout New England.

Come kick off September with BAP PACK! ☀️🎵

📅 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 4
🕛 12–1 𝗣𝗠
📍 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘂𝘁’𝘀 𝗢𝗹𝗱 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲
🎟️ 𝗙𝗥𝗘𝗘

🥕 Plus, shop the 𝗙𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 10 𝗔𝗠–2 𝗣𝗠!

Thank you to the 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗣. 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 and the 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 for their generous support of the Summer Concert Series.

09/02/2026

📣 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗨𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲!

Please note an update to our September events! 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗮𝘂 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 26 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗯𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝘁 10:45 𝗔𝗠 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗻 at Connecticut’s Old State House.

Join us for a family-friendly ceremony commemorating the historic meeting of Generals George Washington and Jean-Baptiste de Rochambeau, featuring the First Company Governor’s Foot Guard.

🇺🇸🇫🇷 𝗦𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 26
⏰ 10:45 𝗔𝗠
📍 Connecticut’s Old State House

We look forward to seeing you there!

09/01/2026

🎶 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗽 𝗶𝘀 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲!

The 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 continues at Connecticut’s Old State House with FREE live music every Friday from 12–1 𝗣𝗠!

☀️ 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 4 — BAP PACK
🎸 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 11 — Mass-Conn Fusion
🎻 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 18 — The Kenn Morr Band
🎵 𝗦𝗲𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 25 — The Fabulous Clones

Grab your lunch, find a spot on the lawn, and enjoy live music in the heart of downtown Hartford! While you’re here, stop by the Farmers Market, open Fridays from 10 𝗔𝗠–2 𝗣𝗠.

📍 Connecticut’s Old State House
🕛 Fridays | 12–1 PM
🎟️ FREE

And the music doesn’t stop in September — 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘁 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝘂𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 9! 🎶

Thank you to our friends from the 𝗥𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗣. 𝗚𝗮𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰 𝗚𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 and the 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗹𝘆𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝘂𝗻𝗱 for their generous support of the Summer Concert Series.

08/28/2026

Join us for Connecticut's Old State House Summer Concert Series with Charmagne Tripp!

08/27/2026

🎶 Tomorrow at Connecticut’s Old State House! 🎶

Join us Friday, August 28 from 12–1 PM for the Summer Concert Series featuring Charmagne Tripp! ✨

Performing a soulful mix of Neo Soul, Pop, Jazz, R&B, and Swing, Charmagne’s warm, clear vocals captivate audiences wherever she performs. 🎤 With five albums to her name, international performances, residencies in Asia, and appearances in professional musical theater productions, she brings an incredible range of experience and style to the stage.

🍅 While you enjoy the music, stop by the Connecticut’s Old State House Farmers Market, open 10 AM–2 PM, for fresh Connecticut-grown produce, baked goods, and handcrafted goods. SNAP and WIC benefits are accepted and doubled.

☀️ Concert: 12–1 PM
🛍️ Farmers Market: 10 AM–2 PM
📍 Connecticut’s Old State House

In case of inclement weather, the concert will move indoors. Visit ctoldstatehouse.org for details.

A special thank you to our friends at the Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving and the Evelyn Preston Memorial Fund for their generous support of the Summer Concert Series. 💙

08/26/2026

On August 24, 1839, the federal brig Washington seized the schooner Amistad as it reached Long Island, New York. Aboard the Amistad were 53 Mende people, including 25-year-old Sengbe Pieh (known as Cinque), who led a revolt against their slave trade captors. After two months at sea, American authorities charged the Mende with murder, imprisoning them in New Haven and towing the schooner to New London.

🧑‍⚖️⚖️The first legal hearings for the captives took place in late 1839 inside Connecticut's Old State House in Hartford. Roger Sherman Baldwin, a Connecticut attorney, served as the core defense lawyer all the way to the Supreme Court, arguing that because the international slave trade was illegal under Spanish and international law, the captives were free individuals who had been unlawfully kidnapped.

Come step back into time and into the courtroom at Connecticut's Old State House to learn more about Cinque, the journey of the Mende people, and the group of northern Abolitionists who financed and spread the word about the fight for freedom. Visit https://ctoldstatehouse.org to plan your visit.

Image: John Sartain, Cinque, chief of the Amistad captives, New Haven, ca. 1840, engraving, 1931.13.0 – Connecticut Museum of Culture and History

08/20/2026

🎵🎹🎤Join us downtown Hartford for the next Summer Concert featuring The Michael Carabello Quintet

📍Connecticut's Old State House
🗓️Friday, August 21
🕑12 Noon

The Michael Carabello Quintet is a collective of musicians with deep roots in black American music (jazz) and the musical culture of Hartford. The band is inspired by artists such as Jackie McLean’s Dynasty Band, Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters, Marc Cary’s Focus Trio, Ahmad Jamal Trio, and Wayne Shorter’s Weather Report. This band draws musical knowledge from the masters of the of Bebop, Hardbop, and Postbop and modernizes it with musical styles and technology of today. The group, led by Michael Carabello of Hartford on keyboards, recently performed at the Hartford Jazz Festival. His fellow musicians include Jonathon Barber on drums, Matt Dwonszyk on Bass, Tony Davis on guitar, and Jordan Young on alto saxophone.

While jamming out, pick up some fresh Connecticut-grown produce, baked goods, and handcrafted items at our open-air market. SNAP and WIC benefits are accepted and will be doubled.

Thank you to our friends from the Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and the Evelyn Preston Memorial Fund for their generous funding of the Summer Concert Series.

08/17/2026

Last chance to reserve your seat to join Sharon Gillette of National History Day® for "History is More Than Words: Making Historical Arguments with Photographs"

🗓️Thursday, August 20
📍Connecticut's Old State House
👉800 Main Street, Hartford
🕙9:00 am to 4:00 pm
📢Lunch and materials provided at NO COST!

Reserve your seat here https://bit.ly/LOCPhotos

This hands-on workshop will show you how historical images can be powerful research tools for critical thinking. Incorporating photographs in historical research provides an accessible, high-impact entry point for all students — including English Language Learners (ELL) and those with reading challenges. Learn more about utilizing photo collections from the Library of Congress and how to guide students to construct historical arguments using visual data.

BENEFITS:
💵Earn a stipend by completing a post-workshop lesson plan or activity.
🎖️Selected educator activities will be published and shared statewide as model curriculum pieces for teachers across Connecticut!

This workshop is sponsored in part by the Library of Congress Teaching with Primary Sources Eastern Region Program, coordinated by Waynesburg University.

08/14/2026

Join us for Connecticut's Old State House Summer Concert Series with Professors of Sweet Sweet Music

08/13/2026

🎵🎸🎤Stop by Connecticut's Old State House at noon on Friday, 8/14 for some sweet tunes with Professors of Sweet Sweet Music, the three-time Best of Hartford winners and co-creators of the Hartbeat Music Festival. Known for their energetic yet soulful version of indie rock, the band has been nominated by The New England Music Awards as Best Musical ACT in CT. If you like 90’s pop infused indie rock bands like Weezer, The Cranberries, RadioHead and Dinosaur Jr, don't miss this show!

While jamming out, don't forget to pick up some fresh Connecticut-grown produce, baked goods, and handcrafted goods at our open-air market. SNAP and WIC benefits are accepted and will be doubled.

Thank you to our friends from the Richard P. Garmany Fund at the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving, and the Evelyn Preston Memorial Fund for their generous funding of the Summer Concert Series.

In case of inclement weather, the concert will move indoors. Visit https://www.ctoldstatehouse.org for details.

Address

800 Main Street
Hartford, CT
06103

Opening Hours

Tuesday	12pm - 5pm
Wednesday	12pm - 5pm
Thursday	12pm - 5pm
Friday	12pm - 5pm
Saturday	12pm - 5pm

Telephone

+18605226766

Website

https://wp.cga.ct.gov/osh/

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