Things to Do and See in New Haven, Connecticut

 If you're searching for a beautiful and culturally rich place to live, New Haven is an excellent option. This hip college town in Connecticut boasts everything from Yale University to delicious food - so there are never any dull moments! A well-connected infrastructure of major roadways and commuter rail lines makes commuting around the city a breeze, plus it's only a short drive away from New York or Boston.

1. Yale University

Yale University is an acclaimed research institution and the third oldest university in America. As a private Ivy League school, its curriculum encourages students to think deeply about topics before selecting a major. Furthermore, it helps them hone critical thinking, problem-solving abilities, as well as communication abilities - all essential for success in their future professional endeavors. Yale, an Ivy League college, is renowned for its faculty and alumni who have made significant contributions to public service. These individuals have had a positive effect on those around them and demonstrated leadership through research and teaching. These abilities enable Yale to shape the world we live in today through its research and teaching efforts. For three decades, Yale has been an important factor in New Haven's economy. As one of the founding partners of New Haven Works, it continues to offer jobs to local citizens while working closely with the City to promote economic development.

Established in 1701, Yale is a research institution with over 1,100 faculty and 5,300 undergraduates as well as 6,100 graduate and professional students. Beyond its main campus, the university owns numerous athletic facilities, forests, and nature preserves throughout New England. At Yale University, undergraduates take a liberal arts curriculum that encompasses all the humanities and sciences before selecting a departmental major. Additionally, they receive instruction in writing, quantitative reasoning, and foreign languages. Yale is a socially cosmopolitan university that provides its students with an array of programs. Many are interdisciplinary in scope, while many are international in focus.

2. The Yale University Art Gallery

The Yale University Art Gallery is North America's oldest university art museum and houses an expansive collection of artworks. Contained within three interconnected buildings on Yale University's campus, this institution showcases masterpieces from all periods of art history. Most of the gallery's collection is European, but there are also significant holdings in African and modern art. One highlight is its collection of Netherlandish artwork from the 15th to seventeenth century that includes paintings by Hieronymus Bosch, Maarten van Heemskerck, Abraham Bloemaert, Jan Brueghel the Elder, and Frans Hals among others. A noteworthy area of the gallery's collection is American art. The Garvan Collection of furniture and silver, for instance, is one of the finest such collections anywhere.

In addition to its permanent collection, Yale University Art Gallery also hosts special exhibitions and educational programs throughout the year. These often explore aspects of world artistic heritage that are thought-provoking and motivating. To learn more about the museum and its collections, you can explore their website. Alternatively, you can search for the institution's holdings in Artstor Digital Library. Established in 1832, Yale University Art Gallery is North America's largest art museum and the oldest university art museum in Western Hemisphere. As a hub for teaching, learning, and research at Yale University as well as its wider academic community, the gallery serves as an iconic cultural landmark. The gallery covers 69,975 square feet of exhibit space across three historic Yale buildings. Its collection, an expansive encyclopedia resource, boasts nearly 250,000 pieces arranged into ten curatorial departments.

3. The Peabody Museum of Natural History

The Peabody Museum of Natural History is one of the oldest natural history museums in existence, providing a fascinating destination for families, educators, and researchers interested in discovering Earth's past. The museum's permanent exhibits feature dinosaurs, Egyptian artifacts, and Native American artwork. Additionally, there are several labs and learning stations throughout the facility. In addition to the dinosaur halls, visitors can explore the Museum's collection of birds and mammals. Some of the exhibits are particularly impressive, such as a life-sized diorama of a Mayan village or an enormous statue of Torosaurus. Visitors to the Discovery Room can explore the natural world through activities like fossil digging, scavenger hunting, and make-a-necklace workshops. Plus, some lucky guests even get to see live animals in the Discovery Room - perfect for kids aged 5 to 12 and their families!

A major attraction at the museum has always been its dinosaur display. In the Great Hall, visitors can view the original fossil skeleton of Apatosaurus, discovered by Othniel Charles Marsh in 1870. This iconic specimen is framed by the mural "The Age of Reptiles," painted in the 1940s by Yale alumnus Rudolph F. Zallinger and recognized as a Pulitzer Prize-winning work of art. New Haven Connecticut's residents are passionate about art and culture, making the Peabody Museum of Natural History an integral part of their city identity. Indeed, New Haven's public art laws require that 1% of any construction budget for municipal buildings be allocated toward purchasing works created by local artists. The Peabody Museum is an integral component of Yale University's educational mission and has long been a gateway to science for New Haven residents. Currently undergoing renovation, officials anticipate its reopening in 2024.

4. The Marsh Botanical Garden

The Marsh Botanical Garden, situated within Yale University's grounds, offers an array of plants and flowers. It is a popular attraction for students, faculty members, and nature enthusiasts alike - as well as providing support for research and instruction. The name of this garden is a tribute to Othniel Charles Marsh, who generously gave his estate to Yale University. As an expert on geology and paleontology, Marsh was renowned for his fossil-collecting trips around America and abroad. While researching dinosaurs and other large creatures from the Cretaceous period, Marsh discovered several rare specimens which have since been used as evidence in debates regarding evolution by natural selection. Othniel Marsh developed an interest in environmental conservation during his time at the Marsh. This passion led him to become the first curator of what would later be named after his uncle George Peabody: the Peabody Museum of Natural History.

He formed an influential partnership with Yale, helping to form its esteemed School of Geology and Natural History. He is widely credited with formulating the theory of evolution by natural selection - which remains a cornerstone in modern science today. For many years, Marsh Botanical Garden had been declining steadily; however, that is beginning to change. A restoration project started in the late 1990s with planting hillsides, labeling specimens and general renovation work beginning. Today, the garden serves research and instruction while serving as a public green space. Situated on eight acres, it features six greenhouses spanning nearly one-third of an acre under glass. It boasts an abundance of rare plants and flowers. The staff takes great pride in maintaining this garden to provide visitors with a fantastic experience, whether they visit during summer or winter.

5. The Connecticut Children’s Museum

The Connecticut Children’s Museum is an innovative learning hub for families and educators alike, situated within the Children's Building in New Haven. It houses three programs with similar purposes and philosophies: The Creating Kids Child Care Center, Creating Curriculum Child Care Provider Training Program, and, of course, The Connecticut Children’s Museum itself! Established by Sandra Malmquist, the Connecticut Children’s Museum is dedicated to a mission that celebrates multiple intelligences and provides children with inclusive art and literacy-based environment. It strives to motivate children of all ages and abilities to find their passions while developing lifelong abilities. Here, children will find plenty of activities to keep them occupied, such as Kick It Up! (an indoor soccer stadium); Wonders of Water (where children can learn about different water elements); a narrow footbridge and an interactive jungle gym; plus there's also a planetarium where visitors can discover about stars, the universe and beyond.

In addition to its impressive exhibits, the Connecticut Children’s Museum also provides engaging programs and activities to keep kids engaged in learning. These include Story Time with a theme, Parent Pockets where parents and children can sit together, self-guided tours of the Museum, as well as Kidsville - a kid-sized town packed with exciting things to do. The Connecticut Children’s Museum is one of the top children's museums in the state and should not be missed when visiting or living in New Haven. Plus, their free Summer at the Museum program provides kids and their families with free admission to over 130 museums throughout Connecticut during summer months, funded by American Rescue Plan.