Arts & Entertainment
Great Deals On Tourist Attractions In Norwich & Throughout CT
Residents can take advantage of special discounts and unique promotions that will be offered at over 240 tourist destinations across CT.

NORWICH, CT — Governor Dannel P. Malloy is encouraging residents and visitors to take advantage of the special discounts and unique promotions that will be offered at over 240 tourist destinations across Connecticut this Saturday, June 9, 2018 as part of the state's 14th annual Connecticut Open House Day.
Coordinated by the Connecticut Office of Tourism, the one-day event is designed to showcase Connecticut's diverse mix of history, art, culture, and excitement. Residents can look forward to free admission at over 85 attractions, free tours at over 25 properties, and special offers and giveaways at over 100 businesses.
"Connecticut has an incredible array of museum, galleries, theaters, vineyards, shops, restaurants, historic properties, and other locations that make our state so unique, and we are proud to showcase all of them during this special event on Saturday," Malloy said in a release.
Find out what's happening in Norwichfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Here are two participating attractions in Norwich:
Norwich
- Leffingwell House Museum Free self-guided tours of the first floor of the historic Colonial house from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. (last tour 3 p.m.). The Blue Slope Museum, Ashbel Woodward Museum, Leffingwell House Museum, and the Slater Memorial Museum is having a special card program during the Connecticut Open House Day. Collect all four stamps on the card and your will be eligible for a drawing for a basket of goodies donated by each museum.
- Norwich Heritage & Regional Visitors' Center Join historian Dave Oat on a free tour through the old Colonial burial grounds at 10:30 a.m. The Center, open from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m., will have Colonial toys available for children to play with and learn what life was like in the 18th century.
- Slater Memorial Museum Free admission from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m., with a exhibit opening along with refreshments.The Blue Slope Museum, Ashbel Woodward Museum, Leffingwell House Museum, and the Slater Memorial Museum is having a special card program during the Connecticut Open House Day. Collect all four stamps on the card and your will be eligible for a drawing for a basket of goodies donated by each museum.
Below are several other participating attractions around Connecticut:
Find out what's happening in Norwichfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
- Barnum Museum (Bridgeport): Free admission from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m., along with free Barnum bookmarks, guided tours, post cards and red noses (while supply lasts).
- New England Carousel Museum (Bristol): Free admission from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
- Osborne Homestead Museum (Derby): Museum open from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. with a special presentation on the Japanese art form ukiyo-e, a crafts workshop, and free tours of the museum featuring Japanese woodblock prints and Asian art.
- Goodspeed Opera House (East Haddam): From 9 a.m. until 1 p.m., enjoy free tours of the historic Victorian theater built in 1876.
- Witness Stones African American History Walking Tour (Guilford): Free walking tour at 9 a.m. Departs from the Visitors Kiosk, located at 32 Church Street.
- Connecticut River Expeditions – RiverQuest (Haddam): Take a special 40-minute cruise for a special price of $5, for all ages. Begins at 9 a.m., when RiverQuest meets capacity, will leave the dock. Return and reload with last boat departing at 12:30 p.m. First come, first serve, no reservations. No credit cards, cash only.
- Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art (Hartford): Free admission from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.
- Lutz Children's Museum (Manchester): Free admission from noon until 5 p.m., with "Touch-a-Truck" where visitors can climb inside big trucks and heavy equipment.
- Mystic Aquarium (Mystic): Offering $6 off general admission, good up to four guests when you mention Connecticut Open House Day at the admission gate.
- Monte Cristo Cottage (New London): Free tours from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., to the boyhood home of Nobel Prize-winning playwright Eugene O'Neill.
- Yale Center for British Art (New Haven): Open 10 a.m. until 5 p.m., offering free introductory tour (11 a.m.), a tour of the special exhibition "Celia Paul" (1 p.m.), and an architecture tour (3 p.m.). In addition, the Museum Shop is offering 10% off visitors' entire purchase.
- PEZ Visitor Center (Orange): Free admission from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.
- Dinosaur State Park (Rocky Hill): Free admission from 9 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
- National Helicopter Museum (Stratford): Free admission from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m.
For more information on the June 9 open houses, click here. Discounts and special offers, as well as hours of operation, vary by attraction. More information also can be found on the state's official tourism website at www.CTVisit.com.
Also, follow @CTvisit on Twitter and Instagram, post photos and comments using the hashtag #CTOpenHouse, and RSVP to the event on Facebook.
— By Brian McCready, Patch National Staff
Image via Shutterstock
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