After more than a year of closures and limited onsite visitation due to the pandemic, Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center will hold its Grand Reopening on Sunday, June 13 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Visitors will discover an expanded site experience that includes multiple tour options – including the historic tavern tour, which will be open for the first time in fifteen months – new exhibits in the Carriage Barn and Visitor Center, and gardens and grounds in full bloom. Site admission will be free for the day.
“We are grateful for the steadfast support we have received from our community,” said KTM&HC Executive Director Hildegard Grob, “the individuals and organizations who have stood by us through a year of challenges, enthusiastically participated in our innovative new virtual programs, and helped us pivot, adapt, engage, and eventually even expand. Now we’re ready to welcome the public back on site!”
As a thank you to museum supporters and community, the Grand Reopening on June 13 will feature free site admission for all visitors. There will also be ice cream and other sweet treats available for purchase at Skip’s Ice Cream Truck, which will be onsite from 12 to 3 p.m. that day.
Visitors at the Grand Reopening and this summer will experience all the attractions that have built the museum’s regional reputation as well as a variety of new experiences developed in the past year. The photography exhibit titled “A Land of Opportunity? Community Building in 19th-Century Ridgefield” is one of those new experiences, showcasing historic photographs from the museum’s Hartmann photo collection that have never been exhibited to the public before. The photographs, taken in the late 1800s in Ridgefield and neighboring communities by local photographer Joseph Hartmann, document daily life in the region. Their depiction of a spectrum of economic classes in town – photographs feature wealthy residents, business owners, and recent immigrants, among others – encourages present-day viewers to consider in what ways, and for whom, Ridgefield was and continues to be a place of opportunity.
Spend the day at Keeler Tavern Museum and History Center to learn about local, regional, and national history through the lens of the site’s former residents! Site admission includes one guided tour (visitors select either the Museum Tour or the Walking Tour) and entry to the “A Land of Opportunity?” photography exhibit and Hands-On-History exhibit video located in the Carriage Barn. Visitors will also have access to exhibits in the state-of-the-art Visitor Center; the “Gilberts in the Garden” self-guided walking tour; and the historic Walled Garden and grounds.
Visitors can purchase light snacks in the Visitor Center – food can be consumed at designated picnic tables throughout the site. Be sure to stop by the Museum Shop, located in the historic tavern building, for souvenirs and gifts for everyone on your list.
The museum has revised its safety and masking guidelines. To protect vulnerable populations, including the youngest visitors who have not yet had the opportunity to get vaccinated, all staff and visitors are required to wear masks indoors. This includes the Visitor Center, Tavern Museum, Carriage Barn, and Museum Store. Masks are not required outdoors. This includes guided and self-guided Walking Tours, in the Walled Garden, and elsewhere on the four-acre grounds.
After visiting the museum, it's recommended that individuals explore other stops in the Ridgefield Cultural District: get more information here.
Beginning on June 10 with a “soft open” in advance of the Grand Reopening celebration, the museum will institute regular museum hours for the summer: Thursdays through Sundays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Mondays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tours will go out every hour on the half hour each day. The Museum Shop is open 12 to 3 p.m. on Thursdays through Sundays.
To book your next visit, head over to www.keelertavernmuseum.org/visit.
About Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center
Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center (KTM&HC), located on Main Street in Ridgefield, CT, tells the town’s—and nation’s—history through the lives of its past residents. The four-acre historic site is reopening to the public in June, with an expanded site experience featuring Museum and Walking tour options, new exhibits, and access to the scenic grounds and gardens. Additional information, including updates about on-site and virtual programming and events, as well as rental availability of the Garden House, can be found at keelertavernmuseum.org, @KeelerTavernMuseum on Facebook and Instagram, @KeelerTavern on Twitter, or by emailing info@keelertavernmuseum.org. For inquiries about school programs and digital learning experiences, please email education@keelertavernmuseum.org.
