The New England Carousel Museum in Bristol, Connecticut is much more than exquisite woodcarvings, superbly restored antique carousels…

And a crisp sounding organ.

Oh it’s all this, but… the building also houses the Museum of Fire History, and galleries depicting work from local artists.

But back to the carousels…

The carousel pieces you’ll admire are works of art. You’ll discover brightly painted carved horses and chariots shimmering with encrusted glass jewels. Maybe you’ll enjoy these exhibits for the family memories they conjure up, or maybe for the new memories they’ll create with your children.

The New England Carousel Museum is home to the largest antique carousel collection in the country, and regularly works with local carvers, painters and restorers to prepare new carousel pieces and demonstrate the art of the carousel.

The museum was founded in 1990, and since then has reinvented itself and expanded to include other exhibits and galleries. Included in these galleries are an exhibit on the colorful history and development of the carousel in the U.S., and two fine art galleries.

On the second floor of the building is The Museum of Fire History. Here you’ll find displays of fire department and firehouse memorabilia and collectibles dating back to mid-18oo’s.

The museum’s address is 95 Riverside Avenue, Rt. 72 West Bristol, CT 06010. and is open: Monday - Saturday 10 A.M. to 5 P.M. Sunday - Noon to 5 P.M. Admission is $5 for adults, $4.50 for seniors, ages 4-14 $2.50 and children under 4 are free. Note December - March, the museum is closed on Monday – Wednesday.

For more information and directions visit the museum at their web site here: http://www.thecarouselmuseum.org

If you’d like to discover other attractions in the Bristol and Northwest Connecticut area then visit my special Northwest Connecticut vacation and attraction page here.

Talk to you soon.

Cliff Calderwood
Director of New England Vacations Guide.com