Six Overlooked Museums in Central Connecticut

Central Connecticut has its share of renowned museums - including the Wadsworth Atheneum in Hartford, the Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale, the New Britain Museum of American Art. But it also has a wide variety of specialty museums that are far less well-known. These quirky, but no less fascinating, museums offer non-traditional collections of artifacts - from the practical to the whimsical.

TIMEXPO - Waterbury

Founded in 1850 as the Waterbury Clock company, the corporation that became known as Timex was at the forefront of every timepiece innovation. On its 100^th anniversary, the company introduced its first Timex wristwatch. It's live "torture test" commercials in which spokesman and newsman John Cameron Swayze promised that a Timex could "take a licking and keep on ticking," drove sales to incredible levels. By the end of the decade, one third of all watches sold in America were Timex brand.

Today, in a converted factory building in the company's hometown of Waterbury, the story of Timex is told to visitors at this unique museum. The Timexpo features a Time Tunnel that tells the story of Timex - from its pocket watches, to its invention of the wristwatch for the military in World War I, to the debut of the first Mickey Mouse watches and the advanced timepiece technology of the 21^st century.

The Timexpo, with its distinctive Easter Island statute standing outside, is open Tuesdays through Saturdays.

American Clock & Watch Museum - Bristol

Not far from Timexpo, this museum takes a broader look at clock-making history, with the largest collection of American timepieces anywhere. Central Connecticut was the center of clock and watch manufacturing in the 19^th century, and the Bristol museum has over 1400 examples on display - some dating as far back as 1595.

The local charitable organization formed to organize and operate the museum in 1952 staffs the facility, which is open seven days a week from April through November.

The Golden Age of Trucking Museum - Middlebury

One of the newest museums in the state, having opened in 2002, the Trucking Museum was the dream of the late Richard Guerrera and is located just down the road from where his own trucking business began. Over 40 antique vehicles fill the galleries at the museum, from a 1915 Barker truck that would have been sharing the road with horse-drawn carriages all the way to the huge 1974 Dodge "BigHorn," of which only a few dozen survive.

There are trucks on display from every decade in between - like a 1939 Chevrolet "Woody" Wagon, World War II era Jeeps and a 1950 Ford panel truck. The museum is open Thursdays through Sundays year-round, and adds Tuesday and Wednesday hours in the summer.

Barker Character, Comic and Cartoon Museum - Cheshire

You simply have to see the vastness of the collection at the cartoon museum to believe it. What seems like miles and miles of shelf space includes over 80,000 items - from toys to pictures to books to advertisements. Every conceivable cartoon or comic character is represented, including some you've doubtless never even heard of. For instance, while the Barker Museum is the Official California Raisins Museum; housing figurines, movie props and other memorabilia from the stars of their own series of commercials; it is also the Official Celebriduck Museum - in fact, the only Celebriduck museum in the world. In case you're wondering, Celebriducks are rubber duck-like toys with the images of celebrities.

The Cartoon Museum reopens in the summer of 2009 after extensive renovations, and is open to the public on Saturdays only.

New England Carousel Museum - Bristol

Kids of all ages will love visiting the Carousel Museum because, well, who doesn't like a merry-go-round? Over 100 vintage carousel pieces are on display, showcasing the intricate woodworking and craftsmanship of a bygone age. Once abundant across America, there are now estimated to be fewer than 200 wooden carousels still operating in this country. This museum, and the non-profit organization formed to run it, is dedicated to preserving that folk art heritage.

You can wander by yourself, or take a guided tour. The collection is a wonder to see, and is open seven days a week.

Lock Museum of America - Terryville

You may find it hard to believe, but the lock museum has eight galleries filled with locks of all varieties. They've got everything from padlocks to handcuffs, door locks to keys. One room alone houses over 1,000 locks and keys spanning 100 years of manufacturing history.

One highlight is the 1865 patent model for the Yale brand pin tumbler lock - hailed at the time as one of lockmaking's greatest innovations - despite the fact that it now sits by a 4,00-year old Egyptian-made pin tumbler lock. The museum is open every day but Monday from June through October.