Webb Deane Stevens Museum

VIRTUAL LECTURE | The Ruin of All Witches: Fear, Fury & False Accusations With Dr. Malcolm Gaskill
2025-10-23 12:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York) | Zoom, Virtual Event, Zoom link provided
VIRTUAL LECTURE | The Ruin of All Witches: Fear, Fury & False Accusations With Dr. Malcolm Gaskill
Thursday, October 23, 12 pm
This is a virtual lecture. Zoom link will be provided in advance of the event.
WDS Director of Preservation & Collections TR Hamilton and distinguished historian Dr. Malcolm Gaskill moderate a group discussion looking at the process through which Dr. Gaskill came to write his 2022 work “A Ruin of All Witches: Life and Death in the New World”. Gaskill’s work utilizes previously unexplored sources to examine 17th-century New England witchcraft trials through the lens of one specific Connecticut River Valley community in 1651. Attendees are encouraged to participate and come ready with questions.
Tickets: Members $10 | General Admission $15 | Book Club Members Free

Bio | Malcolm Gaskill is Emeritus Professor of Early Modern History at the University of East Anglia, specializing in the social and cultural history of 17th-century England and America, particularly the history of witchcraft.
He is the author of six books, including Between Two Worlds: How the English Became Americans, Witchfinders: A Seventeenth-Century English Tragedy and Hellish Nell: Last of Britain’s Witches, a biography of the spiritualist medium Helen Duncan, the last woman imprisoned under the Witchcraft Act in 1944.
His most recent book is The Ruin of all Witches: Life and Death in the New World, the story of a witch-panic in a New England frontier town, published by Penguin, Allen Lane.
He is also interested in war and memory in the twentieth century, about which he has written about for the TLS and London Review of Books. This is also a key theme of Hellish Nell, a revised edition of which is underway.

SPECIAL TOURS | Witches & Tombstones Tours (SOLD OUT, Buy Spooktacular Tickets Now!)
2025-10-25 10:30 - 15:30 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Oct 25 tours are sold out. We have NEW tour times on October 26. Purchase tickets, or join our expanded Halloween Spooktacular Witches and Tombstones tour on Oct 31!
An up-close and creepy examination of all things funereal, our popular Witches & Tombstones tour returns on Saturday, October 25th and November 1st.
Start at the Isaac Stevens House as an attendee at an early-nineteenth-century wake and learn about mourning practices, how illnesses were treated, and how the living dealt with fears of being buried alive. Then visit Wethersfield’s Ancient Burying Ground. See the graves, hear stories of those who met their end during Connecticut’s first mass murder, and learn how gravestones warned the living of their own impending peril. The final stop on the tour is the Buttolph-Williams House (ca. 1711), the setting for the Newbery-winning children’s novel The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. Hear stories about the notorious Wethersfield Witch Trials, which preceded the Salem Witch Trials by 30 years. The Buttolph-Williams House is a property of Connecticut Landmarks operated by the Webb Deane Stevens Museum.
Tour times: 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE: Members $35 per person; Non-members $40 per person.
Tours are limited to groups of 16, so reserve your tickets before they sell out! (October 25th Tour Times are Sold Out)
*Please note: The Witches & Tombstones tour includes climbing stairs and walking on uneven ground. It is not recommended for youth under age 12.

SPECIAL TOURS | Witches & Tombstones Tours (NEW DATE)
2025-10-26 11:30 - 15:30 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Oct 25 tours are sold out. We have added NEW tour times on October 26. Purchase tickets, or join our expanded Halloween Spooktacular Witches and Tombstones tour on Oct 31!
An up-close and creepy examination of all things funereal, our popular Witches & Tombstones tour returns on Saturday, October 25th, October 26th, and November 1st.
Start at the Isaac Stevens House as an attendee at an early-nineteenth-century wake and learn about mourning practices, how illnesses were treated, and how the living dealt with fears of being buried alive. Then visit Wethersfield’s Ancient Burying Ground. See the graves, hear stories of those who met their end during Connecticut’s first mass murder, and learn how gravestones warned the living of their own impending peril. The final stop on the tour is the Buttolph-Williams House (ca. 1711), the setting for the Newbery-winning children’s novel The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. Hear stories about the notorious Wethersfield Witch Trials, which preceded the Salem Witch Trials by 30 years. The Buttolph-Williams House is a property of Connecticut Landmarks operated by the Webb Deane Stevens Museum.
Tour times: 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE: Members $35 per person; Non-members $40 per person.
Tours are limited to groups of 16, so reserve your tickets before they sell out! (October 25th Tour Times are Sold Out)
*Please note: The Witches & Tombstones tour includes climbing stairs and walking on uneven ground. It is not recommended for youth under age 12.

SPECIAL EVENT | Witches and Tombstones Spooktacular
2025-10-31 18:30 - 20:30 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Join us on a special Halloween night as we descend into the witching hour. Our Halloween Spooktacular is an immersive experience that will transport you through our haunted history.
A Spirit Guide – arisen for one night only – will escort you to the Isaac Stevens house where you will meet our weeping widow and discover the macabre funerary practices of the 19th century – an unfortunate regular occurrence for the Stevens family. As you follow your Spirit Guide, you will pass through the Ancient Burial Ground where they will delight you with tales of some of Wethersfield’s longest serving ghouls.
At the Buttolph-Williams House you will partake in the trial of an accused witch and witness first-hand the hysteria that overtook 17 th -century Connecticut Puritans and led neighbors to condemn neighbors to the hangman’s noose. Your final stop on this journey through haunted history is the Silas Deane House. Unfortunately, you will have arrived just a bit too late for poor Mrs. Deane, but her ghost may tell you of the dark history of 18 th -century medicine that sealed her fate. If you dare to linger, your obliging guide will invite you to toast her soul with a spirited drink in the old house. The only tour to be given after dark, this extended Witches and Tombstones tour will haunt you long after you’ve departed.
Tickets: $55
Tours: Friday, October 31, 6:30 pm and 7:30 pm. Each tour is limited to 20 souls.
You must be 18 years or older to participate in this tour. Valid I.D. is required for all attendees.
Please note that this program lasts approximately 1.5 hours and requires the ability to walk some
distances over unpaved and uneven ground as well as standing for periods of time.

SPECIAL TOURS | Witches & Tombstones Tours (SOLD OUT - Buy Spooktacular Tickets Now!)
2025-11-01 10:30 - 15:30 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
November 1 tours are sold out. We have NEW tour times on October 26. Purchase tickets, or join our expanded Halloween Spooktacular Witches and Tombstones tour on Oct 31!
An up-close and creepy examination of all things funereal, our popular Witches & Tombstones tour returns on Saturday, October 25th and November 1st.
Start at the Isaac Stevens House as an attendee at an early-nineteenth-century wake and learn about mourning practices, how illnesses were treated, and how the living dealt with fears of being buried alive. Then visit Wethersfield’s Ancient Burying Ground. See the graves, hear stories of those who met their end during Connecticut’s first mass murder, and learn how gravestones warned the living of their own impending peril. The final stop on the tour is the Buttolph-Williams House (ca. 1711), the setting for the Newbery-winning children’s novel The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare. Hear stories about the notorious Wethersfield Witch Trials, which preceded the Salem Witch Trials by 30 years. The Buttolph-Williams House is a property of Connecticut Landmarks operated by the Webb Deane Stevens Museum.
Tour times: 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m.
PURCHASE TICKETS HERE: Members $35 per person; Non-members $40 per person.
Tours are limited to groups of 16, so reserve your tickets before they sell out! October 25th date is Sold Out!
*Please note: The Witches & Tombstones tour includes climbing stairs and walking on uneven ground. It is not recommended for youth under age 12.

SPECIAL EVENT | Thanksgiving Dinner - "A Taste of Time"
2025-11-16 14:00 - 17:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Come share a table, a toast, and a tradition at our annual Thanksgiving Dinner in the historic Webb Barn, supporting the preservation and education mission of the Webb Deane Stevens Museum.
Thanksgiving Tickets
A beloved Wethersfield tradition, our Thanksgiving Dinner invites you to enjoy “A Taste of Time,” celebrating five centuries of American fare. A VIP reception transports you back to our founding years, featuring a champagne toast and 17th-century kickshaw. Travel forward through the centuries as you join fellow revelers for a family-style feast inspired by 18th-century traditions and culminating in present day culinary classics. Savor heritage recipes from the earliest days of our nation through to contemporary New England cuisine.
The Host Committee also invites you to special pre-meal champagne reception in the Silas Deane House at 1 p.m. at the Patron level and above. Guests will be able to mingle with Brenton Grom, the Museum’s new Executive Director, and Tita Hyland, President of The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of Connecticut and enjoy period music performed by harpist Linda Traue, a member of the 5th Connecticut Regiment Revolutionary War reenactors.
VIP Reception and 17th-century kickshaw: 1 PM
“A Taste of Time” Thanksgiving Feast: 2 PM
MENU
First Course | 1700-1800s
Plated | Oysters Rockefeller on a Bed of Greens
For Sharing | Smoked Trout Pate with Rustic Dark Breads
Second Course | 1900s
Honey Glazed Roasted Quail
Brined & Roasted Turkey Breast
Fresh Cranberry Relish
Roasted Chippolini Onions
Chesnut & Sage Pork Stuffing
Third Course | 2000s
Beef Short Rib with Celery Root Puree
Local Heirloom Squashes
Dessert |1600s
Indian Corn Pudding & Parmesean Ice Cream
Menu catered by Ani’s Table & Marketplace
Wines furnished by Vino Crudo

TICKETS
https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/wds-museum-thanksgiving-dinner-a-taste-of-time

“Taste of Time” Heritage Dinner

Friend: $125 | $115 Member

VIP Reception & Dinner

Patron: $250 (admits 1)

Founder: $500 (admits 1)

Host Committee: $1,000 (admits 2)

Your Support: Your ticket helps us preserve and protect the landmark homes that are the hallmark of the Webb Deane Stevens Museum. With your support, we can continue to connect our founding ideals to our present, build upon and interpret our unique collections, and inspire meaningful conversations about the past and its relevance to today. Thank you.
SPONSOR “A TASTE of TIME”: Gain visibility for your brand and message while supporting the preservation and education mission of the Webb Deane Stevens Museum. To learn more about sponsorship, contanct Renee Dumouchel at rdumouchel@wdsmuseum.org or visit https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/wds-museum-thanksgiving-dinner-a-taste-of-time-sponsorship

We are incredibly grateful to our Host Committee and our Sponsors for their warmth and generosity.
Cornucopia Sponsor: Essex Financial
Heritage Sponsor: Young Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Harvest Sponsor: Lee G. Kuckro
Hearth Sponsor: Accounting Resources, Inc.

Media Sponsors:
Wethersfield Life
Rare Reminder, Inc.
HOST COMMITTEE

Douglas Hyland, Honorary Chair

Alice Hyland

Ann Burton
Marian Kellner & Tim McLaughlin
Lee G. Kuckro

John Kulesza

Thomas Miano

Donald & Pamela Peterson

In-kind Support Provided By:
Anderson Farms | Castor & Poly Boutique | Cottonwood + Church | D&D Market | Glastonbury Hills Country Club | Hartford Symphony Orchestra| Heirloom Market | Minuteman Press | Reliv Design | The Fresh Market | The Town of Wethersfield

LECTURE | Coming Home: The Story of a Tulip and Sunflower Chest With Pat Kane
2025-11-20 19:00
Purchase Tickets
Renowned decorative arts scholar Pat Kane reveals the remarkable story of Connecticut’s Wethersfield chest tradition in this specialized lecture. Explore the intersection of artistry, craftsmanship, and cultural identity through these colonial masterpieces that represent some of America’s finest early furniture making. Kane’s expertise illuminates how these functional objects reflect broader patterns of settlement, trade, and artistic expression in the Connecticut River Valley, making them invaluable windows into colonial American life and
aesthetics.
Tickets: General Admission $15| Members $10 | Jenrette Society & Students $5
Bio | Patricia E. Kane, Friends of American Arts Curator of American Decorative Arts at the Yale University Art Gallery, has been at Yale since receiving her M.A. from the University of Delaware, Winterthur Program in Early American Culture in 1968. The topic of her Master’s thesis was the seventeenth-century joined furniture of Hartford County. She received her Ph.D. in art history from Yale in 1987. She oversees collections of American decorative arts and design that range from the seventeenth century to the present. Since 2002 she has directed the Rhode Island Furniture Archive at the Yale University Art Gallery that documents furniture making in Rhode Island from 1650 to 1830. The results of this research are disseminated through a website, https://americandecorativearts.yale.edu/ , hosted by Jstor, and Art and Industry in Early America: Rhode Island Furniture 1650–1830, a publication for a 2016 exhibition at the Art Gallery. In addition to ongoing research on early Rhode Island furniture, she has collaborated with scientists at Yale to identify the different species of mahogany used in early American furniture.

PERFORMANCE | Alternative Tragic Americana: An Evening with Singer-Songwriter Anna May
2025-11-21 19:00 - 20:30 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Detach - Anna May - 01 Detach

PERFORMANCE | Alternative Tragic Americana: An Evening with Singer-Songwriter Anna May
Friday, November 21, 7:00 PM
Purchase Tickets
Experience the ethereal artistry of Connecticut-born singer-songwriter Anna May in an intimate salon-style concert. Anna’s lyrical sensibility is steeped in wisdom and whimsy that explores both estrangement and connection, drawing inspiration from artists like Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, and Billie Holiday. Her tender, immersive moodscapes with a western folk flare create otherworldly sounds that blur the boundaries between folk, jazz, and contemplative Americana. This limited-seating performance promises an unforgettable evening of haunting vocals and poetic storytelling in our historic atmosphere.
Tickets: $20 | $15 Members

CLASS | Saturday Morning Arts: Free-Movement Dance Class with The Hartford Dance Collective
2025-11-22 10:00 - 11:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Join us one Saturday a month at 10 am to awaken your creativity and get you moving. Each month, a choreographer from the Hartford Dance Collective will lead a free movement class designed to build curiosity, strength, range of motion and confidence in your own dance movement. Classes include warm-ups, exercises in mobility, and dynamic choreography phrasework. If you’ve been dancing all your life, are a former dancer, or have never danced before, YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!
Move your body freely in a supportive community, surrounded by art and our beautiful Colonial Revival Garden. Want more? Stay after class for an open rehearsal and Q+A with the women of HDC.
Upcoming Dates:
Nov 22
Dec 13
Jan 24
Feb 21
Mar 21
Apr 25
May 16
Tickets:
Class Only: $20
Class + Historic House Tour: $38
Class + Open Rehearsal: $35
The Hartford Dance Collective
The Hartford Dance Collective aims to empower women to have a voice and an equal opportunity in dance by providing choreographic and leadership opportunities. By sharing professional contemporary dance with new audiences and providing performances in diverse locations, they work to bridge the gap between the arts and the community. Their studio space at Parkville Sounds in Hartford, CT, provides creatives with a home to hone in on their movement vocabulary, and they hold the belief that everyone can dance and everyone should. www.thedancecollective.org

PREVIEW PARTY | Homes for the Holidays
2025-12-05 17:00 - 20:30 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Purchase Preview Party Tickets
Preview Party: December 5, 5:00-8:30 PM
Step into the past and experience the holidays by candlelight’s soft glow.
This intimate evening preview begins in our stately Silas Deane House with seasonal bites and festive drinks. Enjoy merry music by the Connecticut Yuletide Carolers, who will fill the halls with the bright sounds of the season. Then travel through time by candlelight on an exclusive tour of our three historic houses, masterfully decorated for the season by renowned designers. You’ll have space to linger, ask questions, and savor every carefully curated detail before the public ever sets foot inside. It’s a rare chance to experience our homes at their most magical — intimate, elegant, and entirely yours for the evening.
Tickets
Preview Party, December 5: $125
Patron: $250
One (1) ticket to December 5 Preview Party + one (1) ticket to December 6 Holiday House Tour. Acknowledgement in our printed materials.
Benefactor: $500
Two (2) tickets to December 5 Preview Party + two (2) tickets to December 6 Holiday House Tour. Acknowledgement in our printed materials.
Proceeds advance the NSCDA-CT’s mission of preservation and education at the Webb Deane Stevens Museum.
Designers
Michael Zipp Interiors is a full service interior design firm located in Brooklyn and the Hudson Valley. Founded in 2020, we approach each and every project through a unique lens, responding to the individual desires and needs of the client. Preservation and respect of historic architecture are at the forefront of our practice. Michael Zipp is a 2025 recipient of the Frederic Magazine It List award and his own Upstate NY home is featured in the Autumn 2025 issue of Frederic Magazine.
James Coviello is an interior designer known for his distinctive work in vintage, historic, and period-style interiors. He is currently working on projects in Litchfield, Connecticut; Lenox, Massachusetts; NYC and The Lake District in the United Kingdom.
His design perspective—rooted in a deep appreciation for architectural history and curated, character-driven spaces—is showcased on Instagram @james_coviello, where he shares images of his Hudson Valley home, Brooklyn Heights apartment, and a range of historic private houses and museums. In addition to his interiors practice, James sources and sells 19th-century furnishings and decorative objects. He also offers an eponymous product line of soaps, candles, and glassware available through select retailers and at jamescoviello.com.
Reliv Design curates inspired spaces across hospitality, residential, and commercial projects. Guided by a passion for creating spaces with soul, we emphasize a collaborative and enjoyable design process. From color, material, and finish selections to specialty painting and full-scale projects, we bring creativity and care to every size and style of work.
Reliv Design proudly represents Wise Owl Paints and maintains a retail space within Cottonwood & Church in idyllic Old Wethersfield. As a resident of OW and member of OSWA, we are extremely proud of where we live, raise a family and thrive as a community.
Jackie Home & Beauty is a long-awaited project inspired by owner Victoria Oliviera’s aunt Jackie, who embodied the definition of ‘influencer’ before social media made its debut. She was a lover of all things style, design and beauty. She owned a small women’s clothing boutique in West Hartford, Artichoke, where I had the pleasure of working and learning from her. Jackie Home & Beauty is a curated space with home and skincare products from around the world to share with you, in honor of Jackie.

SPECIAL TOUR | Homes for the Holidays
2025-12-06 10:00 - 15:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Purchase Tour Tickets
Experience the magic of Old Wethersfield during the most festive time of the year.
The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of Connecticut invites you to step inside beautifully decorated private homes, lavish inns, and the Webb Deane Stevens historic houses—exclusively featuring seasonal designs by internationally renowned decorators. Enjoy this rare chance to experience Old Wethersfield’s elegant interiors decked in holiday style. Warm up between houses with hot beverages and treats in the museum’s Holcombe Education Center in the heart of Old Wethersfield.
Staying all day? Add a boxed lunch from Heirloom Market for a mid-tour repast overlooking our gardens. Purchase the Tour + Boxed Lunch ticket, or the Boxed Lunch add-on if you have already purchased your tour ticket.
Preview Party: December 5, 5:00 – 8:30 PM
Holiday House Tour: December 6, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM

Tickets
House Tour, December 6: $70 | $75 day-of
General admission includes open-house access to all homes.
Consider becoming a Benefactor or Patron to increase your impact!
Patron: $250
One (1) ticket to December 5 Preview Party + one (1) ticket to December 6 Holiday House Tour. Acknowledgement in our printed materials.
Benefactor: $500
Two (2) tickets to December 5 Preview Party + two (2) tickets to December 6 Holiday House Tour. Acknowledgement in our printed materials.
Proceeds advance the NSCDA-CT’s mission of preservation and education at the Webb Deane Stevens Museum.

Designers
Michael Zipp Interiors is a full service interior design firm located in Brooklyn and the Hudson Valley. Founded in 2020, we approach each and every project through a unique lens, responding to the individual desires and needs of the client. Preservation and respect of historic architecture are at the forefront of our practice. Michael Zipp is a 2025 recipient of the Frederic Magazine It List award and his own Upstate NY home is featured in the Autumn 2025 issue of Frederic Magazine.
James Coviello is an interior designer known for his distinctive work in vintage, historic, and period-style interiors. He is currently working on projects in Litchfield, Connecticut; Lenox, Massachusetts; NYC and The Lake District in the United Kingdom.
His design perspective—rooted in a deep appreciation for architectural history and curated, character-driven spaces—is showcased on Instagram @james_coviello, where he shares images of his Hudson Valley home, Brooklyn Heights apartment, and a range of historic private houses and museums. In addition to his interiors practice, James sources and sells 19th-century furnishings and decorative objects. He also offers an eponymous product line of soaps, candles, and glassware available through select retailers and at jamescoviello.com.
Reliv Design curates inspired spaces across hospitality, residential, and commercial projects. Guided by a passion for creating spaces with soul, we emphasize a collaborative and enjoyable design process. From color, material, and finish selections to specialty painting and full-scale projects, we bring creativity and care to every size and style of work.
Reliv Design proudly represents Wise Owl Paints and maintains a retail space within Cottonwood & Church in idyllic Old Wethersfield. As a resident of OW and member of OSWA, we are extremely proud of where we live, raise a family and thrive as a community.
Jackie Home & Beauty is a long-awaited project inspired by owner Victoria Oliviera’s aunt Jackie, who embodied the definition of ‘influencer’ before social media made its debut. She was a lover of all things style, design and beauty. She owned a small women’s clothing boutique in West Hartford, Artichoke, where I had the pleasure of working and learning from her. Jackie Home & Beauty is a curated space with home and skincare products from around the world to share with you, in honor of Jackie.

Holiday Candlelight Tours
2025-12-12 18:00 - 21:00, 2025-12-13 18:00 - 21:00
Candlelight Tour Tickets
Experience three centuries of Christmas in our historic houses, beautifully lit by candlelight for two weekends in December. Delight in a charming array of holiday decor spanning the 18th-21st centuries, including Christmas trees, greenery, handmade treasures, antique toys, enchanting period ornaments, and modern holiday design. Discover how the roots of modern family traditions have grown over hundreds of years in an enchanting evening stroll.
Feel the tingle and excitement of this most wonderful time of the year as you explore rooms transformed by interior designers and decorators showcasing both traditional and fanciful decor. Immerse yourself in celebrations spanning centuries and witness how holiday traditions evolved and flourished across the generations.
The Museum Gift Shop will also be open both evenings. Shop a wide array of fabulous holiday treasures, including books, ornaments, candles, children’s toys, handcrafted treasures, and hostess gifts.
Tours will be held at 6, 7, and 8 P.M. on each date. Groups are limited to 12. Tours include walking and stair climbing, and are appropriate for adults and children 13+. NSCDA-CT and WDS Museum members: $30 / General Public: $35. Don’t delay, as tickets are sure to sell out! Pre-registration is required. Tickets for this event are non-refundable.

CLASS | Saturday Morning Arts: Free-Movement Dance Class with The Hartford Dance Collective
2025-12-13 10:00 - 23:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Join us one Saturday a month at 10 am to awaken your creativity and get you moving. Each month, a choreographer from the Hartford Dance Collective will lead a free movement class designed to build curiosity, strength, range of motion and confidence in your own dance movement. Classes include warm-ups, exercises in mobility, and dynamic choreography phrasework. If you’ve been dancing all your life, are a former dancer, or have never danced before, YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!
Move your body freely in a supportive community, surrounded by art and our beautiful Colonial Revival Garden. Want more? Stay after class for an open rehearsal and Q+A with the women of HDC.
Upcoming Dates:
Dec 13
Jan 24
Feb 21
Mar 21
Apr 25
May 16
Tickets:
Class Only: $20
Class + Historic House Tour: $38
Class + Open Rehearsal: $35
The Hartford Dance Collective
The Hartford Dance Collective aims to empower women to have a voice and an equal opportunity in dance by providing choreographic and leadership opportunities. By sharing professional contemporary dance with new audiences and providing performances in diverse locations, they work to bridge the gap between the arts and the community. Their studio space at Parkville Sounds in Hartford, CT, provides creatives with a home to hone in on their movement vocabulary, and they hold the belief that everyone can dance and everyone should. www.thedancecollective.org

Holiday Candlelight Tours
2025-12-19 18:00 - 21:00
Candlelight Tour Tickets
Experience Christmas in our historic houses, beautifully lit in the evenings for two weekends in December. Delight in a charming array of holiday decor both historic and contemporary, including Christmas trees, greenery, handmade treasures, antique toys, enchanting period ornaments, and modern holiday design.
Feel the tingle and excitement of this most wonderful time of the year as you explore rooms transformed by interior designers and decorators showcasing both traditional and fanciful decor.
The Museum Gift Shop will also be open both evenings. Shop a wide array of fabulous holiday treasures, including books, ornaments, candles, children’s toys, handcrafted treasures, and hostess gifts.
Tours will be held at 6, 7, and 8 PM on each date. Groups are limited to 12. Tours include walking and stair climbing, and are appropriate for adults and children 13+. NSCDA-CT and WDS Museum members: $30 / General Public: $35. Don’t delay, as tickets are sure to sell out! Pre-registration is required. Tickets for this event are non-refundable.

Holiday Candlelight Tours
2025-12-20 18:00 - 21:00
Candlelight Tour Tickets
Experience Christmas in our historic houses, beautifully lit in the evenings for two weekends in December. Delight in a charming array of holiday decor both historic and contemporary, including Christmas trees, greenery, handmade treasures, antique toys, enchanting period ornaments, and modern holiday design.
Feel the tingle and excitement of this most wonderful time of the year as you explore rooms transformed by interior designers and decorators showcasing both traditional and fanciful decor.
The Museum Gift Shop will also be open both evenings. Shop a wide array of fabulous holiday treasures, including books, ornaments, candles, children’s toys, handcrafted treasures, and hostess gifts.
Tours will be held at 6, 7, and 8 P.M. on each date. Groups are limited to 12. Tours include walking and stair climbing, and are appropriate for adults and children 13+. NSCDA-CT and WDS Museum members: $30 / General Public: $35. Don’t delay, as tickets are sure to sell out! Pre-registration is required. Tickets for this event are non-refundable.

CLASS | Saturday Morning Arts: Free-Movement Dance Class with The Hartford Dance Collective
2026-01-24 10:00 - 11:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Join us one Saturday a month at 10 am to awaken your creativity and get you moving. Each month, a choreographer from the Hartford Dance Collective will lead a free movement class designed to build curiosity, strength, range of motion and confidence in your own dance movement. Classes include warm-ups, exercises in mobility, and dynamic choreography phrasework. If you’ve been dancing all your life, are a former dancer, or have never danced before, YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!
Move your body freely in a supportive community, surrounded by art and our beautiful Colonial Revival Garden. Want more? Stay after class for an open rehearsal and Q+A with the women of HDC.
Upcoming Dates:
Jan 24
Feb 21
Mar 21
Apr 11
May 16
Tickets:
Class Only: $20
Class + Historic House Tour: $38
Class + Open Rehearsal: $35
The Hartford Dance Collective
The Hartford Dance Collective aims to empower women to have a voice and an equal opportunity in dance by providing choreographic and leadership opportunities. By sharing professional contemporary dance with new audiences and providing performances in diverse locations, they work to bridge the gap between the arts and the community. Their studio space at Parkville Sounds in Hartford, CT, provides creatives with a home to hone in on their movement vocabulary, and they hold the belief that everyone can dance and everyone should. www.thedancecollective.org

CLASS | Saturday Morning Arts: Open-Level Dance Class with The Hartford Dance Collective
2026-02-21 10:00 - 11:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Purchase Tickets
Date: February 21
Dance with us! Join us one Saturday a month at 10 am to awaken your creativity and get moving. Each month, a choreographer from the Hartford Dance Collective will lead an open-level dance class designed to build curiosity, strength, range of motion and confidence in your own movement. Classes include warm-ups, exercises in mobility, and dynamic choreography phrasework. If you’ve been dancing all your life, are a former dancer, or have never danced before, YOU ARE WELCOME HERE! Move your body freely in a supportive community, surrounded by art and our beautiful Colonial Revival Garden.
Upcoming Dates:
March 21
Apr 11
May 9
Tickets:
Class Only: $20
Class + Historic House Tour: $38
The Hartford Dance Collective | The Hartford Dance Collective aims to empower women to have a voice and an equal opportunity in dance by providing choreographic and leadership opportunities. By sharing professional contemporary dance with new audiences and providing performances in diverse locations, they work to bridge the gap between the arts and the community. Their studio space at Parkville Sounds in Hartford, CT, provides creatives with a home to hone in on their movement vocabulary, and they hold the belief that everyone can dance and everyone should. www.thedancecollective.org

LECTURE | Beyond Blue and White: The Hidden Women of Delftware
2026-03-12 19:00 - 21:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Beyond Blue and White: The Hidden Women of Delftware
WDS Book Talk with Genevieve Wheeler Brown
Thursday, March 12, 7:00 PM
This lecture is offered in person and via ZOOM. Please purchase virtual tickets prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the lecture to ensure you receive the link.
Purchase Tickets

When over seventy-five pieces of rare Delftware were discovered in a historic Manhattan townhouse, decorative art expert Genevieve Wheeler Brown recognized these exquisite ceramics held secrets overlooked for centuries. Join us for an illustrated journey through the hidden history of this beloved art form and the remarkable women who shaped it.
Through vivid images of 17th and 18th century treasures—puzzle jugs, flower pyramids, Persian blue teapots, and ornate tiles—Brown reveals the stories of female factory owners like Barbara Rotteveel, who founded “The Three Bells” in 1671, and royal patron Queen Mary II, whose passion for blue and white ceramics sparked a decorative revolution. Discover how pioneering American collectors Mrs. J. Pierpont Morgan and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt II laid the groundwork for women in museums while preserving decorative arts for future generations.
Part art history, part detective story, this presentation celebrates the artistry and forceful female lives behind one of the world’s most coveted ceramics.
Tickets: $15 | $12.50 Virtual | $10 Members
This lecture will be offered in person and via Zoom.
*Zoom link will be provided in advance of the lecture.
About the Author: As a decorative art advisor and writer with over thirty years in the art world, including a decade with Christie’s in New York and London, Genevieve Wheeler Brown has been actively involved in the community of Delftware. She has also participated on the Antiques Roadshow as an appraiser with an eye out for overlooked “treasure.” In her role, she has held innumerable objects, from fake Stradivari violins to gold-mounted Faberge eggs, considering their value but also the stories they can tell. Beyond Blue and White has been named an NPR Here & Now Editors’ Pick!, The Art Newspaper‘s Book Bag Selection and recently received glowing reviews by the Magazine ANTIQUES and The Wall Street Journal.

WORKSHOP | A Spring Pruning Primer: Roses, Fruit Trees, Evergreens, Perennials, and Grasses
2026-03-14 10:00 - 11:30 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
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NOTE: Due to weather, this event has moved to MARCH 14, with a new rain date of March 21.
After a long, cold winter, gardeners are eager to get back outside. Kick off your 2026 gardening season by joining WDS Head Gardener Peter Winne for a hands-on workshop focused on pruning techniques and other essential early-spring garden tasks. Learn about which plants to prune now, how much to cut back, and the right tools for the job. The workshop will also cover strategies for waking up perennial beds and borders after winter dormancy. Plants covered include roses, ornamental and fruit trees, perennials, ornamental grasses, and evergreen shrubs. This outdoor demonstration will take place in the museum gardens. In the event of rain, snow, or extreme cold, the workshop will be rescheduled for the following Saturday, March 14.
Peter Winne | Hartford-based horticulturist Peter Winne is a landscape designer and gardener who has served as Head Gardener at WDS since 2022. He founded Peter Winne Gardens in 2021 after four years as Head Gardener at Hartford’s Elizabeth Park, and currently leads the redesign of the Frank M. Weston Garden adjacent to the Wethersfield library.
Tickets: $25 | $20 Members | Children 6-12 FREE
*This event is not suitable for children under 6.

CLASS | Saturday Morning Arts: Open-Level Dance Class with The Hartford Dance Collective
2026-03-21 10:00 - 11:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
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Date: March 21
Dance with us! Join us one Saturday a month at 10 am to awaken your creativity and get moving. Each month, a choreographer from the Hartford Dance Collective will lead an open-level dance class designed to build curiosity, strength, range of motion and confidence in your own movement. Classes include warm-ups, exercises in mobility, and dynamic choreography phrasework. If you’ve been dancing all your life, are a former dancer, or have never danced before, YOU ARE WELCOME HERE! Move your body freely in a supportive community, surrounded by art and our beautiful Colonial Revival Garden.
Upcoming Dates:
Apr 11
May 9
Tickets: $20
The Hartford Dance Collective | The Hartford Dance Collective aims to empower women to have a voice and an equal opportunity in dance by providing choreographic and leadership opportunities. By sharing professional contemporary dance with new audiences and providing performances in diverse locations, they work to bridge the gap between the arts and the community. Their studio space at Parkville Sounds in Hartford, CT, provides creatives with a home to hone in on their movement vocabulary, and they hold the belief that everyone can dance and everyone should. www.thedancecollective.org

LECTURE | America's Tapestry: Fiber Arts & The Revolution
2026-04-09 19:00 - 20:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
LECTURE | America’s Tapestry: Fiber Arts & The Revolution with Stefan Romero of America’s Tapestry, a collaborative community embroidery project
Thursday, April 9, 7 PM
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Join WDS and America’s Tapestry to learn about the prominent role needle art is playing in our nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary. America’s Tapestry founder and director Stefan Romero will discuss the creation of this collaborative community embroidery project, highlighting lesser-known stories from the American Revolution. Get a deep dive on everything from panel design to the stories of those who are working on bringing these incredible embroideries to life. From finding inspiration in the Scottish Borders to grassroots organizing in the United States, hear the story of how this ambitious project came to life.
Tickets: $15 |$12.50 Virtual | $10 Members
This lecture will be offered in person and via Zoom.
*Zoom link will be provided in advance of the lecture.

Stefan Romero | Director and Founder of America’s Tapestry Stefan Romero is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University’s prestigious College of Fine Arts, where he specialized in the dress and textiles of Colonial America. As a Fulbright Scholar, Stefan deepened his understanding of the discipline through his Masters Degree at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. In collaboration with William & Mary (VA), Seton Hill University (PA), and a number of carefully selected historical and craft organizations, Stefan is creating a unique exhibition: “America’s Tapestry”. To learn more about America’s Tapestry, please visit www.americastapestry.com.

CLASS | Saturday Morning Arts: Open-Level Dance Class with The Hartford Dance Collective
2026-04-11 10:00 - 11:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Purchase Tickets
Date: April 11
Dance with us! Join us one Saturday a month at 10 am to awaken your creativity and get moving. Each month, a choreographer from the Hartford Dance Collective will lead an open-level dance class designed to build curiosity, strength, range of motion and confidence in your own movement. Classes include warm-ups, exercises in mobility, and dynamic choreography phrasework. If you’ve been dancing all your life, are a former dancer, or have never danced before, YOU ARE WELCOME HERE! Move your body freely in a supportive community, surrounded by art and our beautiful Colonial Revival Garden.
Upcoming Date: May 9
Tickets: $20
The Hartford Dance Collective | The Hartford Dance Collective aims to empower women to have a voice and an equal opportunity in dance by providing choreographic and leadership opportunities. By sharing professional contemporary dance with new audiences and providing performances in diverse locations, they work to bridge the gap between the arts and the community. Their studio space at Parkville Sounds in Hartford, CT, provides creatives with a home to hone in on their movement vocabulary, and they hold the belief that everyone can dance and everyone should. www.thedancecollective.org

WDS BOOK CLUB | Life Along The Hudson: The Historic Country Estates of the Livingston Family
2026-04-14 18:00 - 20:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Calling all bookworms, history buffs, preservationists and culture mavens! Join us for our NEW year-long book club, accompanied by a lecture series with acclaimed authors.
This month we’re reading:
Life Along The Hudson: The Historic Country Estates of the Livingston Family
By Pieter Estersohn
Tuesday, April 14, 6 pm | In Person and Virtual
Moderated by TR Revella-Hamilton, WDS Director of Preservation & Collections
Meet fellow history enthusiasts in person as we discuss thought-provoking books by acclaimed authors. Our carefully curated monthly selections delve into the rich tapestry of American and European history, featuring compelling works about revolutionary figures, historic preservation, decorative arts, and stories that shaped our cultural landscape. Whether you’re a seasoned historian, preservation enthusiast, or simply curious about the stories behind our built heritage, there’s a place for you in our community of learners.
JOIN BOOK CLUB

How it Works: Book Club meets bimonthly at the Museum and via Zoom on the second Tuesday of each designated month, unless otherwise noted. Book Club members will receive the newest book title via email two months prior to the book club date. You may join Book Club at any point during the year. Come when you can – there is no penalty for missing a session.
Book Club 2026 “Library Card” Annual Fee*: $25 General | $20 Museum Members | $15 Students
Your Book Club Library Card entitles you to in-person and virtual Book Club sessions, as well as discounted admission to the accompanying Book Talks lecture series held on Thursdays at the Museum.

Webb Barn Sale
2026-04-18 09:00 - 15:00, 2026-04-19 09:00 - 15:00 | Webb Barn, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, 06109, United States
WEBB BARN SALE
Saturday, April 18 & Sunday, April 19 | 9:00 AM-3:00 PM | Rain or Shine!
One person’s heirloom is another’s greatest find. The National Society of The Colonial Dames of America in The State of Connecticut (NSCDA-CT) returns with their beloved biennial sale — a community favorite fundraiser in support of the Webb Deane Stevens Museum.
Browse an extraordinary array of donated goods: fine silver, tableware, art, jewelry, linens, rugs, small furniture, kitchenware, collectibles, toys, garden items, holiday décor, and so much more. Every purchase directly supports the preservation and programming of one of Connecticut’s most cherished historic landmarks.
Come early for first pick—and come ready to discover something wonderful.
Admission: $5 per adult | Children under 18 free
Payment: Cash, check, and credit cards accepted at the door
Parking: Free parking is available behind the Webb Barn on the museum campus, on Main Street, at the Keeney Memorial Cultural Center (200 Main Street), and at the Wethersfield Volunteer Fire Department lot (171 Main Street).

Members Exhibition Preview
2026-04-30 18:00 - 19:30 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Member Exhibition Preview
Thursday, April 30, 6:00 PM
RSVP to Renee Dumouchel rdumouchel@wdsmuseum.org
Wine & light refreshments will be served
This May, we open our doors to two new exhibitions that, together, mark a first in the museum’s history: the entire exhibition space is dedicated to women. Join us for a private preview of American Girlhood: Needlework, Memory, and the Making of a Nation and Remember the Ladies: Women of the Revolution. These two exhibitions speak a common language about women whose activities and influence during the early years of American nationhood may come as a surprise to visitors who thought they knew the story of our country’s founding.

6:15 PM | Welcome & Opening Remarks, Executive Director Brenton Grom

American Girlhood Introduction, Guest Curator Emily Whitted

6:30 PM | Exhibition Tour

American Girlhood: Needlework, Memory, and the Making of a Nation
Remember the Ladies: Women of the Revolution

PERFORMANCE | American Contemporary Dances with The Hartford Dance Collective
2026-05-08 19:30 - 21:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Purchase Tickets
Join us in the intimate Webb barn for the Museum’s first commissioned dance performance! Experience dance in-the-round, featuring new and established works by The Hartford Dance Collective. Rooted in themes of female empowerment, the dances explore strength, resilience, and self-expression through bold physicality and nuanced storytelling. Inspired by America’s 250th anniversary, the Collective enriches the story of our nation’s founding by amplifying women’s voices and experiences. Surrounded by history and audience alike, the dancers invite viewers into a shared space where past and present converge—where the courage to claim one’s voice echoes the spirit of those who shaped a new nation within these very walls.
About This Commission In commissioning this work, the Museum celebrates both a milestone and a continuation: bringing contemporary artists into dialogue with a site where questions of identity, purpose, and collective future have always lived.
PERFORMANCE | Friday, May 8, 7:30 PM

6:00 PM | VIP Ticketholders Pre-Performance Talkback with Hartford Dance Collective
6:45 PM | Doors open
6:45-7:30 PM | Cash bar available, furnished by Vino Crudo
7:30 PM | Performance in-the-round

TICKETS | $18 / $25 / $30 / $45
Students (16-22) | $18
Members | $25
General Admission | $30
Inner Circle VIP | $45

Premiere seating: first two rows
Pre-performance talk-back with dancers and choreographers of Hartford Dance Collective
Early-admission
Reserved Parking
Access to one open rehearsal on May 1 at the HDC studios

Hartford Dance Collective | The Hartford Dance Collective bridges the gap between dance and community by curating unique and accessible performances led by female identifying choreographers and offering open adult movement classes that foster artistic expression, connection, and inclusivity.
Since July 2017, the Hartford Dance Collective has curated performances in unique settings, featuring female choreographers from across the nation. We have shared dance at the Connecticut Convention Center, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, ShapeShifter Lab, Real Art Ways, TheaterWorks Hartford, Dunkin Park, Parkville Market, & multiple breweries around the Connecticut, to name a few; and we aim to continue to share the art form with a wide range of demographics. Along with many small programs that we present throughout the year,
The Hartford Dance Collective curates the annual Hartford Dance Festival in Elizabeth Park with 25 performing groups, which is the largest free dance festival in Connecticut. Our studio space in Hartford, Connecticut, provides creatives with a home to hone in on their movement vocabulary and the opportunity for us to bring professional dancers to Hartford including dancers from Pilobolus, David Dorfman Dance, the Limon Company, the Radio City Rockettes, Doug Varone and Dancers, the Merce Cunningham Trust, and the Brooklynettes, to name a few. We hold the belief that everyone can dance and everyone should. Our professional and inspiring studio hosts open adult movement classes for the community featuring the Collective’s Resident Artists and Guest Instructors. A perfect place for a dancer to train, a former dancer to reignite their love for movement, or a member of the community looking to practice dance movement as a form of exercise, art, or meditation. Movement allows us to escape, which drives our commitment to curating experiences that allow for discovery and connection.

Dance Class with The Hartford Dance Collective [New Date TBA]
2026-05-09 10:00 - 11:00 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Purchase Tickets

May 9 Dance Class has been postponed. A new date will be announced shortly.
Dance with us! Join us one Saturday a month at 10 am to awaken your creativity and get moving. Each month, a choreographer from the Hartford Dance Collective will lead an open-level dance class designed to build curiosity, strength, range of motion and confidence in your own movement. Classes include warm-ups, exercises in mobility, and dynamic choreography phrasework. If you’ve been dancing all your life, are a former dancer, or have never danced before, YOU ARE WELCOME HERE! Move your body freely in a supportive community, surrounded by art and our beautiful Colonial Revival Garden.
Date: May 9
Tickets: $20
The Hartford Dance Collective | The Hartford Dance Collective aims to empower women to have a voice and an equal opportunity in dance by providing choreographic and leadership opportunities. By sharing professional contemporary dance with new audiences and providing performances in diverse locations, they work to bridge the gap between the arts and the community. Their studio space at Parkville Sounds in Hartford, CT, provides creatives with a home to hone in on their movement vocabulary, and they hold the belief that everyone can dance and everyone should. www.thedancecollective.org

PERFORMANCE | American Contemporary Dances with The Hartford Dance Collective
2026-05-09 14:00 - 15:30 | WDS Museum, 211 Main Street, Wethersfield, CT, 06109
Purchase Tickets

Join us in the intimate Webb barn for the Museum’s first commissioned dance performance! Experience dance in-the-round, featuring new and established works by The Hartford Dance Collective. Rooted in themes of female empowerment, the dances explore strength, resilience, and self-expression through bold physicality and nuanced storytelling. Inspired by America’s 250th anniversary, the Collective enriches the story of our nation’s founding by amplifying women’s voices and experiences. Surrounded by history and audience alike, the dancers invite viewers into a shared space where past and present converge—where the courage to claim one’s voice echoes the spirit of those who shaped a new nation within these very walls.
About This Commission In commissioning this work, the Museum celebrates both a milestone and a continuation: bringing contemporary artists into dialogue with a site where questions of identity, purpose, and collective future have always lived.
PERFORMANCE | Saturday, May 9, 2 PM

12:30 PM | VIP Ticket Holders Pre-Performance talkback with Hartford Dance Collective
1:15 PM | Doors open
1:15-2:00 PM | Cash Bar, furnished by Vino Crudo
2:00 PM | Performance in-the-round

TICKETS | $18 / $25 / $30 / $45
Students (16-22) | $18
Members | $25
General Admission | $30
Inner Circle VIP | $45

Premiere seating: first two rows
Pre-performance talk-back with dancers and choreographers of Hartford Dance Collective
Early-admission
Reserved Parking
Access to one open rehearsal on May 1 at the HDC studios

Hartford Dance Collective | The Hartford Dance Collective bridges the gap between dance and community by curating unique and accessible performances led by female identifying choreographers and offering open adult movement classes that foster artistic expression, connection, and inclusivity.
Since July 2017, the Hartford Dance Collective has curated performances in unique settings, featuring female choreographers from across the nation. We have shared dance at the Connecticut Convention Center, the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Mortensen Riverfront Plaza, ShapeShifter Lab, Real Art Ways, TheaterWorks Hartford, Dunkin Park, Parkville Market, & multiple breweries around the Connecticut, to name a few; and we aim to continue to share the art form with a wide range of demographics. Along with many small programs that we present throughout the year,
The Hartford Dance Collective curates the annual Hartford Dance Festival in Elizabeth Park with 25 performing groups, which is the largest free dance festival in Connecticut. Our studio space in Hartford, Connecticut, provides creatives with a home to hone in on their movement vocabulary and the opportunity for us to bring professional dancers to Hartford including dancers from Pilobolus, David Dorfman Dance, the Limon Company, the Radio City Rockettes, Doug Varone and Dancers, the Merce Cunningham Trust, and the Brooklynettes, to name a few. We hold the belief that everyone can dance and everyone should. Our professional and inspiring studio hosts open adult movement classes for the community featuring the Collective’s Resident Artists and Guest Instructors. A perfect place for a dancer to train, a former dancer to reignite their love for movement, or a member of the community looking to practice dance movement as a form of exercise, art, or meditation. Movement allows us to escape, which drives our commitment to curating experiences that allow for discovery and connection.
