Welcome to Central Connecticut

Halfway between Boston and New York you'll find Bristol, Connecticut, a hidden treasure with an abundance of attractions, special events and history just waiting to be discovered. This picturesque community's scenes range from the natural beauty of its fall foliage to the high-tech satellite dishes of ESPN, the worlds largest sports cable television network.

Discover Bristol and enjoy its sports, art, culture, music, beauty and fun all year round.

Bristol Historical Society

The Bristol Historical Society is located in the former Bristol High School building in the historic Federal Hill neighborhood. The Society collects, preserves and interprets significant historical resources to enhance the present community and provide a historical context for future growth.  The building is also home to the Bristol Sports Hall of Fame and the Bristol Military Museum.

ESPN

Bristol is home to ESPN, the largest cable sports network in the world. ESPN, a division of Disney Corporation, distributes programming via eight domestic 24/7 networks and nearly fifty more around the world reach 300 million viewers in 200 countries.

Lake Compounce

Nestled between a scenic lake and mountain, Lake Compounce is the nation's oldest continuously-operating amusement park.  It offers spectacular rides, Crocodile Cove (Connecticut's largest water park), a lakeside beach and a large pavilion for special events. Boulder Dash- twice voted the world's best wooden roller coaster- is built into the side of a mountain with a top speed of 60 mph. During the summer you can attend special festivals and events like July 4th fireworks in addition to enjoying the park's many rides. For Halloween, the brave can tour the parks Haunted Graveyard and for Christmas enjoy the Holiday Lights as the park is lit with thousands of lights to celebrate the season.

Clock & Watch Museum

The American Clock & Watch Museum displays one of the most extensive collections of American-made timekeepers in the world. From the earliest grandfather clocks to Eli Terry's revolutionary Pillar & Scroll shelf clock to the popular Mickey Mouse wristwatch, visitors experience Yankee ingenuity and craftsmanship in this charming, chiming atmosphere created by the many running clocks. The gateway exhibit presents the important role played by Bristol and the clock industry in the development of American manufacturing. The museum is recognized as the first museum in America to be totally devoted to horology.

Carousel Museum

The New England Carousel Museum is one of only a few carousel museums in America. The centerpiece of a growing cultural center in downtown Bristol, the Museum brings out the child in everyone. The museum presents works of master carvers, painters and craftsmen in revolving exhibits representing one of the largest collections of antique carousel art in existence today. You can learn about the history of the carousel, take a tour, treat the children to hands-on activities and enjoy the nostalgic music of the band organ all year long. The Museums fine art galleries showcase the work of artists from throughout New England.

Witch's Dungeon Classic Movie Museum

The Witch's Dungeon Classic Movie Museum opened in Bristol in 1966 as a tribute to the actors and effects artists who gave us so many classic fantasy films. It is considered the longest running exhibit of its kind in the country (as stated by Entertainment Tonight). The museum features highly accurate, life-size figures of characters from classic sci-fi and horror films. The museum also features voice tracks specially recorded by Vincent Price, June Foray, John Agar and Mark Hamill.

Bristol Chrysanthemum Festival

Every fall, you can see chrysanthemums blooming around Bristol. The city's Annual Mum Festival was created in 1961 by Paul Hubbard and Alex Cummings, of Bristol Nurseries, and the Bristol Chamber of Commerce. This is a three week event that includes the Miss Chrysanthemum pageant, a parade, antique car shows, family events at local farms, bingo and Oktoberfest.

Little League Baseball

For thousands of Little Leaguers playing in Bristol has been an annual goal. Every summer you can see the Eastern Regional finals at the A. Bartlett Giamatti Little League Leadership Training Center, which matches the best teams from the New England and the Mid-Atlantic states. The Center also offers summer camps for youngsters and adult training for managers, coaches, league administrations and umpires.

The Barnes Nature Center

Located in a picturesque setting on Shrub Road, The Barnes Nature Center is dedicated to increasing the public awareness and appreciation of the natural environment. Of special interest is the diorama depicting New England habitats including live reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Located on 40 wooded acres, the Center offers loop hiking trails and a trailhead of Tunxis "Blue" Trail.

The Museum of Fire History

The Museum of Fire History, located at the New England Carousel Museum, offers a fascinating array of fire-fighting and fire house signaling equipment and memorabilia wonderfully displayed with alarms to pull, sirens to set off and bells to ring. The Fire Museum is available for educational programming for school groups and adults.

Imagine Nation Museum

The Family Center's Imagine Nation Museum, located in downtown Bristol, is committed to enriching the lives of children and families by providing unique interactive exhibits, programs that spark imagination, discovery and hands-on learning through play and exploration. Stand inside a giant bubble, try your skills on the climbing wall, ride in a see-through teaching elevator, role-play as anchors on ESPN's Sports Center plus explore the greenhouse, Kids Zone, Art Area and much more. An original 1940s soda fountain from R's Diary, a long time local landmark, is proudly located in the lobby where sweet treats, snacks and family entertainment are offered.

Special Events & Activities

No matter what you're looking for, you'll discover it in Bristol. For music and theatre, there's the Bristol Symphony, Bristol Theatre Arts, Bristol Choral Society, Brass and Wind Ensemble, and the New England Symphonic Band. For children, there's the Children's Holiday Parade, Bristol Pumpkin Festival, Witch's Dungeon Classic Movie Museum, and Indian Rock Nature Preserve, which presents early American experiences, a Star lab and nature explorations. Bristol is home to many parks including the Veterans Memorial Boulevard, Rockwell and Page Parks. You can explore unique glacial formations at the Hoppers area. For military enthusiasts, there's the Military Museum, with memorabilia dating back to the Civil War. Bristol also has Italian, Polish and Greek fairs for the whole family to enjoy.

For a complete listing of museums, clubs and organizations, click on our DIRECTORY Link.

For scheduled happenings in the Bristol and the central Connecticut region, check out our CALENDAR OF EVENTS regularly.

Questions? Email us!

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