Science Museums, Zoos, Aquariums and Others

Because of the presence of the University itself and its convenient geographic location, greater New Haven is filled with a variety of science museums and other similar destinations. In New Haven itself, the Peabody Natural History Museum with its famous dinosaur collection is definitely worth a trip. And if dinosaurs really grab you or the kids, then you should also head 30 minutes north of the city to Dinosaur State Park in Rocky Hill, CT where the largest collection of dinosaur tracks east of the Mississippi are displayed with an assortment of hands-on activities under a geodesic dome.  Back in New Haven, the Connecticut Children's Museum in downtown also has great hands-on displays as does the Eli Whitney Museum at the north end of the city. Just outside the city there are unusual places such as a cartoon museum and a trolley museum. One good Web resource for planning trips in southern Connecticut is at Fieldtrip.com.

The only zoo in Connecticut, the Beardsley Zoo, is about 20 minutes from New Haven; it has a very good petting zoo as well as the usual assortment of larger animals. Real zoo afficionados, however, should probably take the hour drive to the Bronx Zoo, which is truly one of the world's great zoos.

Given its location on Long Island Sound, it is perhaps not surprising that the opportunities for maritime exploration are numerous in and around New Haven. Schooner, Inc. sponsors various educational programs and sailing in Long Island Sound aboard the 91-foot wooden schooner, the Quinnipiac. Two of the best field trips involve either the Maritime Center at Norwalk with an IMAX theatre,about an hour west of New Haven, or travel about an equal distance east of the city to the Mystic, CT area with the Mystic Seaport, the Mystic Marinelife Aquarium (a really great aquarium), along with the US Naval Submarine Museum and facility (with submarine tours) in Groton, the Coast Guard Academy in New London, summer music concerts at Harkness Park, the Essex Steam Train, and, for the adult's entertainment, two casinos in Ledyard, CT (Foxwoods Casino Resort and Mohegan Sun Casino).

In New Haven

• Yale Collection of Musical Instruments
• Amistad America Council
• Eli Whitney Museum
• Knights of Columbus Museum
• New Haven Colony Historical Society
• New Haven Public Library
• Peabody Museum
• Shoreline Trolley Museum
• Connecticut Children's Museum

Surrounding Towns

• Barker Cartoon Museum
• Barnum Museum
• Beardsley Zoo
• Bronx Zoo
• Connecticut Audubon Society
• Connecticut River Museum
• Dinosaur State Park
• Discovery Museum
• DNA Epicenter
• Essex Steam Train
• Harriet Beecher Stowe Center
• Henry Whitfield Historical Museum
• KidCity Children's Museum
• Maritime Center Norwalk
• Mark Twain House
• Mashantucket Pequot Museum
• Mother Earth Mining Company
• Mystic Aquarium
• Mystic Seaport
• New England Air Museum
• Project Oceanology
• Science Center of Connecticut
• Stamford Museum
• Stepping Stones Museum for Children
• The Children's Museum of Southeastern Connecticut
• The Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center
• The Litchfield Hills
• Timexpo Museum
• US Coast Guard Academy (USS Eagle Tall Ship)
• US Naval Submarine Museum