Town revisit: Southington

The Barnes Museum was one of the most interesting house museums we've been to in Connecticut. We loved this place and our tour. In case you are not familiar with this museum, the Barnes were a wealthy family who lived in Southington. When the last member of the family died without any children he willed the house to the town. What sets this museum apart from many other house museums in the state is that the house isn't filled with items that the family "would have used." Instead of period pieces, the items were actually all the items that the family did use. Even the photographs are accompanied by the items that were in the photographs. It gives an incredible sense of getting to know, not just a time period, but one family's experience in that time period.

The family also collected various items which are displayed in the house. The sunroom is called the goblet room because it displays the family's collection of glasses. There is another room that houses the collection of oriental items. The family did not travel abroad but were fascinated by Asian art and collectibles. The Barnes family seem to have saved everything--even the boxes their possessions came in and the receipts for those items. I was fascinated by the volumes and volumes of letters received and saved by the family. It really made me think about things like clutter, keepsakes, and hording in ways I hadn't before. The day we were there, the house we strewn with more than 500 hats the family members had collected and worn over time. The house itself is well-designed and a pleasure to walk through. If you are interested in house tours, you should definitely put this one on your list.

I'd also like to thank the museum for allowing me to take photos. (So often in Connecticut museums I'm told that pictures are not allowed. Often, I forget to ask now.)

Check out our first Southington visit.