Family Fun This Winter At The Weston History & Culture Center

**News Release Submitted by the Weston History & Culture Center **

Jan. 10, 2024

Bring the family and warm up this Winter at the Weston History & Culture Center in Weston, CT. Open every Sunday and Thursday 1pm - 4pm – January 14, 2024 – February 29, 2024. Learn how the Coley family lived, worked, and played on the American home front during World War II on your guided tour of the award-winning Coley House - the only Connecticut house museum highlighting 1940s décor and history. Children will love building with Lincoln Logs, playing with 1940s toys, typing on a typewriter, dialing a rotary phone and much more!

New to the Coley House experience is an on-site virtual tour of the second-floor exhibits, “Twelve Moments in Weston History” and “Let’s Play – Weston Toy Factory”. Those who don’t feel comfortable walking up the staircase can still enjoy and engage with the exhibits by sitting on the main level and viewing them via a virtual tour created by Capture Visual Marketing. Also on view, as part of the virtual tour, is the second floor bathroom, which is physically not accessible to the public. The virtual tour was funded by a Cultural Fund Operating Support Grant awarded by CT Humanities with funding from the Connecticut State Department of Economic and Community Development/Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA) from the Connecticut State Legislature.

In our visitor center, learn about the world-famous artists that made Weston home during the first half of the 20th century in “Weston Illustrated: Penned, Painted & Sculpted”. The entire family will enjoy going on a “Weston Illustrated Scavenger Hunt” while exploring pieces on loan from the Friends of the James Daugherty Foundation, the Jenny Moore Collection, Westport Public Art Collection, Weston Public Library, Wilton Historical Society and WHCC’s collection. Children will love the Young Artists Corner where they can create a comic strip, try their hand at cartooning and illustrate their own Saturday Evening Post cover.

Bundle up for a winter talk around the grounds of the Weston History and Culture Center. Stroll through the Daniel E. Offutt, III Sculpture Garden and explore the whimsical sculptures created by former Weston resident, philanthropist and artist, Daniel E. Offutt, III. Learn more about the Coley Homestead by touring the grounds using our award-winning historic interpretive signs dotted around the property. Weston history comes alive at the Weston History & Culture Center.

Tickets at www.westoncthistory.org or at the door. $5 – Adults, $3 – Children, Free for members of the Weston History & Culture Center. Also open by appointment by emailing: info@westoncthistory.org. The Weston History & Culture Center is located at 104 Weston Road in Weston, CT. Parking and entrance is located on High Acre Road. Please check-in at the Visitor Center (red building adjacent to parking lot).

A special thank you to the Daniel E. Offutt, III Charitable Trust which generously funded the restoration and reinterpretation of the Coley House as well as the creation of the sculpture garden. The Weston History & Culture Center would like to thank its annual sponsors: Fairfield County Bank, KMS Team at Compass and Aquarion Water Company. The Weston Historical Society d/b/a Weston History & Culture Center is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located at 104 Weston Road in Weston, CT. For more information and to donate, please visit: www.westoncthistory.org, call 203-226- 1804 or email: info@westoncthistory.org.