Membership 2026 History Happens Here
Please join us in our mission to preserve Meriden’s many stories. Your membership helps us to continue to provide programming, exhibits and events. Renew or sign up for the first time HERE.
TONIGHT March 26th The Crescent in the Silver City 6:30 PM
This lecture explores the story of modern Muslim immigration to Meriden, tracing how families and individuals from the Middle East, South Asia, Africa, and beyond make the city their home from the late twentieth century to the present. It examines the reasons people come—work, education, refuge, and family ties—and how they build religious, cultural, and community institutions while contributing to Meriden’s social, economic, and civic life. Reserve your seat HERE.
There to Here: Meriden’s Immigration Story
Opens Saturday April 11th at 10 AM
Step into a powerful journey of courage, culture, and community at There to Here: Meriden’s Immigration Story, an exhibit that traces the many paths that have shaped our city—from Indigenous homelands and early European settlement to the waves of people from all over the world who came to call Meriden home including the migration of Puerto Ricans, and more recent families who continue to enrich Meriden today. Through treasured artifacts, striking photographs, and deeply personal stories, visitors experience how generations carried traditions across oceans and borders, building neighborhoods, businesses, churches, and cultural institutions that define Meriden’s vibrant character. Tours are at 11:00 and 1:00 We welcome the entire community to explore the exhibit’s compelling narratives. Join us as we celebrate the shared humanity that brought so many from there to here. Please reserve your tour spot HERE.
Latin American Journey to Meriden
Thursday April 26th at 6:30
This lecture explores the evolving story of Latin American immigration to Meriden, tracing the journeys, challenges, and contributions of communities that have reshaped the city’s cultural and economic landscape. From early migration waves to present-day neighborhoods, we’ll examine how traditions, labor, language, and identity intersect to create a vibrant local mosaic. By connecting personal stories with broader historical and policy contexts, the talk highlights not just how Meriden has changed, but how it continues to be redefined by resilience, adaptation, and cultural exchange. Reserve your place to help us honor Meriden’s heritage and ensure its stories are passed on to future generations.
SILVER & SPIRIT: 250 Years of Meriden History in Silver Now Open
This exhibit explores the metal that shaped Meriden. From early pewter artisans and small workshops in the 18th century to the rise of world-renowned silver and pewter manufacturers, the exhibit traces how silver fueled innovation, immigration, and community life over two and a half centuries as we look at silver and history at America’s birth and every 50 years thereafter. Through objects made and used in Meriden, alongside photographs and stories, this is more than a tale of manufacturing. Silver and Spirit shows how International Silver reflects and creates both Meriden’s and America’s story. Tour times are listed with our hours below.
Hours at Our Main Location, 41 W. Main Street, downtown Meriden.
The Meriden Historical Society’s Museum and History Center, located at 41 West Main Street, is open to the public at the following posted times. Please call us (203-639-1913) when you arrive so we can greet you at the door. Please note, the Grand Gallery is currently housing a temporary exhibit as we prepare for the opening of the Spring Exhibit in April.
- Monday Closed
- Tuesday By appointment
- Wednesday 10-3 Guided tour 11:00
- Thursday
- 1st Thursday Closed (April 2, May 7, June 4)
- 2nd Thursday 12 – 6 (April 9, May 13, June 11) Guided tour at 2:00
- 3rd Thursday 1 – 7 (April 16, May 21, June 18)
- 4th Thursday 2-6 (April 23, May 28, June 25 ) By Appointment
- Friday By appointment
- Saturday We are open the following Saturdays from 10-3 (3/28, 4/11, 4/25, 5/9, 5/23). Tours of exhibits are scheduled at the following times.
- East Gallery – Innovation & Industry Tour begins at 10:30 on Saturdays when open
- West Gallery – Tour begins at 1:30 on Saturday when open. Silver & Spirit:250 Years of Meriden History
- Grand Gallery- Tours begins at 12 on Saturdays when open. The next exhibit, There to Here: Meriden’s Immigration Story, opens April 11, 2026 with special tour times on opening day only. You must register for tours on opening day HERE.
- Sunday Open for special events only, call for details
Research: We are open to researchers at our Museum & History Center, 41 West Main Street, during our regular office hours (Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays ) by appointment only. To schedule your research visit, please call at least 24 hours in advance. 203-639-1913.
Tours: Those who wish to tour with a guide at a time other than those scheduled at the Museum at 41 Main Street MUST call ahead and book a time in order for us to make sure we have a guide available for you.
Lecture Series: Fourth Thursday of the month at 6:30 except December
Andrews Homestead The Andrews Homestead will reopen on May 16th with tours at 11 and 1. Guided tours during the off-season are available upon request. Please call to make arrangements for private tours at least 72 hours in advance. 203-639-1913.
Supported by its volunteers, the Meriden Historical Society operates at two locations
The Meriden Historical Society’s Museum & History Center is our main office and research center. Located at 41 West Main Street, in the heart of Downtown Meriden. See above for tour schedules for the galleries. To schedule a visit for research purposes, please call 203-639-1913.
The Andrews Homestead, 424 West Main Street
This is one of the oldest homes in Meriden. The Andrews Homestead is open May through November for special programs and events and by appointment at other times with 72 hours notice. Young and old (and in-between) are welcome. School tours can be booked by calling the office at 203-639-1913 or emailing the director at director@meridenhistsoc.org.
We share a parking lot with the Benjamin Franklin Elementary School. You may park in the school parking lot on the weekends only. Monday through Friday you must park in the parking lot across the street.
To set up a visit, please call our main office number: 203-639-1913.
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