The Mark Twain House and Museum is located at 351 Farmington Avenue, Hartford, Connecticut 06105 with a phone number of 860-247-0998.

The mission of the Mark Twain House & Museum is:

• To foster an appreciation of the legacy of Mark Twain as one of our nation's defining cultural figures
• To demonstrate the continuing relevance of his work, life and times

The Twain House Architecture

The architect, Edward Tuckerman Potter, employed a vibrant palette of painted brick reminiscent of William Butterfield's work in England of the 1860s and traditional chalet designs of the Alsatian region of France.

The interiors are of cultures and styles from around the globe in a dense network of pattern, texture, and color throughout the first floor of the house. Northern Africa, the Far East and India are woven together in a bravura performance of a knowing and elegant eclecticism that helped set a new standard for the Gilded Age.

New technologies include:

• A gravity flow heat system
• Split flues to allow for windows over two fireplaces
• Seven bathrooms with flush toilets
• Twain's telephone, of which he was very proud of, and one of the very first installed in a private home

These new technologies and interior design when combined with Mark Twain's profound new way of writing of progressive social and political views portrays a house more clearly appreciated as a landmark of modern American thought in the fullest sense.

It is open year round with free parking and is air conditioned. The Mark Twain House and Museum offers tours of Mark Twain's home and a wide range of education programs that include lectures by major authors and artists, symposia, dramatic performances, concerts and "family friendly" activities.

Specific Hours of Operation:

• Open Monday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
• Open Sunday 12 - 5:30 p.m.
• Closed Tuesdays January - March
• Closed January 1, Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, and December 24 and 25 and 4th of July
• Visitors should allow minimum of 2 hours for tour and Museum Center

Admission Prices:

• Adults (17-64) $13
• Senior citizens (65+) - $11
• Children (6-16) - $8
• Children under 6 - Free

Admission is by guided tour only. Visitors should be able to use three flights of stairs for the complete tour of the Mark Twain House. The first floor of the Mark Twain House is wheelchair accessible. Tours for visitors with special needs can be arranged by calling 860-247-0998, ext. 130.

A guided tour through Mark Twain's 19-room house is a step back in time. He lived and worked in this house from 1874 to 1891. During this very productive Mark Twain period, he produced such classics as The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

The tours are led by trained museum teachers and interpreters and are a great program for students learning about Mark Twain.

The programs meet some or all of the Connecticut Curriculum Standards as set by the State of Connecticut which are:

• Social Studies Standard 1: Historical Thinking.
• Social Studies Standard 2: Local, US, and World history.
• Social Studies Standard 3: Historical Themes.
• Social Studies Standard 4: Applying History.

Their new museum opened in November of 2003. The new museum provides the richest possible treasury of Twain's triumphs and tragedies, contemporaries and the Gilded Age.

Source: The Mark Twain House and Museum Online

Important Disclaimer: The URL address in the resource box of this article is not associated with any of the attractions mentioned in this article. This article and web site are offered as resources to help you formulate vacation ideas.

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.

© 2007 Connie Limon All Rights Reserved