Event Types: Education

Visit our exhibit about the unique people, places and events that have shaped Washington’s rich history.

The Museum offers free guided tours every Saturday at 1:00 pm. Private tours and large group tours can be coordinated upon request. For scheduling or more information, please email [email protected] or [email protected].

Hours of Operation:
Thursdays/Fridays from 10am-4pm
Saturdays from 10am – 3pm
*Free Admission*

We are delighted to share these positive reviews of “Washington, Connecticut: An American Story”:

• Bill Hosley posted a review on the Creating Sense of Place for Connecticut Facebook page. Bill Hosley, is the former curator of the Wadsworth Atheneum and is still active in local history initiatives.
• Tracey O’Shaughnessy’s review was published in the Republican American. She is the Associate Features Editor and coordinates the newspaper’s visual arts and theater coverage. She has received national and regional awards for her arts criticism, commentary and news features.

WAA is passionate about arts education. Whether you are an experienced artist or a novice, WAA offers a range of opportunities for creative exploration. We provide a nurturing place for people of all ages to develop their skills and explore new artistic directions with classes in painting, ceramics, sculpture, drawing, and more.

View current class offerings

In an immersive forest setting with no locks, keys or clocks, Wigwam Escape’s thematic puzzles challenge game players to hunt, find water and prepare food similar to how Native people did for thousands of years prior to European contact. The Institute for American Indian Studies, proudly presents a new way to interact with history, a themed escape room, Wigwam Escape.

For more information or to book your escape room, go to: wigwamescape.org.

Visit our exhibit about the unique people, places and events that have shaped Washington’s rich history.

The Museum offers free guided tours every Saturday at 1:00 pm. Private tours and large group tours can be coordinated upon request. For scheduling or more information, please email [email protected] or [email protected].

Hours of Operation:
Thursdays/Fridays from 10am-4pm
Saturdays from 10am – 3pm
*Free Admission*

We are delighted to share these positive reviews of “Washington, Connecticut: An American Story”:

• Bill Hosley posted a review on the Creating Sense of Place for Connecticut Facebook page. Bill Hosley, is the former curator of the Wadsworth Atheneum and is still active in local history initiatives.
• Tracey O’Shaughnessy’s review was published in the Republican American. She is the Associate Features Editor and coordinates the newspaper’s visual arts and theater coverage. She has received national and regional awards for her arts criticism, commentary and news features.

Hollister House Garden is thrilled to open its twentieth anniversary season with a special Barn Talk by noted author and garden designer Page Dickey.

Garden paths and focal points are more than mere features—they are tools that shape space, invite engagement, and frame the natural world in a way that feels intentional and inspiring. Using a variety of private gardens as examples, she will demonstrate how essential paths are in garden design, not only as practical features, but as a way of creating a sense of surprise and romance. From winding trails that invite exploration to more structured, axial routes that impart order and formality, learn how to use paths to complement your landscape’s unique character. Discover the importance of axes and the delight of focal points that catch the eye and anchor the composition of your garden.

After the lecture, you are invited to take a special first-look at the pre-season garden to see these design features in action.

Join us for an educational and entertaining exploration of one of the most complex literary works of all time, James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake. In this engaging presentation, we will delve into a fascinating section of the text, from page 300 to the top of page 302 (Book II chapter II of the volume), within the chapter titled “The Study Hour.”
The scene unfolds in the inn of the main character, HCE, where he drinks with his customers while his children—twins Shem and Sean and daughter Issy—study upstairs. Their lessons, brimming with humor and wit, touch upon the great scholarly pursuits of humanity: astronomy, mathematics, reincarnation, political progress, the philosopher’s stone, and more. Through Shem’s playful storytelling, these lessons are delivered with a quintessentially Irish blend of intellect and humor.

The discussion will highlight how Shem and Sean transform into planets while their audience becomes fixed stars, creating a cosmic metaphor that intertwines humor with historical and philosophical insight. We will also explore Sean’s mathematical endeavors, his use of trigonometry and quaternions, and his application of historical figures such as the Earl of Godolphin to navigate the complex legacy of Cromwell and its impact on Ireland. This presentation promises to entertain, educate, and inspire participants to embrace the light of Joyce’s genius. Attendees will perhaps see Finnegans Wake in a new and illuminating way.

Open your mind to the brilliance of James Joyce and join us for this thought-provoking journey through Finnegans Wake. John O’Connor has lectured on this book for about twenty-five years and finds it edifying, inspiring, profound, and sometimes frustrating. John has a B.A. from Bucknell University in English literature. He explains, “Some say philosophy is discovering what isn’t in the Wake. But as Joyce liked to say in risu veritas – in laughter there is truth. The Wake is world history in the abstract written in puns and at least sixty-six languages. I have deciphered some of it, and I like to share what I’ve found with others.”

Register here

Centennial Virtual Speaker Series – Archaeological History of Washington

We will discuss the early archaeological history of the Washington, Shepaug, and Lake Waramaug area, covering approximately 12,000 years. This presentation will span from the Paleo period through the Archaic and into the Late Woodland periods, focusing on artifacts and information discovered to date, along with ongoing and future research.

Craig Nelson is an avocational archaeologist who grew up in the area and has been working in the archaeological field since junior high school. He is an adjunct professor at Western Connecticut State University, where he teaches an archaeological field school and serves as the Chairman of the Board at the Institute for American Indian Studies, where he Chairs the Collections Committee. Additionally, he oversees archaeological digs for the Litchfield Hills Archaeological Club and belongs to several professional organizations.

Steep Rock’s Centennial Events are made possible by the support of Platinum Sponsors Chipman Mazzucco Emerson, LLC; Fiorita Kornhaas & Company, PC; New Morning Market; William Raveis Lifestyles Realty; and Gold Sponsors Arbor Services of CT and Arthur J. Gallagher Insurance & Risk Management.

February 20 : Poet Ellen Bass, Indigo (2020)
March 20 : Poet Dorianne Laux, Life On Earth (2024)
April 17 : Poet Mark Doty, Deep Lane ( 2015)

Join us as we explore three contemporary U.S. poets who build upon and reshape the confessional form that Sylvia Plath and Robert Lowell pioneered. We will focus on the latest collections from Ellen Bass, Dorianne Laux, and Mark Doty and examine how these poets transform personal experiences through their craft.
We encourage you to read these collections thoughtfully, savoring a few poems at a time, and bring your copy to the discussion. Together, we’ll dive into the nuances of these outstanding poets and their evolving approach to the confessional style.
* Copies will be available for check out at the circulation desk or can be purchased through Hickory Stick Bookshop.

About Mark Scarbrough:
A former academic, Mark Scarbrough dropped out of seminary to do his doctoral work in nineteenth-century American literature at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He has given papers on medieval literature at the International Medieval Conference in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and American literature at MLA and regional MLA conferences. He has also written screenplays for various production companies and developed most of the original food content in the early 1990s for a small internet start-up called America Online. Mark Scarbrough is the co-author of thirty-five titles (and a thriving) cookbook career. In 2020, Mark published his memoir, “Bookmarked: How The Great Works Of Western Civilization F*cked Up My Life,” which Will Schwalbe called “equal parts charm, wit, and withering self-reflection.” Having left the classroom, Mark again finds himself enmeshed in literature, leading grant-sponsored book groups and six- to eight-week literary seminars across Litchfield County, Connecticut, and Berkshire County, Massachusetts.

Register here

The Gunn Memorial Library invites gardening enthusiasts and curious beginners to a special Master Gardening Program Presentation and Q&A. This informative and interactive program features a 20-30 minute presentation covering the ins and outs of the Master Gardening program, including how the classes work, who they are designed for, and what participants can expect to gain from the experience.

In addition to learning about the Master Gardening program, attendees will receive helpful tips on gardening basics and garden planning. There will also be time for questions and discussion as the schedule allows.

Guests can also ask a certified Master Gardener all their burning botanical questions. Whether you’ve been wondering why your tomatoes didn’t thrive last season, what to plant in that stubborn bare patch in your yard, or how to get started with a pollinator garden, this is the perfect space to get expert advice. Come with your queries, curiosity, and love of plants — and leave with practical knowledge, inspiration, and maybe even a new gardening project in mind!

Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting to explore the world of plants, we welcome everyone to attend!

Biography:
As the Master Gardener Coordinator for Litchfield County, Zachary Bull uses his scientific background to guide adults in learning how to garden, build community, manage volunteers, and get folks excited about gardening. With a long gardening history, starting with his father’s involvement in the Master Gardener program, Zachary is particularly interested in issues involving food (in)security and native ecosystems. He has several raised beds in his backyard from which he grows much of his produce, including corn, peas, tomatoes, onions, and more. He has also planted an extensive native selection at several of the gardens he helps to manage. Zachary enjoys the community he found as a Master Gardener and would like to help you all find that same sense of fun and belonging in the garden.

Presented by Washington Environmental Council

We are thrilled to celebrate Earth Day in Washington on Saturday, April 26th! We will be joined by Steep Rock, the Sustainability Committee and other like minded community partners. Students from the surrounding schools will also be displaying and presenting environmental projects and we will once again be offering town residents the opportunity to have their well water tested!

Join us for family friendly activities, music and refreshments and don’t miss the opportunity to engage with local environmental organizations and learn about their missions and initiatives. Show the earth some love and help us protect and sustain our planet!

Check out our website wec-ct.org for information on signing up for our annual roadside clean-up.

Saturday, April 26th, 2025
10am – 3pm (Water Testing Starts at 9am)
The Judy Black Memorial Park & Gardens

Come explore the thawed trails in Hidden Valley Preserve with SRA Naturalists Peary and BK Stafford and discover the magnificently rich community of spring ephemerals adorning the forest floor. Participants should wear hiking boots or other appropriate shoes, and we highly recommend bringing water and binoculars. We will meet in the main parking lot at 198 Bee Brook Rd., Washington Depot.

Please note, this program is limited to 12 participants.

In an immersive forest setting with no locks, keys or clocks, Wigwam Escape’s thematic puzzles challenge game players to hunt, find water and prepare food similar to how Native people did for thousands of years prior to European contact. The Institute for American Indian Studies, proudly presents a new way to interact with history, a themed escape room, Wigwam Escape.

For more information or to book your escape room, go to: wigwamescape.org.

Looking for a fun, active, and creative summer experience for your child? Pilobolus Kids Camp is back!

Kids ages 6 to 12 will explore movement, storytelling, and improvisation while building confidence, creativity, and collaboration skills—all through Pilobolus’s signature approach to learning through play!

Two Sessions Available:
Week 1: July 21 – 25, 2025
Week 2: July 28 – Aug 1, 2025

Location: Shepaug Valley High School, Washington, CT

Time: 9 AM – 3 PM daily

Sign up for one or both weeks! Register here

Looking for a fun, active, and creative summer experience for your child? Pilobolus Kids Camp is back!

Kids ages 6 to 12 will explore movement, storytelling, and improvisation while building confidence, creativity, and collaboration skills—all through Pilobolus’s signature approach to learning through play!

Two Sessions Available:
Week 1: July 21 – 25, 2025
Week 2: July 28 – Aug 1, 2025

Location: Shepaug Valley High School, Washington, CT

Time: 9 AM – 3 PM daily

Sign up for one or both weeks! Register here