Keeler In The Community
It’s #HandsOnHistory Time! KTM&HC’s Interactive Exhibition Opens August 17
August 8, 2024
Ridgefield, Conn.— Card wool, spin fibers, and dye and weave fabric at Keeler Tavern Museum & History Center’s newest exhibit, #HandsOnHistory – Threading the Needle: From Field to Fabric. Located in KTM&HC’s historic carriage barn, the fun, interactive exhibit opens on Saturday, August 17 and runs through Sunday, November 3.
It’s not very often that a museum encourages visitors to “please touch,” but that’s exactly what #HandsOnHistory is all about! #HandsOnHistory is one of KTM&HC’s signature programs: an annual series of rotating, interactive exhibits that showcase objects from the museum’s extensive tool collection and explore intersections of history, science, and technology.
This year, #HandsOnHistory’s theme is Threading the Needle: From Field to Fabric, highlighting the production and usage of the three types of textile fibers commonly produced in Ridgefield and the surrounding region during the 18th and 19th centuries: linen, wool, and silk. Learn about historic practices of textile production firsthand by trying your hand at a variety of activities, suitable for audiences of all ages. And discover new ways of thinking about textile history through Threading the Needle’s connections to STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math), which visitors will find woven throughout the exhibit.
On Sundays in October and early November, head to the museum for free site admission and family demonstrations: a series of interactive talks and demonstrations by educators, artisans, and skilled tradespeople. Details coming soon – check our website at www.keelertavernmuseum.org/events for updates.
#HandsOnHistory – Threading the Needle is a great way to learn about some of the fascinating history of our site, town, and region – but it’s only here for a limited time! Get site admission tickets at www.keelertavernmuseum.org/visit. Interested in bringing a school or youth group? Book an educator-led tour of the exhibit free of charge; email education@keelertavernmuseum.org for more information.
#HandsOnHistory – Threading the Needle is generously sponsored by NCL Ridgefield, Jean and Michael Jaykus, Anita and Nick Donofrio, Annette and Dan O’Brien, Joel Third, and Rhonda Hill. Thank you!
Above: Flax Scutching Bee (1885). Linton Park. National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.