Calendar of Events

Exhibition - Hands-On History: Living Off the Land

August 12 – November 1, 2026 · Th-Su, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Carriage Barn
Free

Get ready to get hands-on with KTM&HC's historic tool collection! Hands-On History, the annual interactive exhibit and program series that encourages visitors to “please touch,” opens Wednesday, August 12 and runs through Sunday, November 1. The exhibition is open during regular museum hours and is always free to the public.

Hands-On History is one of KTM&HC’s signature programs: a 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, Hands-On History’s theme is "Living Off the Land," exploring the agricultural heritage of Ridgefield through the tools farmers used in the 18th and 19th centuries to produce food for their families and community. The exhibit follows the farming cycle, from preparing soil to planting seeds to harvesting and processing crops, and considers the impact that dramatic climate and weather fluctuations had locally.

Hands-On History: Living Off the Land is not your usual museum exhibit! Farm tools are built to be used, so the exhibit encourages visitors of all ages to do just that: tools labeled with “TRY ME” signs have movable parts and functions that anyone can test out, from corn shellers to oat cleaners. It also features self-directed activities stationed throughout the exhibit – more great opportunities for hands-on exploration of how science and history overlap. 

School and youth groups can book educator-led tours of the exhibit free of charge. Email education@keelertavernmuseum.org for more information.

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