Explore Guide

Located behind the majestic equestrian statue of Revolutionary War hero General Isreal Putnam (1718 – 1790), is the Brooklyn Historical Society Museum. The museum houses the permanent General Putnam Gallery whose exhibits “Israel Putnam: Facets of a Hero” and “General Israel Putnam Remembered” explore the fascinating life of the farmer and citizen soldier whose daring exploits in a Pomfret wolf den and during the French and Indian War made him a legend in his own day, and the creation of the statue that honors him. The Museum’s Special Exhibit Gallery features changing displays of local history. The current exhibit ” Treasures from Brooklyn’s Attic,” which showcases some of the varied objects of our collections, items such as silver spoons and spectacles made by Edwin Newbury (1799 – 1872) in his small shop near the Brooklyn Green, a Civil War era silk dress, ice harvesting equipment, and a circa 1835 – 1840 oil painting Young Girl with Cat. The museum is wheelchair accessible and air conditioned. Behind the museum is the 19th-century law office of Putnam’s great-grandson Daniel Putnam Tyler (1798 – 1875) furnished as it might have been during his career, which included his service as a County Court Judge and Secretary of State when he supervised Connecticut’s first comprehensive economic census. Both musuems are open every Wednesday and Sunday, from 1 to 5 p.m. from Wednesday, May 22nd through Sunday, October 13th, or by special appointment. Please call 860-774-7728 to schedule. There is no admission charge for either museum.