American Clock & Watch Museum, Bristol

What a wonderful place, housed in a beautifully maintained building listed in the national register of historic places. I enjoyed every minute of my visit. If I’d had another hour I would have stayed longer, but ran out of time so must return for a second visit. (umm, yes, puns intended..) Clocks, so prosaic now, but a driver of the industrial revolution in the 1800s as society transitioned from primarily agrarian to more of an industrial one in which work was measured by the hour. Time, hours, deliveries, train schedules, all depended upon clocks. Levi Terry is considered by some to be the founder of the industrial revolution when he became the first to mass produce clocks, with interchangeable parts, making them affordable to the common man. This gave rise to hundreds of clock factories employing thousands of workers in the Bristol CT area, making it the clockmaking capital of the country. This museum honors that past era with thousands of timepieces and informative exhibits. Grandfather clocks galore with handcrafted cabinetry, pocket watches, large clock tower mechanisms. Tick tocks accompany you on your walk through the museum, varying as you pass different clocks. They made me smile. :-)

This museum is one of my favorites in Connecticut. So much history, and teaches you more about the American Industrial Revolution. You also can see the tools and see how the clocks and watches were made. Tickets aren't very expensive here either. The workers here are very friendly and are willing to help you out if you have any questions or such. I recommend going to this fascinating museum!