American Clock & Watch Museum, Horology museum in Bristol, Connecticut, United States
The American Clock & Watch Museum holds thousands of timepieces in eight galleries ranging from sundials to modern chronometers, displayed across a historic building complex. The rooms showcase different styles and techniques spanning various periods of American clockmaking.
Founded in 1952, the museum occupies the Miles Lewis house and the relocated 1728 Barnes homestead to document American clock production history. This combination of buildings created a center for preserving early manufacturing methods.
The collection shows how Connecticut's clockmaking industry changed the way people everywhere measure time in their daily lives. Visitors can see original workshops and machinery that reveal how this innovation shaped people's everyday experience.
The museum is typically open Wednesday through Sunday and sits about 30 minutes from Hartford with parking available on-site. Plan time to explore the different galleries, as the collection is extensive with many details to discover.
The museum maintains a specialized horology research library with original brochures and catalogs from early American manufacturers available to researchers. This collection of documents is rarely found in public institutions and offers deep insights into how early clockmakers ran their businesses.
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