The Naugatuck History Museum will officially reopen to the public on Saturday, March 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with the first phase of our new America 250 exhibit.

After a winter season of research, planning, and installation, volunteers have been carefully curating an exhibit that connects Naugatuck’s story to the broader American experience. This reopening marks the beginning of that journey.

Visitors on March 21 will experience two completed display/exhibit rooms.

The Founding and American Identity display explores how national symbols, shared traditions, and everyday objects helped shape a sense of belonging in the early United States. Through topics such as the evolution of the American flag, the Pledge of Allegiance, “The Star-Spangled Banner,” the bald eagle, early American currency, and the Declaration of Independence, the display considers how ideas formed during the Revolutionary era continued to influence civic life. Together, these materials connect the founding period to the experiences of ordinary Americans across generations.

The Revolution & 19th Century room explores war, industry, and everyday life in the 1800s. Highlights include Revolutionary War connections (the story of Chauncey Judd), Civil War narratives, and reflections on domestic life during a period of rapid change. The exhibit emphasizes both prominent individuals and ordinary residents, illustrating how local families experienced national events.

This reopening represents Phase One of our America 250 exhibit.

Phase Two will debut Memorial Day weekend on Saturday, May 23, with the opening of the Service and Sacrifice: Our Town Through War in the 20th Century room. That space will examine World War I, World War II, and community memory. Visitors will encounter stories connected to local service members, monuments, parades, commemorations, and moments such as the Bicentennial, demonstrating how national milestones were experienced and remembered in Naugatuck.

Admission is free and open to the public.

We invite the community to join us on March 21 to celebrate the museum’s reopening and to return throughout the spring as the full America 250 exhibit unfolds. Together, we continue preserving and sharing the stories that connect our town to the American story.