The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts
Bushnell Park Carousel
Old State House
The Polytechnic Club
Connecticut Science Center
- The Bushnell has been Connecticut’s preeminent performing arts venue for more than 70 years, featuring touring Broadway shows, symphony orchestras, opera, and even the Clinton-Dole presidential debate. The complex, which actually offers two elegant theaters, rents a variety of spaces for group events. www.bushnell.org
Bushnell Park Carousel
- This vintage 1914 carousel, which is available for receptions, features 36 jumper horses (going up and down), 12 standers (stationary horses), two chariots, and a Wurlitzer 153 band organ, and is one of only three Stein & Harry Co. carousels left in operation in the U.S. that still provides rides for the public. www.thecarouselmuseum.org
Old State House
- One of the nation’s oldest State Houses, built in 1796, sits in the heart of Hartford. Interactive audio tours explore many magnificent historic rooms, one of which was the site of the historic Amistad Trials. Groups can rent the Court Room and the tree-lined lawn for events. www.ctosh.org
The Polytechnic Club
- Rising 20 floors above downtown Hartford on One State Street, the elegant Polytechnic Club offers sweeping views of the Connecticut River, while the interior boasts antiques from throughout the state along with museum-quality art. The club, which is housed in the historic Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Building, offers seven group rental options and can accommodate up to 300 for a sit-down dinner or 600 with dinner stations and dancing. www.polytechnicclub.com
Connecticut Science Center
- Now under construction in downtown Hartford, and only steps from the Connecticut Convention Center, this 144,000-square-foot signature building designed by world-renowned architect Cesar Pelli is the talk of the town. Planned to offer a number of thought-provoking, creative meeting and special event venues, the facility is scheduled for a mid-2008 opening. http://ctsciencecenter.org