Virtual Roadtrip: The Mark Twain House & Museum

“Part Steamboat, Part Medieval Fortress, and Part Cuckoo Clock”

Time for stop #7 on our Virtual Road Trip, the Mark Twain House & Museum! The Mark Twain family home in Hartford, Connecticut, is a fine example of American Gothic Revival Architecture. Edward Tuckerman Potter was retained by Twain to design the house after he decided to move from Buffalo, New York to Hartford to be closer to his publisher. Twain was incredibly happy with the home while he lived there with his family from 1874 to 1891. During that time, Twain authored many books, including a few of his classics like Life on the Mississippi, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.

Today, the guided tour begins on the first level in the impressive entrance hall with marble floors, dark wood, and an exquisitely crafted wood staircase. The highlight of the tour is a visit to the third-floor billiard room that Twain used as his office and to entertain friends and business associates. The docents are incredibly knowledgeable and provide amazing detail at each stop of the tour, with information about the home, furnishings, and artifacts, as well as the family.

The adjacent Museum has two floors of exhibits and features some of the museum’s 16,000 artifacts. The museum organizes the collection into three major categories: museum collection objects, archival collection, and special collections. The collection is diverse and tells the story through objects of the family’s life and legacy. Our favorite item is an authentic pair of spectacles belonging to Mark Twain himself.

Tour Tip: Arrive an hour before your guided tour time. This will give you a chance to grab a seat in the theater and watch some of the Ken Burns documentary “Mark Twain,” and explore the Twain Family artifacts in the Museum. We strongly suggest having lunch at the onsite Nook Café before visiting the nearby Harriet Beecher Stow Center. The museums require separate tickets, but you won’t have to move the car to learn about the lives of two American literary greats in one day.

Following the Connection

It is well known that Mark Twain was the pen name chosen by Samuel Clemens. Many people think the name is attributed to Clemens’ boyhood in Hannibal, Missouri; however, it was actually first used when Clemens traveled with his brother to Virginia City, Nevada, to try his luck at silver mining. Unsuccessful as a miner, Twain got a job at the local newspaper, Territorial Enterprise, and in 1863 began writing under the name Mark Twain. Now let’s travel to the Mackay Mansion Museum in Virginia City to learn about four businessmen who made a fortune mining the Comstock Lode.

Next Stop: Mackay Mansion Museum, Virginia City, Nevada

Detour: To learn more about the life of Samuel Clemens, the best place to start is Hannibal, Missouri at the Mark Twain Boyhood Home & Museum. While in Hannibal, walk in the footsteps of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn with a visit to the Mark Twain Cave and a short cruise on the Mark Twain Riverboat.

Plan Your Trip

Hartford is the capitol of Connecticut and less than a two-hour drive from Boston and New York City. The Greater Hartford area offers visitors wonderful outdoor parks, museums, and attractions. The refurbishment and development of downtown has given rise to many great restaurant and entertainment options. Here are some recommendations from the travel desk at Check-it-Off Travel to consider while planning a trip to the museum.