Prudence Crandall Museum

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Prudence Crandall Museum Museum is the site of the 1831-1834 Canterbury Female Boarding School; a National Historic Landmark & International Site of Conscience. "Crandall v.

The Prudence Crandall Museum is the site of the Canterbury Female Boarding School and a National Historic Landmark located in Canterbury, CT. In 1832, Crandall, the white principal of the Canterbury Female Boarding School, was approached by a young Black woman named Sarah Harris asking to attend the school. Encouraged by conversations with both Harris and Maria Davis, a Black woman who shared copies of the Abolitionist newspaper "The Liberator" with her, Crandall agreed to admit Harris. When residents protested the school’s integration and parents threatened to withdraw their students, Crandall closed her school and reopened in 1833 for non-white students. Students traveled from several states. Connecticut responded by passing the “Black Law,” which prevented out-of-state Black and Brown people from attending school in Connecticut towns without local town approval. Crandall was arrested, spent one night in jail, and faced three court trials before the case was dismissed. In September 1834, a nighttime mob attack closed the school. These events made national and international news in the 1830s and galvanized the burgeoning Abolitionist movement. Many of the students, such as Julia Williams, Mary Miles, and Mary Harris, went on to become educators, reformers, and leaders in their communities. Connecticut" impacted two U.S. Supreme Court decisions and laid the framework for the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Prudence Crandall Museum is a member of the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience. Owned by the State of Connecticut, the Museum is operated by the State Historic Preservation Office.

TOMORROW!! Tour tickets can be reserved on Eventbrite, select the "National Cat Day" ticket. We hope you can join us!
10/25/2026

TOMORROW!! Tour tickets can be reserved on Eventbrite, select the "National Cat Day" ticket. We hope you can join us!

🐾❤️ NATIONAL CAT DAY — A PAWS-ITIVELY WONDERFUL WAY TO GIVE BACK! ❤️🐾

Next Monday, October 26th, the Prudence Crandall Museum will celebrate National Cat Day — and we’re so grateful that Paws Cat Shelter has been chosen to benefit! 😻

🍂 It’s also the LAST DAY the museum is open for the season!

🎟️ Enjoy FREE admission to a guided museum tour when you bring a donation to help our feline friends!

😺 Items needed:
🐟 Unopened cat food (wet or dry, any brand or flavor)
🧶 Brand-new cat toys and supplies
🧻 Paper towels and garbage bags

Please note: Litter-related items are not being accepted at this time.

All donations will help us care for the cats who depend on us.

📍 Prudence Crandall Museum
1 S. Canterbury Rd., Canterbury, CT

A huge thank-you to the museum for supporting our mission and helping keep cats safe. Every can of food, toy, and supply makes a difference! 🐾💕

Please share and help spread the word! ❤️

The Prudence Crandall Museum will once again be open on Sundays for two tours (11:30 am & 3 pm) during the off-season, N...
10/23/2026

The Prudence Crandall Museum will once again be open on Sundays for two tours (11:30 am & 3 pm) during the off-season, November through April.

Advance tickets can be purchased through Eventbrite or purchased at the door. Spaces limited. We hope you can join us!

Guided conversational tour of the Prudence Crandall Museum, site of the Canterbury Female Boarding School, a National Historic Landmark.

SAVE THE DATE--in partnership with the Connecticut Supreme Court Historical Society and Connecticut's Old State House!Da...
10/23/2026

SAVE THE DATE--in partnership with the Connecticut Supreme Court Historical Society and Connecticut's Old State House!

Date: Thursday, November 19, 2026
Location: Connecticut's Old State House, 800 Main St, Hartford, CT
Cost: The event is free, with a suggested donation of $20
Please RSVP by November 13. Link to registration in the comments below.

NEXT Monday, October 26--Last day museum is open for the season--the Prudence Crandall Museum observes National Cat Day!...
10/19/2026

NEXT Monday, October 26--Last day museum is open for the season--the Prudence Crandall Museum observes National Cat Day!

Free admission to a Prudence Crandall Museum guided tour with donation of unopened cat food (wet or dry, any brand/any flavor), brand-new cat toys and supplies (not accepting litter-related items at this time), or paper towels and garbage bags. All items will be donated to the Paws Cat Shelter, a no-kill shelter in Putnam, CT. In recognition of violence perpetuated against women, children, and animals, the museum honors National Cat Day by collecting food and supplies to keep our feline friends safe.

The museum is open by timed guided tours only: 10 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, & 3 pm. Tour tickets can be reserved through Eventbrite (use the National Cat Day ticket to reserve your spot if you plan to bring a donation).

The Prudence Crandall Museum is open today! However, we will be closed tomorrow, Monday, October 12 for Indigenous Peop...
10/11/2026

The Prudence Crandall Museum is open today! However, we will be closed tomorrow, Monday, October 12 for Indigenous Peoples Day.

Tickets for guided tours for National Cat Day at the museum (observed Monday, October 26) are selling quickly! Tickets c...
10/09/2026

Tickets for guided tours for National Cat Day at the museum (observed Monday, October 26) are selling quickly! Tickets can be purchased in advance through Eventbrite--links in the comments below. We hope you can join us!

The Prudence Crandall Museum celebrates the freedom to read during Banned Books Week.
10/05/2026

The Prudence Crandall Museum celebrates the freedom to read during Banned Books Week.

"Excellent scholarship + interpretation – so impressive for a small museum! I appreciate how the museum is focused on th...
10/03/2026

"Excellent scholarship + interpretation – so impressive for a small museum! I appreciate how the museum is focused on the scholarship (esp on the students + not just Crandall) in a way that differs from many house museums." --visitor, 2024

The museum is open for guided tours Saturdays and Sundays at 11:30 am & 3 pm; tours on Fridays and Mondays start at 10 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3 pm. We hope you can join us!

Museum staff loves when visitors of all ages leave Kindness Stones in the Peace Garden for others to discover!
10/02/2026

Museum staff loves when visitors of all ages leave Kindness Stones in the Peace Garden for others to discover!

Wonderful news! "Surrounded" has won a Ringo Award for "Best Non-Fiction Comic Work," rising above five other finalists...
09/28/2026

Wonderful news! "Surrounded" has won a Ringo Award for "Best Non-Fiction Comic Work," rising above five other finalists! Congratulations to author Wilfrid Lupano and illustrator Stephane Fert! Afterword for the book written by the Prudence Crandall Museum. (Ringo Awards link in the comments below)

"Surrounded" can be purchased on-site during museum open hours. Shipping is not available at this time.

Address

1 South Canterbury Road (Junctions Of Routes 14 & 169)
Canterbury, CT
06331

Telephone

(860) 546-7800

Website

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