The Mark Twain House & Museum

Save The Date‼️ You won’t want to miss helping us celebrate 150 years of The Mark Twain House on Saturday, September 14! Mark your calendars NOW 🗓️ and we’ll see you then!

We might be a day late, but we think every day is Happy International Cat Day!

Last week, the 2024 Nook Farm Writers Collaborative finished with a showcase in our auditorium for family and friends. We encourage you to read the summer issue of Journey 75, which contains 25 of the finest pieces written and edited by members of the collaborative this summer. https://journey75.org/series/nfwc-2024/ We are so proud of the work our young writers created during their time with us!

Keep up with “Catching Up With the Clemenses!” The latest episode is live on our YouTube channel (https://youtu.be/ok86T4h_oYk). Learn all about the toys and games that the Clemens girls played with and the imagination games they played with their father.

Can you identify any of the games shown here in the nursery of the Mark Twain House? Learn all about them in the upcoming episode of Catching Up with the Clemenses coming soon on our YouTube channel!

Thank you, thank you, to all who donated to our Jean Clemens Pet Food/Supply Donation Drive last month! With our community’s generosity, we made three large deliveries of much needed supplies to animals-in-need. Jean and her sisters would have been proud!

What Gilded Age games and toys do you think kids still play with today? Find out in the newest episode of Catching Up With The Clemenses, coming soon!

MTH&H Update‼️ Jodi and Erin have been filming new episodes of Catching Up With The Clemenses! The next episode—all about the toys and games the Clemens girls played in the house—arrives soon. In the meantime, you can catch up on old episodes on our YouTube channel or here: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMRr9Lz4CpamXP7OXFukEntswIMjCsY7I&feature=shared

Surf's up! The Mark Twain Museum Store is celebrating CHRISTMAS IN JULY with a virtual storewide sale. Now through July 31, save 20% on your entire order when you use the code July20 at checkout. This discount applies on all books, apparel, gifts, accessories, custom merch, sale items -- everything!

Beat the holiday rush (by five months) or just treat yourself or loved ones to something fun and unique. Your purchase supports the ongoing preservation and restoration of Mark Twain's historic home in Hartford. marktwainhousestore.org

Please note: Our Christmas in July sale applies to online orders only. Purchases may be picked up in-store or shipped. At this time, we are able to ship to U.S. and Canadian addresses only.

The Mark Twain Store The Mark Twain Store

Thursday, September 5 at 7pm ET: Richard Deming on THIS EXQUISITE LONELINESS: WHAT LONERS, OUTCASTS, AND THE MISUNDERSTOOD CAN TEACH US ABOUT CREATIVITY (In-Person)

In This Exquisite Loneliness, Richard Deming turns an eye toward that unwelcome feeling of loneliness, both in his own experiences and the lives of six groundbreaking figures, to find the context of it and to see what some people have done to navigate this profound sense of discomfort. Deming explores how loneliness has served as fuel for an intense creative desire that has forged some of the most original and innovative art and writing of the twentieth century. This singular meditation on loneliness reveals how we might transform the pain of emotional isolation and become more connected to others and more at home with our often unquiet selves.

Join us for a great conversation between Richard Deming and Alex Dueben.

Choose your own price for non-members. Free for MTH&M and community members. Please visit the events page on our website (link in profile) to register.

Recently, our teen participants in the Nook Farm Writers Collaborative spread their creative wings by studying and writing with The Golden Shovel poetry method. We’re very proud of all their efforts and are delighted to present one of our writer’s poems here!

When you visit our beautiful historic house, please make sure to spend some time in our exquisite garden! Our dedicated Gardens Coordinator and garden volunteers do an amazing job caring for all these beauties … and just maybe you’ll see a special visitor like this one, too!

As the Mark Twain House & Museum embarks on a project to evaluate and elevate our site’s interpretation and visitor experience, members of Team Twain will be visiting other museums, and especially other historic house, to learn how those historic houses interpret their past, present, and future, as well as how they manage day-to-day operations. In early July, four members of Team Twain (Deputy Director of Strategy and Development Jessica Neuwirth, Director of Collections Jodi DeBruyne, Assistant Curator Mallory Howard, and Director of Interpretation Rebecca Floyd) made a trek to the Catskill Mountains to visit the Olana State Historic Site. This was home to artist Fredrick Church, one of the foremost celebrated painters of his time, and friend of our own celebrity, Samuel Clemens. Team Twain was given a tour by the site’s now former Director Amy Hausmann and met a number of the site’s staff and volunteers. HUGE thanks to Amy and the Olana staff for hosting us for the day!

The Mark Twain House & Museum is pleased to announce its participation in the Museums for All program that we hope will make the museum more accessible and inclusive for as many visitors as possible. Guests with a SNAP or EBT card can present their card along with a valid form of photo ID to receive up to four tickets for $3.00 each. EBT cards from any state are valid. The discounted tickets are for the general Mark Twain House tour that is offered daily. The $3.00 tickets include the guide tour, our museum exhibits and our film, Mark Twain. Children under six years of age are always free.

For more information, please visit our “Hours & Admissions” page on our website (link in profile).

In light of yesterday’s post about our pet food/supplies donation drive, we wanted to share a special story about the Clemens girls. Jean Clemens and her sisters loved all animals, not just their cat and dog pets. When Clara visited the house in the 1960s to help us restore the house, she annotated one of the third floor closets as where she “kept my squirrels.” The squirrels on the Mark Twain House grounds may be little rascals at times, but they have captured the hearts of staff members and visitors alike. Today we are thrilled to announce the installation of “Sydney’s Seed Café” where our local squirrels can take a seat and enjoy a snack in honor of Jean, Clara, Susy, AND our former Executive Assistant Sydney Baker.

Please consider donating to our pet food/supplies drive. A drop off box is in our visitor center lobby and all who participate will receive a 10% discount coupon to be used in our museum shop.

Join us in celebrating Jean Clemen’s birthday during the month of July by bringing a donation of pet food or supplies to our lobby. Jean was an animal rights activist and loved nature. To carry on her legacy, we will bring your donations to the CT Humane Society, an organization Jean cared deeply about. As a thank you, when you donate in person, you will receive a 10% coupon to be used in our museum store (one per person).

Thursday, August 1 at 7pm: John Vasquez Mejias on THE PUERTO RICAN WAR: A GRAPHIC HISTORY with Pablo Delano (In-Person Event)

THE PUERTO RICAN WAR: A GRAPHIC HISTORY showcases an important and often overlooked moment in American history. Told as a fable, in which the leaders of the Puerto Rican independence movement are visited by the ghosts of Michael Collins and Gandhi, THE PUERTO RICAN WAR tells the story of the 1950 insurrection on the island that resulted in thirty-eight deaths and a failed assassination attempt against President Harry S. Truman—a historical touchstone for the movement.

In-Person Event! Choose your own price for non-members. Free for MTH&M and community members.

LEARN MORE & REGISTER HERE: https://marktwainhouse.org/event/august-1-7pm-et-in-person-the-puerto-rican-war/

Copies of THE PUERTO RICAN WAR are available for purchase through the Mark Twain Store; proceeds benefit The Mark Twain House & Museum. Books will be shipped after the event. We regret that we are NOT able to ship books outside the United States as it is cost-prohibitive to do so.

THE PUERTO RICAN WAR (In-Person) - Mark Twain House This book by John Vasquez Mejias showcases an important and often overlooked moment in American history. Told as a fable, in which the leaders of the Puerto Rican independence movement […]

What was it like to learn, play, and grow up in the Gilded Age? Come join us on our Growing Up in the Gilded Age tour which will be offered every day at 10:45am. In this special hour-long interactive tour, young visitors explore the everyday lives of the Clemens daughters—the books, games, and songs they loved, the subjects they studied, and the people they interacted with. Led by an experienced guide, this inquiry-based tour invites children to think about the ways that childhood and family life in the Gilded Age were similar and different to their own.

This tour is best suited to children ages 4-10; in order to best serve our youngest visitors and fully explore the experience of childhood in this home, the tour does not include the third floor of the house. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Link to purchase tickets is on our website and here - https://ci.ovationtix.com/35359/production/1206770

CT Library Pass Holders: your library passes may be used to buy 1 adult and 2 child tickets for the price of 1 full price adult ticket (3 for 1) on this tour.

Join us for this wonderful event. Register to attend in person via our events page on our website!

Monday, July 15, 7 pm ET at The Mark Twain House & Museum
Trenton B. Olsen (editor) on THE COMPLETE PERSONAL ESSAYS OF ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON (In-Person)

For all of Robert Louis Stevenson’s achievements in fiction, many of his contemporaries thought of him primarily as an essayist. Despite the importance of his non-fiction, his personal essays have never been printed together in a single volume until now. These essays are still considered classic models of the form. In this volume, the editor, Trenton B. Olsen, presents them alongside an introduction and notes to assist in rereading and re-appreciation that is long overdue. Join us for a great conversation between Dr. Olsen and moderator Steve Courtney (journalist).

For more details and to register for the event, please visit marktwainhouse.org

We were delighted and honored to host U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal’s press conference on Wednesday, July 3, where he announced that our internationally renowned museum will receive $487,000 from the Historic Preservation Fund/Save America’s Treasures to repair and replace the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) system ​in the 150-year-old historic house.

Senator Blumenthal played a pivotal role in the museum’s inclusion in the Fiscal Year 2024 spending bill. MTH&M Interim Executive Director Michael Campbell gratefully acknowledged this award by saying, “The museum needed this funding through the NPS Historic Preservation Fund because of the severe nature of the degradation of our HVAC system, the threat this offers to the on-going preservation of the house and fragile museum collections within, and the national significance of this Landmark structure. We are undertaking this project as part of a larger effort to conserve the exterior and interior of the Twain House. This is essential to our mission to preserve and protect the legacy of Mark Twain and his historic Hartford home.”

David Jimenez, chair of the MTH&M Development Committee and a museum trustee, added, “As always, Senator Blumenthal’s advocacy for Connecticut’s cultural treasures has produced important results for our state and the nation at large. We are grateful to him and the National Park Service for recognizing the importance of our museum and its collections.”

https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/hartford/mark-twain-house-awarded-federal-grant-for-repairs/

Mark Twain house awarded federal grant for repairs HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) — The Mark Twain house will be getting some repairs, thanks to funding from the federal government. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn) and others announced on Wednesday announc…

Great news!

Mark Twain House gets federal grant to protect artifacts Mark Twain House gets federal grant to protect artifacts. The 4487,000 grant will pay for replacing the residence's heating and ventilation system.

Monday, July 15, 7pm ET: Trenton B. Olsen (editor) on THE COMPLETE PERSONAL ESSAYS OF ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON (In-Person)

For all of Robert Louis Stevenson’s achievements in fiction, many of his contemporaries thought of him primarily as an essayist. Despite the importance of his non-fiction, his personal essays have never been printed together in a single volume until now. These essays are still considered classic models of the form, and in this volume, the editor, Trenton B. Olsen, presents them alongside an introduction and notes to assist in rereading and re-appreciation that is long overdue. Join us for a great conversation between Dr. Olsen and moderator Steve Courtney (journalist) ~ For more details and to register for the event, please see link in profile. Copies of The Complete Personal Essays of Robert Louis Stevenson are available for purchase through the Books will be shipped (domestic only) after the event.

THE COMPLETE PERSONAL ESSAYS OF ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON (In-Person) - Mark Twain House Description of Event:   For all of Robert Louis Stevenson’s achievements in fiction, many of his contemporaries thought of him primarily as an essayist. His essays, known for their intellectual […]

Upcoming Event: July 15 at 7pm ET (In-Person) - THE COMPLETE PERSONAL ESSAYS OF ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON with Editor Trenton Olsen

For all of Robert Louis Stevenson’s achievements in fiction, many of his contemporaries thought of him primarily as an essayist. His essays, known for their intellectual substance, emotional force, and stylistic vitality, were widely considered the best of their time. Despite the importance of Stevenson’s nonfiction, his personal essays—seventy in total—have never been printed together in a single volume until now. This volume gathers his personal essays, many of which have never appeared in any modern edition, in their authorized versions. These essays are still considered classic models of the form, and in this volume, the Editor presents them alongside an introduction and notes to assist in a rereading and reappreciation that is long overdue.

Choose your own price for non-members. Free for MTH&M and community members. Learn More & Register Here: https://marktwainhouse.org/event/the-complete-personal-essays-of-robert-louis-stevenson-in-person/

Copies of The Complete Personal Essays of Robert Louis Stevenson are available for purchase through the Mark Twain Store; proceeds benefit The Mark Twain House & Museum.

THE COMPLETE PERSONAL ESSAYS OF ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON (In-Person) - Mark Twain House Description of Event:   For all of Robert Louis Stevenson’s achievements in fiction, many of his contemporaries thought of him primarily as an essayist. His essays, known for their intellectual […]

Last week, a dozen Connecticut teens started their journey as the 2024 Nook Farm Writers Collaborative. Our long-running summer creative writing program for teens takes inspiration from Mark Twain’s own career as a working writer, immersing them in a wide variety of formats and teaching the skills needed to navigate the challenging 21st century publishing world. The program culminates with the publication of the summer issue of the Collaborative’s magazine Journey 75.

The participants in last year’s summer program won over 30 awards this spring in the Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, the longest-running and most prestigious writing competition for youth in the United States, including a national silver medal for Veronica Antov.

Reminder: We are closed today for the fourth of July, but regular hours resume tomorrow! Wishing you a very happy and safe holiday!

Please note that the Mark Twain House & Museum will be closed tomorrow, Thursday, for the Fourth of July! We are open today and through the holiday weekend and would love to see you!

July 12, 7pm ET (virtual) - L.A. Birdmen is the fascinating and forgotten story of America’s first aviators ~ Californians like August Greth, Tom Baldwin, Roy Knabenshue, John Montgomery, and James Zerbe. L. A. Birdmen offers a high-flying account of the West Coast contribution to aviation, a little recognized chapter in the story of American flight. Copies of L.A. Birdmen are available for purchase through the Books will be shipped after the event.

Choose your own price for non-members. Free for MTH&M and community members. Register in link in bio.

LA BIRDMEN: WEST COAST AVIATORS AND THE FIRST AIRSHOW IN AMERICA (Virtual) - Mark Twain House   Although most credit Wilbur and Orville Wright with America’s first powered flight, two months before the brothers lifted off the sands of Kitty Hawk, a French immigrant named August […]