The Norwalk Museum's mission is to promote a greater understanding of the history, art and culture of all of Norwalk and its people through its collections, exhibitions, research, educational programs, events and publications. The Museum works to explore and interpret Norwalk's diverse cultural, economic and ethnic heritage into the fabric of our community, overtime. The Museum educates visitors and helps them to learn about the people who have lived and worked in Norwalk from its earliest settlement to the present.

Description:
The Norwalk Museum is a municipal museum owned by the City of Norwalk. It operates under the direction of the Norwalk Historic Commission. Commissioners are appointed by the Mayor and confirmed by the Common Council. The Museum operates with one paid Curator and when funding is available additional part-time staff. The Museum is dependent on the help of volunteers for work with the collections, database, cataloguing,and programs.
The Norwalk Museum asks potential volunteers to come in see the Museum and talk to the Curator about the Museum and their interests. Every effort is taken to match volunteers with Museum projects that interest them. Volunteers work primarily under the direction of the Curator.

History:
The Norwalk Museum collection began with a generous donation by Manice deForest Lockwood, III and his cousin Julia Belden Lockwood, both of whom grew up in Norwalk and come from a long line of local Lockwood civic leaders and businessmen. The Museum started as an idea in the late 1960’s. The Mayor's Committee on Historic Sites encouraged Mr. Lockwood to sponsor the building of the original museum on East Avenue. Mr. Lockwood was joined by Julia B. Lockwood, then of Pasadena, CA. They provided the funding to build the original museum. It was named Lockwood House Museum. Since then the Museum was moved to the old City Hall building in South Norwalk, where it discovered and visted by many.
The Museum has an extensive collection of artifacts consisting of documents, maps, directories, fine china, furniture and other decorative art pieces. The initial core of the collection was donated by the Lockwood families. The idea of collecting and displaying Norwalk's history caught on and numerous people have been donating Norwalk related documents, photographs, stories, films, decorative arts, textiles and many other items ever since. The collections are now in the hundreds of thousands.

Contact person: Susan Gunn Bromley, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: (203) 866-0675

Address:

Norwalk Museum 41 North Main Street South Norwalk, CT 06854 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.norwalkct.org/norwalkmuseum

Directions:

From I-95 South, take exit 15, bear right on exit ramp, take a left at the foot of the ramp. Turn left on West Ave. Turn left onto North Main Street. Turn left onto Marshall St. just. . . (more)   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: South Norwalk Train Station,   Walk distance (in minutes): 10 - 15 mins.   Nearest Bus Stop: Ann St. and North Main St., 1 block, 3 min. minute walk