The Toyota Presents the Oakdale Theatre (or as it's commonly known, The Oakdale) is one of the area's premier venues. Located between Hartford and New Haven, this theater is known as one of the best live entertainment venues in Connecticut. Theater fans should not miss the Broadway Classics performances. Famous artists like Coldplay, Steely Dan, Dave Matthews, Van Morrison, Seinfeld, Kevin James, David Copperfield, Mariah Carey have performed here.
Famously known as the "most beautiful street in America," the Hillhouse Avenue Historic District is a site that spreads over 18 acres of land. With several traditional homes located here dating to the 19th-century, the site also features homes of some renowned people. The site is worth a visit to watch the beautiful elite constructions of New Haven.
This museum boasts of the most comprehensive collection of British art outside the United Kingdom, which includes paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings and rare books that chronicle British life from the Elizabethan period to the present. Fifteen hundred paintings showcase the likes of great landscape painters John Constable and JMW Turner. The museum also hosts concerts, lectures, family education days and symposia. The gift shop offers a wide range of collectibles, art reproductions and literature for both children and adults.
A Gutenberg Bible, rare prints by the famed ornithologist John Audubon, and other remarkable manuscripts and journals are all located in this library in the heart of the Yale campus. Beinecke houses one of the largest rare book collections in the world, including more than 500,000 printed volumes and several million priceless manuscripts. The building is a rarity itself, designed to protect its holdings from solar damage with translucent marble "windows" that allow in only minimal light.
The Congregational United Church of Christ, as it is more formally known, has stood on the New Haven Green since 1639. The current Georgian structure dates to 1812. Architect Ithiel Town incorporated large windows into the design to capture sunshine, as there was no heating system. A beautiful Tiffany window, installed in 1890, depicts the Rev. John Davenport leading the first service in the new colony. The historic crypt contains the remains of Benedict Arnold's first wife. There is a small burial ground behind the church, where regicide John Dixwell is laid to rest.
The Yale University Art Gallery, founded in 1832, and with more than 100,000 pieces in its permanent collection, is the oldest university art museum in the country. The gallery offers an excellent overview of art history, ranging from ancient to modern. There is an exquisite collection of American paintings, and an extensive display of 20th-century European paintings. Classic objects from ancient Egypt and the Middle East, and treasures from the South Pacific and Far East are also on display. Guided tours, lectures, and family programs are all available. Admission is free.
Library Park is a scenic spot with a paved track and a sheltered area. A well-maintained bandstand is also found inside the park which makes it a popular picnic spot.
Mattatuck Museum is dedicated to Connecticut’s cultural heritage, and it preserves and showcases art works of artists from Connecticut. Apart from its permanent collection, the museum also hosts temporary exhibitions on a regular basis. For more details and event updates, please check the website.
Silas Bronson Library is a public library located on Grand Street with a wide selection of books. They also have a wide range of books in braille and for people with low vision.
This performing arts complex, established in 1922, has Renaissance Revival influences with Greek, Arabic, Roman and Federal motifs boasted with grand lobby spaces and ornate dome ceilings. Originally a vaudeville/movie house, it changed with the times over its 70 years of operations, presenting silent films, to Big Band sounds of the Tommy Dorsey Band, to contemporary rock concerts. It was closed in 1987. The Palace Theater has been renovated and reopened after several years. This exquisite complex will showcase a performance schedule that includes Broadway shows, comedy acts and family entertainment.