Striped header image reading "American Watch & Clock Museum Bristol, CT"

During my trip to Bristol, Connecticut, where I also visited the New England Carousel Museum and Rockwell Park, I went to the American Clock & Watch Museum, a member of the New England Museum Association (NEMA). The museum resides in a building constructed by Bristol resident Miles Lewis in 1801. The building is on the National Register of Historic Places managed by the National Park Service as part of the Federal Hill Historic District.

A long building with white, wooden siding acting as an addition to an early 19th century house

A tan sign with green text reading "American Clock & Watch Museum"

A black clock face with golden lettering embedded in the side of a white, wooden house

A twelve foot tall clock with a black, metal case and gold lettering standing on the grass beside a sidewalk and busy intersection

A tall, oval, blue and orange, metal plaque with a Connecticut oak depicted in the middle. Words around the edge read, "The National Register of Historic Places" Words in the center read "Historic District Property"

A pair of metal signs affixed to the side of a building. The sign on the top reads "BRISTOL CLOCK MUSEUM INCORPORATED A.D. 1952" The sign on the bottom reads "HOUSE BUILT BY MILES LEWIS A.D. 1801"

The museum is widely recognized for its high quality collection and exhibits. Most recently, the museum won an award from the Connecticut League of History Organizations for its exhibit "Joseph Ives and the Looking Glass Clock", which explores the history of invention and patenting of clocks with their own mirrors.

An official certificate from the Certificate Connecticut League of History Organizations awarding the American Clock & Watch Museum for its exhibit "Joseph Ives and the Looking Glass Clock"

Why in Connecticut?

As explained in the museum, the Connecticut River Valley was once the center for clock manufacturing in the United States. Lifelong Connecticut resident Eli Terry, Sr. is credited with patenting improvements to clock mechanisms and creating interchangeable clock parts, which made mass production possible and later inspired the automobile industry.

A clock workshop with a faux red brick wall and and a wood work bench, with clock making tools hanging on the wall

A faux house with yellow siding and red trim. At the top is a black sign with golden lettering reading "Daniel Burnap Clock & Watch Factory". Below is a window and an additional sign reading "CLOCKS"

Throughout the 19^th century, many nearby clockmakers copied the designs built by Terry and his family. The huge increase in the number of available clocks and the ease of building them drove down the price. Clocks went from being luxury items to affordable for middleclass families. Other new innovations include making clock parts out of metal instead of wood, and putting clocks on the user's wrist instead of in a pocket. While Connecticut's clockmaking dominance has subsided, its legacy remains, as the Terry's rival Waterbury Clock Company lives on as Timex.

An exhibit featuring an early 19th century carriage and a pair of cardboard cutouts portraying clock salesmen

An octagon shaped display showing all the parts inside an antique wooden clock

An early 19th century Connecticut Valley clock with a black wooden case and gold plated face

So Many Clocks

As you might expect, the clock museum is filled with clocks. So many clocks. You will visit the museum with the anticipation of seeing many, many clocks and still be unable to comprehend how so many clocks can be on display and yet only be a portion of the massive clock collection.

The gold-plated face of a grandfather clock with a dark wooden case and a pair of long bells behind the transparent glass door

A wooden clock with a round face, long neck, and rectangular body

A dozen mid 19th century clocks with wooden cases displayed on shelves

A golden clock with a square clock face and a body shaped like a harp

A large room with a vaulted ceiling displaying many grandfather clocks

Clocks are divided by time period and type, representing early clocks, grandfather clocks, novelty clocks, and more. One special room is dedicated to the collection of Edward Ingraham, a lifelong member of the Bristol community who adored clocks and died while visiting the museum. Staff at the front desk provide visitors with a map and an explanation on how to best see all of the clocks.

A display case filled with wooden gothic style clocks

A sign detailing the biography of Edward Ingram, a Bristol native and avid clock collector who died at the museum

A clock shaped like a frying pan hanging on a wooden wall

A clock shaped like a black cat with a wagging tail wearing a green bowtie

A long wooden clock with a white mouse to indicate the time. When the clock strikes 1, the mouse falls to the bottom

A two-foot-tall blue and orange ceramic duck with a small clock embedded in its chest

My favorite clocks include a classic black Kit-Cat Klock, a shiny carriage clock, an adorable four-foot-tall grandfather clock, and an elegant violin clock.

A vintage black Kit-Cat Klock in its original box

A clock face embedded in a small golden carriage

The Garden

If you become weary of clocks, take a break in the garden behind the museum, which features many flowers and a large bell. According to signage inside the museum, the bell originally hung in a factory tower in Naugatuck, Connecticut. It rang ninety times every night at 9:00 p.m., signaling the curfew. That wouldn't stand today.

A large bell on a metal holder standing on a flagstone near a white, wooden building in a garden

A sign explaining the origin and purpose of the curfew bell

Conclusion

The American Clock & Watch Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Adult admission is $8.00. Seniors over 60 are $7.00. Children over 5 and Students with ID are $5.00. Children under 5, museum members, and museum affiliate members including NEMA are free. Call ahead for group rates.