Located in Storrs, the main University of Connecticut (or UConn) campus houses more than 22,000 students and is ranked as one of the top public higher education institutions in New England. The campus includes the Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts and the Connecticut State Museum of Natural History. Additionally, the large campus includes two lakes and a 580-acre forest, used for research, education, recreation and conservation purposes.
The Ballard Institute and Museum, in Storrs, was created by the University of Connecticut to house and exhibit some of the school's immense puppetry-related archives. It was named for Frank Ballard, who founded the college's puppetry program in the mid-1960s. The museum houses more than 2,500 puppets from around the world, including shadow puppets from Asia, and a variety of toy theaters. In addition to its regularly updated exhibits, the museum offers lectures, performances and demonstrations.
Coventry is Revolutionary War hero Nathan Hale's birthplace and the location of his homestead, which is currently a museum. The home is furnished with historic pieces belonging to the Hale family, as well as other period-appropriate items. Additionally, Coventry was home to a major glassworks in the 1800s. The town has turned the former factory buildings into the Museum of Connecticut Glass and obtained a National Historic District designation for the surrounding area. During the summer months, Coventry is also home to the county's largest farmer's market.
The town of Tolland was originally settled around 1715, and the present-day historic district maintains the feel of an old New England village. Numerous buildings have been designated historic landmarks and are currently open to the public. The Tolland County Jail, Hicks-Stearns Homestead, Daniel Benton Homestead and the County Courthouse house museums and the local historical society. Most of these museums surround the town's green, which was the heart of village life during the 18th and 19th centuries.
