City: Hartford, CT

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (860) 987-6000

Address: 166 Capitol Ave.

Description: This 2,800-seat center was built in 1930 as a memorial to Rev. Dr. Horace Bushnell, a leading public voice in Hartford during the 19th century. The Georgian Revival exterior is matched by an Art Deco interior. In 2001 an addition was put onto it in which the gift shop, cafe, and a smaller 907-seat theater are located. Musicals and other dramatic productions form the backbone of the event season, but this is not only a theater for drama. The Hartford Symphony Orchestra performs here regularly, and the Connecticut Forum regularly uses the Bushnell to host their conversations, discussions, lectures, and idea exchanges between today’s top leaders, authors, and creative minds. Get there early to park across the street in the free lot, chat with the city’s elite, and have a cocktail. The best seats are (where else?) up front.