THE MARK TWAIN HOUSE & MUSEUM ANNOUNCES THREE DYNAMIC PROGRAMS EXPLORING MYSTERY, GENDER, AND THE POWER OF VOICE
HARTFORD, Conn. (July 17, 2025) — This summer, the Mark Twain House & Museum continues its commitment to hosting public conversations that challenge, inspire, and entertain. From the playful mystery of an interactive house-wide whodunit to sharp examinations of gender roles in circus culture and the bold legacy of a nineteenth-century presidential candidate, these events reflect the museum’s ongoing mission to connect Twain’s legacy with timely, thought-provoking programming.
On Friday, July 26, the Museum invites audiences to explore the mansion as never before with Get a Clue! with Sea Tea Improv. This timed, interactive experience transforms Twain’s Hartford home into the scene of an imaginative murder mystery. Guests will wind through secret passageways, the conservatory, the billiards room, and more, encountering some of Twain’s most beloved literary characters along the way. Was it Tom Sawyer in the Library with the Wrench? Or someone even more unexpected? Performed by the comedic talents of Sea Tea Improv, the mystery is different every time. Sponsored by Webster Bank, Get a Clue! blends improvisational theater with immersive history for an evening of unpredictable fun.
On Monday, August 26 at 7:00 p.m., the Museum presents Jumping Through Hoops: Performing Gender in the Nineteenth-Century Circus, an in-person conversation with historian and author Betsy Golden Kellem. As part of the Truths in Our Time series, this program unpacks the overlooked stories of bold women and gender-nonconforming performers who used the spectacle of the circus to challenge cultural norms and expand the boundaries of self-expression. With rich storytelling and sharp cultural analysis, Kellem traces how the evolution of circus culture mirrored larger transformations in gender roles and public life. A book signing will follow the discussion. The event will be moderated by Kathleen Maher, Executive Director of the Barnum Museum.
On Tuesday, September 3 at 7:00 p.m., the Museum continues the Truths in Our Time series with a virtual program featuring author Eden Collinsworth discussing her acclaimed biography The Improbable Victoria Woodhull: Suffrage, Free Love, and the First Woman to Run for President. Before women even had the right to vote, Victoria Woodhull made history—running for president, opening a Wall Street brokerage, publishing a provocative newspaper, and fearlessly confronting a national sex scandal. Collinsworth’s portrait of Woodhull is a wild, deeply human tale of ambition, sisterhood, reinvention, and the cost of speaking too boldly. The event will be moderated by Dr. Erin Bartram, Associate Director for Education at The Mark Twain House & Museum. Books will be available for purchase online.
All programs are open to the public. Jumping Through Hoops and The Improbable Victoria Woodhull are part of the Museum’s Truths in Our Time series, which highlights nonfiction writers exploring contemporary and historical issues through the lens of social justice, public truth, and cultural insight. These events continue the Museum’s legacy of using literature and dialogue to foster awareness and action in the spirit of Twain’s own social commentary.
For tickets and registration, visit Mark Twain House Events
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About The Mark Twain House & Museum
The Mark Twain House & Museum is the restored Hartford, Connecticut home where Samuel Clemens, better known as Mark Twain, lived from 1874 to 1891. Twain wrote many of his most iconic works there, including Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. The museum continues to honor Twain’s literary legacy through tours, educational programs, and cultural events.
For general information about the Mark Twain House, please visit:
Media Contact:
Albinko Hasic
albinko.hasic@marktwainhouse.org
(860) 280-3152