The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk, Norwalk CT | Nearby Businesses

• Museum
• Non-Profit Organization
• Zoo
• Zoo and Aquarium

10 N Water St
Norwalk, CT 06854
(203) 852-0700

Step inside our museum and open your world to amazing discoveries! At Stepping Stones Museum for Children, the hands-on exhibits and educational programs engage, inspire and delight every child—and countless parents and caregivers, too. Plan on staying a while! With our five main galleries and over 100 hands-on activities, children become wide-eyed with wonder. As they see, hear, touch, feel and do, their ever-growing minds venture to amazing new places. The recently expanded museum features Energy Lab, Tot Town, Built It!, Healthyville, special rotating exhibits, the open-air Celebration Courtyard, multimedia theater, café and retail store.

This is a brief compilation of Norwalk, CT that ranges from early America including settlers, patriots, and Native Americans to the 21st century. Included are references to landmarks, transportation and industry.Pre-Contact"Some early men inhabited at least three separate sites in the Norwalk area. Artifacts found at the Bitter Rock Shelter Rock shelter Rock shelter] in the ledge high above Ward Street indicate that the site was occupied around 5,000 B.P. making it the oldest known human habitat in Norwalk. Spruce Swamp, originally a fresh-water pond one-half mile north of Long Island Sound, was first occupied by Amerinds Indigenous peoples of the Americas Indigenous peoples of the Americas] about 3000 B.P. Projectile points found here suggest that the earliest residents of this site were primarily hunters. Later occupants eventually added shellfish to their diet first, clams, then, when the waters became warmer, oysters. As the present Long Island Sound moved inland, Spruce Swamp became a salt-water pond, and the site was abandoned at some time between 1000 B.C. and 1500 A.D. In the layers of the midden, two unique objects - a decorated paintstone, which may have depicted an astronomical phenomenon or have been a plan of the original village, and the skull of an adult male, bearing healed scars that seem to indicate ante-mortem trephination - may provide important clues to the origins of these people. The third site, Sasqua Hill, some distance northeast of Spruce Swamp, was occupied for several thousand years and may still have been used by the Indians residing in the area when white men arrived.""An approximately 3,000-year-old pot crafted by native-Americans and unearthed in Norwalk many years ago is evidence of that history." Local history buffs have a Norwalk resident to thank for saving the pot. The resident said it was discovered along East Rocks Road and brought to a curio shop eventually donating it to The Norwalk Museum.

The Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum is regarded as one of the earliest and finest surviving Second Empire Style country houses ever built in the United States. The 62-room mansion was built by banker-railroad tycoon LeGrand Lockwood, who in 1864 began construction of his estate on the Norwalk River in Norwalk, Connecticut. Designed by European-trained, New York-based architect Detlef Lienau, the mansion, which was completed in 1868, is considered his most significant surviving work. American craftsmen, along with many immigrant artisans, were employed in the construction of the house. In 1876 the Mansion was purchased by Charles Drelincourt Mathews, a wealthy provisions merchant. His son, Charles Thompson Mathews, won an international competition for the design and construction of the Lady Chapel at St. Patrick's Cathedral in NYC in 1899. Following the death of Miss Florence Mathews in 1938, the house was first leased and then sold to the City of Norwalk for "park purposes." When the City announced their plans for demolition, the Common Interest Group sued the City of Norwalk and the Mansion was saved in 1964; in 1971, the Mansion was designated as a National Historic Landmark. Today, the Museum is a cultural gem which highlights the lives, styles and technology of the Victorian Era. Tours are offered early April through early January, Wednesday-Sunday. Tours are conducted on the hour at 12, 1, 2, and 3 p.m. Admission: $10 Adults, $8 Seniors, $6 Students 8-18, and Free for Children under the age of 8.

The Center for Contemporary Printmaking (CCP) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the art of the print: intaglio, lithography, monotype, silkscreen, woodblock printing, paper works, book arts, and digital arts. CCP is a unique cultural resource, a place to discover, to experiment, to learn. The entire spectrum of printmaking arts is here to be explored through workshops, edition printing with master printers, exhibitions, community programs, and an Artist-in-Residence Program. The Center for Contemporary Printmaking mission is to support, preserve, and advance the art of original prints.

Mill Hill Historic Park in Norwalk, Connecticut is a living history museum composed of three buildings: the circa 1740 Governor Thomas Fitch IV "law office", the circa 1826 Downtown District Schoolhouse, and the 1835 Norwalk Town Hall; as well as a historic cemetery originally called the Town House Hill Cemetery. The museum is also known as the Mill Hill Historical Complex in some references and the sign at the parking lot reads Norwalk Mill Hill Museum.The Mill Hill Historic Park at 2 Wall Street is now maintained by the Norwalk Historical Society and the Norwalk-Village Green Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.Mill Hill is located at the eastern end of Wall Street at its intersection with East Avenue in Central Norwalk. In the 18th century the Hill was called Whitney's Hill after the family name of the miller. The burying ground, which is now the third or fourth oldest in Norwalk, was established by the First Congregational church in 1767. There are 11 veterans of the American Revolutionary War buried in the Mill Hill Burying Ground.Governor Thomas Fitch Law OfficeThe original Fitch house was constructed around 1740 on Goodman Hoyt Hill on the east side of what is now East Avenue. Governor Thomas Fitch died on July 18, 1774 and the house was left to his survivors including his wife Hannah and son Thomas Fitch, V . The Fitch family house was partially burned in the British raid of Norwalk on July 11 and 12, 1779 since Hannah Fitch, of tory inclinations, had vacated the town of Norwalk to avoid the raid . Fitch descendants lived in the house that was reconstructed after the raid until 1945. In 1956 the portion of the Fitch house that survived the British raid was saved when Earls' Hill was removed to make room for the construction of the Connecticut Turnpike and moved to Mill Hill. In 1971 the Fitch house remnant was restored to look like an 18th-century law office such as what Governor Fitch would have used.

The Lockwood–Mathews Mansion is a Second Empire style country house, now a museum, at 295 West Avenue in Norwalk, Connecticut. It was featured in the movies The Stepford Wives and House of Dark Shadows. The 62-room mansion was listed on on the National Register of Historic Places and was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1978. It has been described as \"one of the earliest and finest surviving Second Empire style country houses ever built in the United States.\" \"The Museum's mission is to conserve the building while creating educational programs on the material, artistic and social culture of the Victorian era,\" according to the museum organization's Web site. Built in 1864-68, it is an early example of the style used by wealthy New York City elites such as the Vanderbilts in building their Gilded Age mansions later in the 19th century, and set a new standard for opulence. A master plan for renovating the mansion was expected to be completed in 2007. Plans for renovation work at the museum include adding an elevator, and systems for heating, air conditioning, and sprinklers.

NICE INC is a Norwalk non-profit organization that seeks to promote and increase awareness of the diversity of peoples from around the world through arts and culture. The 2016 NICE Series will celebrate the rich global heritage and culture so evident in the music, food, art and talent of which we in Norwalk are so proud. NICE Festival Series 2016 will launch with a large multi-cultural festival in the summer of 2016. NICE will host dancers, musicians, vendors and local international restaurants; and encourage the community to spend the day together. NICE will endeavor to support global and local charitable organizations in their fight against the problems facing the modern world, which as we know, include poverty, hunger, sparse economic/educational opportunities, and slavery.

Housing - The Norwalk Housing Authority provides affordable housing both in our residences and through Section 8, providing rent subsidies in the form of housing assistance payments in rental apartments. In addition NHA owns and manages 18 properties throughout Norwalk helping over 2,000 families citywide. Education - The Norwalk Housing Authority provides a range of educational opportunities for residents of assisted housing in Norwalk including free after school programs and enrichment programs for children. In addition, the dream of a college education is now possible for Norwalk Housing Authority residents, thanks to the Norwalk Housing Foundation College Scholarship Program. Foundation - The Norwalk Housing Foundation solicits funding to provide resources for the education and economic empowerment of public housing recipients in Norwalk.

Founded in 2004, the East Norwalk Business Association (ENBA) was organized to promote East Norwalk as an attractive setting for businesses and to advocate on their behalf. Toward that end, we’re asking that you consider membership in the East Norwalk Business Association – join the organization that provides: - Opportunities to share ideas, interest, and concerns with other businesses in your community. - Educational and leadership programs for the growth of your business. - A strong voice in working with the City of Norwalk to help improve the business climate in East Norwalk. - Networking opportunities through meetings and social events. - An atmosphere to help promote and attract other businesses to East Norwalk. - Ways and means to retain and protect the historical look and atmosphere of East Norwalk – working together to promote housing and real estate development necessary for a successful and healthy economic environment.

Our vision is for the young people of the Norwalk community to grow up to become successful adults who are free of involvement with the justice system and have a positive impact on their communities.

Water For People brings together local entrepreneurs, civil society, governments, and communities to establish creative, collaborative solutions that allow people to build and maintain their own reliable safe water systems. Empowering everyone transforms people’s lives by improving health and economic productivity to end the cycle of poverty.

FCBuzz/CulturalAlliance of Fairfield County is the place to go for arts & cultural events and info in Fairfield County. www.FCBuzz.org, is managed by the Cultural Alliance of Fairfield County(www.CulturalAllianceFC.org). It is a cultural calendar offering ticket and event information for: music, theater, dance, visual arts, history, lectures, literature, kids & families, classes, workshops, special events & more. You will also find profiles of artists, directories for cultural organizations in Fairfield County, along with job listings, calls for arts and information about performance venues, and creative services.

The Center for Contemporary Printmaking (CCP) is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to the art of the print: intaglio, lithography, monotype, silkscreen, woodblock printing, paper works, book arts, and digital arts. CCP is a unique cultural resource, a place to discover, to experiment, to learn. The entire spectrum of printmaking arts is here to be explored through workshops, edition printing with master printers, exhibitions, community programs, and an Artist-in-Residence Program. The Center for Contemporary Printmaking mission is to support, preserve, and advance the art of original prints.

The mission of The Open Door Shelter, Inc. (ODS) is “to effectively address the causes and complexities of the homeless and working poor by providing shelter care, food, clothing, case management services, treatment services, transitional planning for short and long term goals, subsidized housing, education, employment, and a path towards independence and success.” The core strategy at Open Door Shelter begins with satisfying the basic human needs of food, clothing and shelter. Then the organization provides case management counseling to identify the challenges faced by each individual and family. The Shelter supports and connects disadvantaged people to resources and services that address their health, mental health, addiction, and employment issues. Through intensive case management, the agency helps the impoverished and homeless achieve a level of security and well-being that allows them to experience personal responsibility and eventually become contributing members of society. Homelessness is a major fact of daily living for hundreds of thousands of Americans, and presents significant social service demands, health care burdens and policy dilemmas for the nation as a whole. There is not a single reason that an individual or a family becomes homeless. There is however an array of problems that creates the conditions which place people at risk including: housing shortages, deinstitutionalization, failed educational systems, inadequate income, illness, disability, substance abuse, and domestic violence, among others. In a recent study by the United Way of Connecticut, the top ten unmet needs in 2013 all related to housing, case management, and homeless services. More than 29% of the families living in the Greater Norwalk area have been identified as struggling to survive or as Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed (ALICE). According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2012, the number of families with children experiencing homelessness increased by over 30% from 2007 to 2011. The consequences of homelessness for children include occurrences such as delays in cognitive development, interruption in education, and health deficiencies. In a recent count of homelessness there were 537 homeless individuals in Greater Norwalk. This number would be higher without diversion programs and support provided by the shelter. The Shelter is located in South Norwalk, which is one of the older industrial sections of Norwalk, Connecticut. Although the community continues to undergo significant improvement and redevelopment, it contains one of the largest concentrations of homeless individuals and families living below the poverty level in the state of Connecticut. The Shelter’s outreach encompasses most of Lower Fairfield County with the greatest concentration being from Norwalk where the poverty rate is 16%. (City-Data, 2009) housing. The core belief of the shelter is that all individuals have a right to safe, affordable, and decent permanent housing. The shelter’s Case Managers deliver support services use the following strength-based framework to guide the services they provide: • Individuals have the ability to learn, grow and change. • The best results are achieved through a supportive, non-judgmental and trusting relationship. • The risk of recidivism of homelessness and hospitalization due to mental illness and substance abuse can be reduced through prevention and intervention efforts specific to each individuals needs with a stable home being the most critical piece to stabilization. The shelter measures the effectiveness of services by: A. Number of clients achieving stable income sources and housing. The goal is 80% of the shelter clients that transition to stable housing. B. Number of clients maintaining positive health/mental health including having appropriate food and health resources. The goal is to provide 30% of the food resources for those living in poverty and accessing the food pantry. The goal for health services is for 20% of shelter residents to participate in health/mental health management services that stabilize health conditions. C. Number of clients working a personal plan to address the causes of homelessness and remain stable within and beyond the shelter. The goal is for 80% of the clients served to be successfully working a personal plan that leads to stability beyond the shelter.

Our Mission -Malta House promotes the dignity of God given life by providing a nurturing home environment, support services, and independent living skills to expectant mothers of all faiths, and to their babies.

Norwalk Community Health Center (NCHC) offers primary care medical services to the residents of Norwalk, CT regardless of their ability to pay. These services include adult medicine for patients over the age of eighteen, pediatric services for those up to the age of eighteen, and obstetrics and gynecology for those patients who are pregnant and/or who have women’s health issues. In addition, NCHC has full-time staff available by appointment to assist with insurance coverage, financial assistance for those without insurance, mental health problems, and those challenged by their life situations. NCHC opened its doors in April 1999 in a 10,000 square foot building on Water Street, in South Norwalk. Today the health center is located in a state-of-the are facility at 120 Connecticut Avenue. With over 24,500 square feet, NCHC can meet the needs any low income resident in Norwalk. NCHC takes care of 13,000 Norwalk residents, and provides over 50,000 medical office visits every year. Transportation to and from the health center is free for qualified individuals and families. NCHC uses electronic health records in all departments, and works closely with the Information Technology Department of Norwalk Hospital to continually expand the flow of data from the hospital to individual patient records at the health center. The results are rapid turnaround and availability of test results, perfect legibility, no lost records, and greatly reduced paperwork. NCHC staffs its clinical departments with physicians, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and internal medicine residents (adult medicine only). All are under the clinical direction of the Chief Medical Officer – Doug Olson, MD, who works with the clinical departments to ensure the highest standards of care for all patients.

The Fairfield County, CT Chapter of the Holistic Moms Network is a support, education and social network for parents interested in green living, alternative health care, and gentle, responsive parenting. We are a warm and inclusive group, and welcome you to join us wherever you are on the holistic path in an environment that does not judge. We welcome moms and dads with children of any age, and future parents as well. We have events and activities for both working and stay at home parents. Children are welcome at all HMN events.

We are a Christian Church that believes in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. We believe He lived among us, died for us, and is now risen from the dead! And as He is so are we in this world (1 John 4:17). Our goal is to teach people how to live from His victory.