Begun in the 1700s as a colonial inn, this house was enlarged and embellished in the 1880s in the Victorian style. The carriage house, three-story tower, and gingerbread trim were added, and the simple colonial exterior took on the ornate three-color dress seen today. Feeling more like a home than a museum, it is filled with family heirlooms and simple treasures because three generations of the Hicks family lived here, starting in 1845.

The Museum is a member, along with the Tolland Historical Society, of the Tolland Museums Education Association, The programs at the museum take students to the 1890s, a more formal time in history, an era filled with books detailing daily rituals and proper etiquette. All plans are presented appropriate to grade level.