When visiting a new city it’s all too easy to follow the crowds and plan your to-do list based on the top TripAdvisor reviews but with a little more research and a willingness to try something new you can discover hidden, unusual gems which will not only provide you with a great talking point over dinner but will also give you a more rounded experience of the city and take you off the beaten track and away from the tourist hotspots.
So without further ado, here are three of the more unusual things you can do and see in New Haven, Connecticut.
Go to a concert at The Yale School of Music
The Yale School of Music is one of the top 10 traditional music colleges in America and produces some of the countries’ top musical talent. Immerse yourself fully in musical splendor and bask in Yale’s history by booking a ticket to one of the many concerts that take place here each year. With five decadent venues dotted across the city, there’s bound to be a performance scheduled for the date you are visiting and with performances including choir, piano, jazz, and orchestra there’s a style to suit everyone. Tickets can be purchased both online or at the Box Office and upcoming performances can be browsed easily on the website.
Look at the diseased brains in the Cushing Brain Collection
This one may not be for the squeamish or faint-hearted but if you choose to visit The Cushing Brain Collection you will certainly have a talking point over dinner. The Cushing Brain Collection houses hundreds of tumor ridden brains which were used and studied by Dr. Harvey Cushings, a renowned neurosurgeon of the early twentieth century. To visit the brains you will need a Yale Proximity ID card, if you do not have one then you are also able to sign in at the Medical Libraries Circulation Desk. Once inside, be sure to open drawers and find the artifacts hidden inside, there are also worksheets available for children and postcards to take home from the exhibit.
Visit the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript library
The Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library is one of the largest of its kind and is devoted entirely to the preservation of rare books and manuscripts. As Yale University’s principal repository of early manuscripts, literary archives and rare books you probably won’t find anything for your coffee table in here but you will be able to view iconic pieces such as The Gutenberg Bible and John James Audubon’s Birds of America. As well as hosting permanent exhibitions the Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript museum also regularly hosts special exhibitions which change three times a year and showcase specific collection materials, so even if you’ve been here before the chances are something new will be on show the next time you visit.
So which will you choose? Will you visit the brains, treat yourself to a musical masterpiece or browse the rare artifacts in the Beinecke Museum, whatever you decide you’ll have learned something new and come away with a unique experience to share. So what are you waiting for?!
