Fall is nigh on the Connecticut coastline, so it’s time to gather kith and kin and head to “Friends and Family Day” at the historic Pardee-Morris House in New Haven.

The all-ages, free event will be held on Sunday, September 23, from noon to 4 p.m., rain or shine, and hosted by the New Haven Museum, which owns and operates the historic site. From musket demonstrations to colonial crafts, the event offers something for everyone.

Visitors will enjoy a variety of activities throughout the afternoon. There will be guided tours of the c.1780 Pardee-Morris House, which replaced the original home burnt by raiding British redcoats in 1779. Members of the 6th Connecticut Regiment, in full colonial dress, will portray Revolutionary War soldiers. Fort Nathan Hale Restoration Projects will exhibit artifacts recovered during an archeological dig at Fort Nathan Hale on New Haven Harbor, and Friends of Fort Wooster will discuss the history of New Haven’s Fort Wooster, the site of skirmishes during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.

Participatory crafts for children will include tin-punch lantern making, corn-husk-doll making, pumpkin painting and face painting. Colonial crafters will be on hand to demonstrate their expertise, including Daniel L. Bosques, a folk artisan and historical interpreter, who will showcase flintknapping and bow and hand drills, Jody Bishel, with plant-based wool dyeing, and wool spinning by Dawn Satir.

One of the oldest surviving historic structures in Connecticut, the Pardee-Morris House dates from about 1780 and is listed on the State and National Register of Historic Places.  Built by Amos Morris circa 1750, the house was burned by the British during their raid on New Haven in 1779, and rebuilt and expanded by the Morris family. In 1918, William Pardee, a descendant of the Morris family, willed the property to the New Haven Colony Historical Society, which today is known as the New Haven Museum.

The New Haven Museum, founded in 1862 as the New Haven Colony Historical Society, is located in downtown New Haven at 114 Whitney Avenue. The Museum is currently celebrating 150 years of collecting, preserving and interpreting the history and heritage of Greater New Haven. Through its collections, exhibitions, programs and outreach, the Museum brings 375 years of New Haven history to life. For the latest news on events at the New Haven Museum and Pardee-Morris House visit newhavenmuseum.org, and like us on Facebook: facebook.com/NewHavenMuseum.  Sign up for e-blasts at info@newhavenmuseum.org, or call the New Haven Museum at 203-562-4183.