'Conny The Whale'

Walk around towards the front and on to the opposite side where you can enter it's hollow inside. babblefu (Atlas Obscura User)

On the former grounds of the Children’s Museum, a few minutes off of Route 84 in West Hartford stands a life-sized, walk-in sculpture of a sperm whale—a fixture on the museum grounds for the better part of 40 years.

“Conny” (named after the state of Connecticut) is 60 feet in length and appears to be a solid statue. However, as visitors follow the walkway around the museum, they will find a trail that leads to a large entryway on the whale’s body. The cavity inside Conny is large enough to fit nearly 10 people comfortably. It’s not anatomical, so no suggestion of ribs or other internal components of a whale are visible. Conny is a delightful roadside attraction.

As of 2024, the West Hartford Children’s Museum has left this location but Conny fortunately lives on. When the museum location closed Conny was removed and cut in half. Her tail has been brought back and placed across the street standing tall in the green next to Trout Brook Trail.

Know Before You Go

Both the whale and the dinosaurs can be visited without entry into the museum. Parking is also free, so this site can be visited with no financial commitment. There is a reasonable admission fee to the actual museum.