Burnham Library
🏢 Town of Bridgewater · Bridgewater, Connecticut
Burnham Library
A handsome 1926 Mine Hill granite building in the heart of Litchfield County's smallest town, the Burnham Library is one of Connecticut's most beloved small-town libraries — offering 12 museum passes, a Library of Things, and the Susan Beris Youth Learning Center to Bridgewater and the surrounding Housatonic Valley.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 10am–5pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–5pm |
| Thursday | 10am–5pm |
| Friday | 10am–5pm |
| Saturday | 9am–1pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 62 MAIN STREET SOUTH, BRIDGEWATER, CT 06752
Phone: +1860-354-6937
Website: burnhamlibrary.org
Plus Code: 87H8GJMM+7Q (BRIDGEWATER, CT)
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📖 About Burnham Library
The Burnham Library was established in 1926 through the generous bequest of Captain William Dickson Burnham, a Bridgewater native who made his fortune in shipping and never forgot his hometown. Construction of the Greek Revival stone building used Mine Hill granite quarried in nearby Roxbury, and the dedication took place on August 26, 1926. Captain Burnham had previously donated books to the one-room library at Town Hall and wanted to put Bridgewater on the map with a proper public library. Today the library serves one of Connecticut's smallest towns — Bridgewater has a population of roughly 1,700 — as an outsized community anchor. It offers museum passes to 12 Connecticut cultural institutions, a Library of Things lending collection, digital streaming and newspapers, the Susan Beris Youth Learning Center, and French conversation sessions. The New York Times digital edition is also available free to cardholders.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Built in 1926 from Mine Hill granite quarried in neighboring Roxbury — dedicated August 26, 1926
- Funded by the bequest of Captain William Dickson Burnham, a Bridgewater-born shipping merchant who wanted to put the town on the map
- 12 museum passes available free with a library card — including Beardsley Zoo, Wadsworth Atheneum, CT Science Center, and more
- Library of Things lending collection lets patrons borrow items beyond books and media
- Susan Beris Youth Learning Center hosts story times, youth programs, and early literacy activities
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Your Burnham Library card unlocks Connecticut's statewide digital resources and several digital perks unique to this small-town gem:
📚 Services
- Free library card for Bridgewater area residents
- 12 museum passes (Beardsley Zoo, CT Museum of Culture & History, CT Science Center, Wadsworth Atheneum, and more)
- Library of Things — borrow household and recreational items
- Public WiFi throughout the building
- Copy machine, fax, and scanning
- New York Times digital access (in-library and remote)
- Genealogy and local history research assistance
- Interlibrary loan through the borrowIT CT network
- Meeting space for community events
🎸 Programs
- Story times for young children (Susan Beris Youth Learning Center)
- French conversation sessions for adults
- Virtual author talks and lectures
- Art exhibitions and receptions
- Book clubs and reading groups
- Summer reading program for all ages
- Special workshops and community events
📍 Nearby Libraries in Litchfield County
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in BRIDGEWATER · Browse all Connecticut libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What museum passes does Burnham Library offer?
Burnham Library has passes to 12 Connecticut cultural institutions, including Connecticut's Beardsley Zoo, the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, the Connecticut Old State House, the Connecticut Science Center, CT State Parks, EverWonder Children's Museum, Florence Griswold Museum, Hill-Stead Museum, Institute of American Indian Studies, Mattatuck Museum, New Britain Museum of American Art, and The Wadsworth. Passes are loaned for 3 days; a $2/day overdue fee applies.
Who was Captain Burnham and why is the library named after him?
Captain William Dickson Burnham (1847–1925) was born in Bridgewater and built his fortune in the New York shipping industry. He donated books to Bridgewater's Town Hall library during his lifetime and, wanting to put his hometown on the map, left a bequest to build a proper public library. The Greek Revival stone building constructed with his bequest was dedicated on August 26, 1926, and named in his honor.
Can I borrow items other than books from Burnham Library?
Yes. The Library of Things at Burnham Library is a lending collection of items beyond traditional books and media — tools, games, and other equipment that cardholders can check out. Ask at the desk to see what is currently available.
Does Burnham Library have eBook borrowing for Bridgewater residents?
Yes. Burnham Library participates in borrowIT CT, Connecticut's statewide digital lending consortium. Cardholders can borrow ebooks and digital audiobooks for free using the Libby app on any smartphone, tablet, or computer.
🎨 This library lends museum passes. See how library museum passes work and find other libraries that lend passes museum passes by state.
📜 This library has genealogy & local-history resources. See how library family-history research works and find other libraries with genealogy collections genealogy libraries by state.
🧰 This library lends a “Library of Things.” See what you can borrow besides books and find other libraries with a Library of Things Library of Things by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
📅 This library has meeting & community rooms. See how library meeting rooms work — booking, policies and fees — and find other libraries with meeting or community rooms meeting rooms by state.
👶 This library runs story times for kids. See how library story times work — ages, what happens and that they are free — and find other libraries with story-time programs library story times by state.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in October 2026.
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