ARCH TOURS – 2026
May-October – Thursdays from 12-1:30 pm
Tours are canceled due to poor weather, so check the website for updates.

Bushnell Park Conservancy volunteer Arch Guides offer free tours of the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch, May-October, weather permitting.  No reservations needed unless you have a group of 6 or more. Tours last approximately 30 minutes. If a tour has to be cancelled due to weather, we will note it on our website and social media.

If you have a large group and would like to request a tour outside of the standard weekly hours, please email manager@bushnellpark.org with your request. Due to the volunteer nature of the tour guide program, we may not be able to honor all requests, but we assure you that we will do our best. Donations for private tours are much appreciated, and help us continue our tour programs.

Since 1884, the Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Arch has stood as a symbol of remembrance, resilience, and pride. But after 140 years, this Hartford icon now requires significant preservation work. Recent engineering assessments confirm that restoring and protecting it will require a $1.5 million investment to address active structural deterioration and ensure its long‑term stability, along with raising funds to support the ongoing preservation that will be needed over the next 140 years.

Your contribution to the Bushnell Park Conservancy’s restoration fund will directly support critical structural repairs, protect its unique architectural details, and ensure that this iconic landmark continues to stand tall. Donations of any amount are welcome. Click here to make yours today.

The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch

The Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch was designed by Hartford architect George Keller, whose ashes were buried in the east tower when he died in 1935, along with those of his wife, Mary, who died in 1946. The arch was dedicated on September 17, 1886, –the anniversary of the Battle of Antietam–to honor the 4,000 Hartford citizens who served in the Civil War, and the 400 who died for the Union.

Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Hartford
Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Arch in Hartford

This Gothic monument is made of brownstone from Portland, Connecticut, and cost about $60,000 (from the city treasury) to build. Notice especially the terra cotta frieze depicting scenes from the Civil War, and midway below it, eight-foot-tall statues representing the various kinds of residents who left their homes, families and businesses to fight in the War: student, farmer, freed slave, stone mason, carpenter and blacksmith. The original terra cotta angels–Gabriel and Raphael–which crown each tower, were replicated in bronze and replaced in 1987 as part of a $1.5 million restoration.

Be sure to read the bronze plaque under the freed slave which honors the 128 African American residents of Hartford who fought for the Union. This plaque was added after research by Airron Bethea, a seventh-grade student in Hartford, who wrote an essay in 1987 for the rededication of the restored Arch.

Learn more about the Arch by going on a tour!

Become a Guide

Learn more about becoming a tour guide here.