Built in 1639 as the home of Reverend Henry Whitfield, a founder and the first minister of Guilford, this house also originally served as a fort for the community. Its massive stone walls and chimneys, steeply-pitched roof, and casement windows reflect the style of post-medieval domestic architecture found in England, rare in 17th century America and unique today. Through the years, the "Old Stone House" has undergone many changes and many families have called it home.

Since 1899, the Henry Whitfield State Museum has been owned and operated by the State of Connecticut. Restored by noted architects Norman Isham and J. Frederick Kelly in the early 1900s, the house is an important example of Colonial Revival restoration work.

Today, visitors may tour three buildings on the site. In the Visitor Center, you can pick up travel information, browse through the gift shop, purchase your admission tickets, view changing exhibits in two galleries, or use the research library. The barn features a variety of displays, including an outhouse, the Guilford Green graveyards, and the Whitfield connection to the Salem witch trials. In the Whitfield House, you can take a self-guided tour through three floors filled with 17th - 19th century furnishings. An introductory exhibit on the ground floor details the house's history. Children's activities are available.

This museum also has an excellent selection of local and regional visitor information.