Providing enjoyment wasn't the purpose of the earliest carousels.
Originally, carousels were created to help noblemen train for jousting and even for war. Whereas today we grab for the brass ring, then they more interested in targeting it with their lances. Of course, those first carousels looked very different. Forget the beautiful ornate designs. They weren't supposed to be fun; they were strictly functional.

Over time, carousels metamorphosed into something else for the nobility --entertainment.
The wealthy and the noble-born now sipped champagne as they rode gilded steeds. Although that sounds like a perfect way to ride a carousel, it changed yet again. This time into the child-oriented carousel we have today.

The New England Carousel Museum
Home to one of the largest collections of antique carousel pieces in the country, the museum is housed in a beautiful restored 33,000 sq. ft. brick building. It is currently being renovated to create spaces for artisans, carvers, painters and restorers to demonstrate their crafts.

Although you can explore on your own,the Museum is also happy to provide a tour guide to describe the collection. That was where we learned that not all the creatures on a carousel are horses. Carousels, we learned, can also have other animals -- pigs, cows, ducks, even lions, tigers and giraffes.

For something with a bit more speed and excitement there was a derby racer. This version of the carousel was strictly for the adults -- the horses flew down the track at 35 miles per hour.

In addition to the carousel animals the museum showcases an antique Wurlitzer carousel organ that plays tunes on old-fashioned punched music rolls, an exhibit on how wooden carousel horses were created, and other pieces of carousel art and decoration.

The New England Carousel Museum also manages the Bushnell Park Carousel in downtown Hartford, an antique beauty created in 1914.