Pittsfield Attractions

Located in Herman Melville's Arrowhead House, the Berkshire County Historical Society maintains a collection of historical artifacts from the local area. The home, which once belonged to Herman Melville, author of "Moby Dick", is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield offers a diverse collection that features fine art by American artists, historical items such as ancient civilizations including a mummy, and Classical Greek and Roman artifacts.

The Aquarium on the lower level of the Berkshire Museum contains a variety of fish and reptiles in twenty tanks of varying sizes. A touch tank and numerous terrariums are featured as well.

Hancock Shaker Village is an outdoor museum featuring 20 original buildings dating back to the 18th century. The Shaker Village was operational from 1783 to 1960, at which time it became a museum. The collection includes Shaker artifacts including equipment, household items, textiles, manuscripts, and art.

Ashley Falls is located in the northwest of the state, near the Connecticut border. Visitors can take a hike to the summit of Monument Mountain or through the Housatonic River valley.

Colonel Ashley House was built in 1735 by John Ashley and became the center of social and political life in the area. The house is furnished with 18th and 19th century pieces and has been designated a National Historic Landmark.

Housed in Seminary Hall, the 1855 Greek Revival style former Becket school building, Becket Arts Center has two galleries featuring pottery, sculpture, photographs and more.

The Bisbee Mill Museum is a three-story 19th-century reconstructed grist mill, blacksmith shop, woodworking shop, and small museum. Items on display include historical artifacts as well as woodworking tools and a circa-1835 horsedrawn hearse.

The Bryant Homestead was the home of William Cullen Bryant, poet and editor of the New York Evening Post. The home is furnished with Colonial and Victorian pieces from the Bryant and Snell families as well as items that Bryant collected on his travels to Europe and Asia.

The grounds have trees that date back as far as 200 years with miles of trails.

The Sheffield Historical Society maintains a collection of textiles, artifacts, furniture, family files, town documents, house histories, photographs from the local area.

The Clark Art Institute Museum began with the personal collection of Sterling and Francine Clark in the 1950's. The gallery has since expanded and now features an extensive collection of European and American painting, sculpture, and works on paper, as well as other areas.