Many guests plan to visit a museum or two during their visit but aren’t sure where to start. We can understand that. There are many must-visit museums in the Berkshires and only so much time to see them, after all.
One of the first considerations is your area of interest. Art fans will find a dizzying array of art museums in the Berkshires exhibiting modern, classical, American, and international art of all mediums. History buffs will find a similarly broad selection of museums to choose from, with an emphasis on our country’s Gilded Age.
Below is a list of the most popular art and history museums in the Berkshires and their driving-distance from The Inn at Stockbridge; all under an hour!
Top Berkshire Art Museums
Norman Rockwell Museum –
Dedicated to the works of Norman Rockwell and the art of illustration. Home to the world’s largest collection of original Norman Rockwell art.
10 minutes from The Inn at Stockbridge at 9 Glendale Rd, Stockbridge, MA. nrm.org
Chesterwood Museum –
The summer estate and studio of American sculptor Daniel Chester French transformed into a fascinating museum of his life and works.
Just 10 minutes away at 4 Williamsville Rd, Stockbridge, MA. chesterwood.org
Williams College Museum of Art –
A college teaching museum known for its large American modernist collection.
50 minutes drive from our Berkshires B&B at 15 Lawrence Hall Dr, Williamstown, MA. artmuseum.williams.edu
Clark Art Institute –
The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute is both a celebrated art museum and a center for research and higher education in the visual arts.
Another 50 minute drive from The Inn at Stockbridge at 225 South St, Williamstown, MA. clarkart.edu
MASS MoCA –
The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art is one of the largest centers for contemporary visual art and performing arts in the country.
56 minutes away from our Berkshires bed and breakfast at 1040 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA. massmoca.org
Top History Museums in the Berkshires
Edith Wharton’s The Mount –
Edith Wharton, noted American author, designed both the house and grounds of The Mount as her “first real home.” Now a National Historic Landmark.
Under 10 minutes from our Berkshires inn at 2 Plunkett St, Lenox, MA. edithwharton.org
Ventfort Hall Mansion and Gilded Age Museum –
Ventfort Hall is a historic, Jacobean-style mansion and a museum of the Gilded Age.
Just 8 minutes from The Inn at Stockbridge at 104 Walker St, Lenox, MA. gildedage.org
Herman Melville’s Arrowhead –
Arrowhead, a historic house museum, was the home of American author Herman Melville between 1850 and 1863, his most productive years.
15 minutes from the inn at 780 Holmes Rd, Pittsfield, MA. berkshirehistory.org
Bidwell House Museum –
The Bidwell House was built in the 1760s and tells the story of life in the 18th century Berkshires through guided tours.
Just under 25 minutes from The Inn at Stockbridge at 100 Art School Rd, Monterey, MA. bidwellhousemuseum.org
Hancock Shaker Village –
A former Shaker commune, active from 1790 to 1960, now a living history museum preserving and telling the Shaker story.
Only 25 minutes drive from The Inn at Stockbridge at Hancock Shaker Village, Hancock, MA. hancockshakervillage.org
So Many More …
It would be impractical to list every worthy Berkshire museum here, yet there are so many that also deserve a mention. Popular and important institutions like the Berkshire Museum and Berkshire Art Museum, the Crane Museum of Papermaking, and the Frelinghuysen Morris House & Studio, to name but a few.
Whatever brought you to the Berkshires, The Inn at Stockbridge is here to help you make the most of it. We love sharing the area with our guests!