This museum hosts some worthwhile temporary exhibitions and also displays a rotating permanent collection of international artworks and artifacts, many of them brought back to the Berkshires over the years by traveling locals. It also has a solid collection of Hudson River School artwork, as well as kid-friendly attractions like an aquarium and a hands-on science center.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby attractions

1. Crane Museum of Papermaking

4.17 MILES

Since 1879 every single American bill has been printed on paper made by the Crane Company, based in the small mill town of Dalton. The Crane Museum of…

2. Hancock Shaker Village

4.53 MILES

This evocative museum illustrates the lives of the religious sect that founded the village in 1783. The Shakers believed in communal ownership, the…

3. Pleasant Valley Wilderness Sanctuary

5.01 MILES

This 1300-acre wildlife sanctuary has 7 miles of pleasant walking trails through forests and meadows, as well as a challenging hike to the summit of Lenox…

4. Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum

6.71 MILES

This museum of railroad lore is set up in Lenox's 1903 vintage railroad station. Its model-railroad display is a favorite with kids, as is the chance to…

5. October Mountain State Forest

7.27 MILES

Most out-of-towners head to Mt Greylock, and leave October Mountain State Forest to the locals. This 16,500-acre state park is the largest tract of green…

7. Mount

8.16 MILES

Almost 50 years after Nathaniel Hawthorne left his home in Lenox, another writer found inspiration in the Berkshires. Edith Wharton (1862–1937) came to…

8. Naumkeag

11.34 MILES

Designed by the renowned architect Stanford White in 1885, this 44-room Gilded Age 'cottage' was the summer retreat of Joseph Hodges Choate, a former US…