SPEND A DAY or a week or even a good portion of the summer visiting museums in the Berkshires. You certainly won’ t be disappointed and may very well find yourself making plans to return right after you leave. There is so much to see and do, with each cultural institution a unique experience— with permanent exhibitions ranging from textiles to contemporary sculptures, Old Masters to abstract paintings, fine art photography to hands-on experiences. In the spirit of art as a transcending and unifying force, these museums continue to find ways to collaborate. MASS MoCA is sharing its exhibit space with the Williams College Museum of Art( WCMA) while WCMA’ s new facility is being built; venues in Pittsfield are stepping up to be temporary spaces while Berkshire Museum is undergoing renovations; the Clark and Williams College are working together on exhibitions and education; and Chesterwood is hosting conversations with the artist of the W. E. B. Du Bois sculpture that will be unveiled this summer at the Mason Library in Great Barrington. Norman Rockwell and Edith Wharton also would most certainly be pleased that their legacies are supporting each other’ s programs. Many of our museums welcome the community to their outdoor spaces with festivals that include food, games, music, art, and old-fashioned picnic fun.
SPEND A DAY or a week or even a good portion of the summer visiting museums in the Berkshires. You certainly won’ t be disappointed and may very well find yourself making plans to return right after you leave. There is so much to see and do, with each cultural institution a unique experience— with permanent exhibitions ranging from textiles to contemporary sculptures, Old Masters to abstract paintings, fine art photography to hands-on experiences. In the spirit of art as a transcending and unifying force, these museums continue to find ways to collaborate. MASS MoCA is sharing its exhibit space with the Williams College Museum of Art( WCMA) while WCMA’ s new facility is being built; venues in Pittsfield are stepping up to be temporary spaces while Berkshire Museum is undergoing renovations; the Clark and Williams College are working together on exhibitions and education; and Chesterwood is hosting conversations with the artist of the W. E. B. Du Bois sculpture that will be unveiled this summer at the Mason Library in Great Barrington. Norman Rockwell and Edith Wharton also would most certainly be pleased that their legacies are supporting each other’ s programs. Many of our museums welcome the community to their outdoor spaces with festivals that include food, games, music, art, and old-fashioned picnic fun.
ARROWHEAD 780 Holmes Rd., Pittsfield berkshirehistory. org 413-442-1793
Arrowhead was the home of American author Herman Melville during his most productive years( 1850-1863), and where he wrote Moby Dick. Along with being a historical site, Arrowhead also is home to the Berkshire County Historical Society. The season starts with guided tours on May 17. Programs include Lafayette Presentation on June 11 and 12 by local historian Peter Reilly; Lafayette Tour Reenactment on June 13( offsite at Park Square in Pittsfield); and Revolutionary Music Program from June 25 and 26 by Cosby Gibson & Tom Staudle Duo. Alex Harvey returns to perform Sea Shanties later in the summer.
Top row, from left, Jose Alvarez( D. O. P. A), Dragon Hunter, # 18, in the exhibition DayDream at Berkshire Botanical Garden; MX Oops Dance Party, MASS MoCA; Vincent Valdez, Recuerdo, 1999, in the exhibition Just a Dream … at MASS MoCA. Bottom row, from left, a work from the exhibition John Clarke: Passing Through, at TurnPark; Walter Wick, Flatland from Can You See What I See? Hidden Wonders, 2021, from the exhibition I Spy! Walter Wick ' s Hidden Wonders at the Norman Rockwell Museum.
BERKSHIRE BOTANICAL GARDEN
5 West Stockbridge Rd., Stockbridge berkshirebotanical. org 413-298-3926
In addition to garden tours of this botanical gem, nature and art combine at the Leonhardt Galleries, where exhibits of botanical artwork offer an artist’ s lens into nature’ s beauty. Established in 1934, Berkshire Botanical Garden( BBG) is one of the oldest public display gardens in the Northeast.
NEW:
Lucid Illusions by Richard James, is from April 25 to June 1. James has traveled extensively in search of perfect, real-world florals and landscapes.“ It’ s the space between reality and dreams,” says James about the exhibition whose photos are both playful and romantic, blending the real thing with his unique imagination and creativity.( See story on page 80.) DayDream, June 6 to August 11, features works by some of the most renowned names in contemporary and modern art, including Salvador Dalí, Annie Leibovitz, Yoko Ono, and Jamie Wyeth, alongside contemporary artists like Roz Chast, Will Cotton, Ellsworth Kelly, and Kenny Scharf. Spanning painting, photography, sculpture, and mixed media, DayDream promises a stunning and thought-provoking journey into the artistic subconscious.“ In a world that demands your focus, I invite you to the garden and daydream,” says curator James Salomon. His vision for DayDream was sparked while listening to“ Daydream” by The Lovin’ Spoonful.“ Aha! I knew right away that was the vibe.” Coinciding with DayDream is renowned sculptor Mark Mennin’ s outdoor exhibition, Sleepwalkers. Mennin, who specializes in granite, will contribute stone benches from which visitors will be invited to daydream. His work was featured in a 2018 BBG exhibition. The work of Connecticut potter and gardener Franses Palmer is on exhibit from August 15 to October 5. It will be comprised of beautifully adorned functional art— vases, platters, bowls, pitchers— all designed for everyday use. Spring Fest, May 4; Plant Sale, May 10 and 11; Music Mondays with food trucks and farmers market; and Family Fridays.
BERKSHIRE MUSEUM 39 South St., Pittsfield berkshiremuseum. org 413-443-7171
Founded in 1903, the Berkshire Museum combines art, natural history, and ancient civilization, and always has been an integral part of the community. It is undergoing major renovations, including new and improved exhibit halls and a brand-new aquarium— a uniquely Berkshires attraction! The reopening of the museum is expected by the end of the year, and a bigger( double the size), better( triple the volume), fishier( 150 new species) aquarium will open in 2026.
While the renovations are going on, the museum is partnering with other venues to hold summer camps at Berkshire Community College and events at the Berkshire Athenaeum in Pittsfield, while continuing to bring its Mobile Museum Units( MoMU) to places like Hancock Shaker Village and Berkshire Botanical Garden. Curator Jason Vivori is offering a series of monthly online videos with themes that focus on the museum’ s collection and the region’ s history. In May, Vivori talks about Easton’ s Tavern, which was located where the museum is now, and where Colonel James Easton and John Brown of Pittsfield and Captain Edward Mott of Preston, Connecticut, planned the
May Holiday / June 2023 2025 BERKSHIRE MAGAZINE // // 69