During my round-ups of cool, fun museums around the United States, each museum I visit tends to evoke a single word that sums up its spirit. In the case of the fascinating Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, the word that best describes it is: ECLECTIC.
What Does “Eclectic” Mean?
Now, as an English teacher, I need to make sure we’re clear on the definition of the word “eclectic” if we’re going to use it to sum up this museum. “Eclectic” means: Something that defies categorization in to a single style, but rather draws from a broad, diverse range of sources. Let’s walk through the Berkshire Museum to see why I declare it such!
Art AND an Aquarium?!
Ready for an eclectic combination? Above, behold the stately painted art of the second floor of the Berkshire Museum. Below, check out the live piranhas of the AQUARIUM downstairs! Side note: These piranhas are incredibly sparkly, as if they are decorated with gold foil. Disco piranhas??? Who knew this would be so high on my list of what do do in the Berkshires?
Classic Sculptures…
Ready to move on from sharp-toothed fish? In another wing, the Berkshire Museum boasts a number of classic marble sculptures. The educator and reader in me (eagerly awaiting the sequel to “In Every Mirror She’s Black!”) adored the barefoot bookworm pictured below.
A Kid-Friendly Museum in Western MA
Fellow parents (or those who help care for kids), get psyched, because it turns out the Berkshire Museum has a GIANT kids’ play and learning area! In room after room on the first floor, there is a setup like the one I photographed below: Hands-on activities for all ages, accompanied by instructive diagrams, instructions, and articles. I was reminded of the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in nearby Amherst, MA, in that this is a place you could spend a full day with family.
Taxidermy Displays of Many Animals
Ready to get even more eclectic? The Berkshire Museum features a sprawling collection of taxidermied animals of all kinds. Yes, that’s right — there’s everything from the giant feline pictured below, to an entire wall of beetles. Don’t worry, animal-lovers — a sign on the wall explains that the majority of the specimens had already ceased to live by the time they were found and preserved. This museum collects animals like Bicycle Heaven collects vintage BMXs.
“Old Bill” the Moose
Amid the taxidermied animals, there is a celebrity. On the second floor hangs the front half of “Old Bill” — a beloved beast who was tragically targeted by someone who didn’t respect his greatness. He now lives on in a new form, with visitors admiring his shape like the works of art at the Corning Museum of Glass in Upstate NY.
Ready for an eclectic shift from Old Bill the moose? Just a few rooms over we go back in time to the gorgeous gold “Second French Empire” suit of armor from the 1800s!
I’m obsessed with the green paint color on the walls of that room, and think it goes gorgeously with that piece. Anyone have an idea what the name of the green shade is? There’s another activity to add to my list of things to do in Pittsfield, MA: research how to re-create its lovely decor.
Back down to the Aquarium! How are seahorses I photographed, below, even real? The one pictured here was bopping around with its friends, showing off for the gawking visitors. Oh by the way: the museum is fully accessible, and we saw many patrons navigating it well in wheelchairs.
History of the Berkshire Museum
The Berkshire Museum was founded in 1903 by Zenas Crane. (Great name!) His aim from the beginning was to cultivate an eclectic collection, with acquisitions from nearly every continent, in a wide variety of types and styles. We have to give thanks for those passionate collectors who create “windows on the world” like the Cathedral of Learning in Pittsburgh, PA.
Special Exhibits at the Museum
Though the Berkshire Museum has a substantial permanent collection, it also has new special exhibits every few months. The one on display when we visited was the delightful Hudson School of art, which pays homage to the glories of the American landscape, as shown below. There was even a painting of the Berkshires’s own Mount Greylock!
Visiting: Berkshire Museum Hours and Pricing
When we visited the Berkshire Museum in the summer of 2023, the entrance price was $15 for adults and $8 for kids, and the hours were 10am to 5pm every day except for Sundays, which were 12pm-5pm, and holidays, which vary. Check the official site for what’s showing now, as well as current hours and pricing.
There are Dioramas Too!
Oh wait — there’s more! An entire room of the Berkshire Museum features dioramas of animals in nature, so you can learn more about their habitats. I haven’t seen one of those in forever! I half expected the puppets from the Mister Rogers museum in Latrobe, PA to pop into the frame and say hello…
Art from Around the World
Perhaps because I’d recently visited the Peabody-Essex Museum in Salem, MA, I particularly enjoyed the Berkshire Museum’s art acquisitions from Asia. Look at the details on the Chinese carvings pictured below…
Honoring the Everyday
As shown from the collection of dyes pictured below (again, juxtaposed against that fabulous green wall paint), the Berkshire Museum also pays homage to more everyday objects. Signs on the walls tell amazing stories, including one about the time in 1938 when the museum owned cannibalistic tarantulas!
A Dinosaur Outside the Museum
Want a good photo opportunity? There’s a friendly dinosaur sculpture right outside the Berkshire Museum! When we first arrived in Pittsfield, we spotted that jolly fellow our way to the Hotel on North down the street.
Other Pittsfield, MA Activities
Besides checking out the wonderfully historic Pittsfield architecture and catching a show at the Barrington Stage Company, make sure to tour Herman Melville’s Arrowhead home, just a few minutes outside of the center of town. It was where he wrote Moby Dick!
More Museums in the Berkshires
Hot on the hunt for more Western Massachusetts museums? MASS MoCA in nearby North Adams is absolutely can’t-miss for all ages. Meanwhile, the Clark Museum in Williamstown, MA is a classic showstopper, with paintings that still live in my heart.
Thanks, Berkshire Museum!
I adored the eclectic collection at the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, MA, and think it’s a perfect spot to spend an hour — or whole day. If you haven’t been yet, does it seem like a place you’d like to visit? If you’ve already been, what are your favorite parts? Do share!
Want more? Check out my article on the museum that’s an inclusive synonym!
The author, Lillie Marshall, is a 6-foot-tall National Board Certified Teacher of English, fitness fan, and mother of two who has been a public school educator since 2003. She launched Around the World “L” Travel and Life Blog in 2009, and over 4.2 million readers have now visited this site. Lillie also runs TeachingTraveling.com and DrawingsOf.com. Subscribe to her monthly newsletter, and follow @WorldLillie on social media!