The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is located in Amherst, Massachusetts, part of the beautiful Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. A region rich in cultural, agricultural, and educational experiences, it is best known for “The Five Colleges”: Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, Smith College, and the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

The area offers hotels, lodges, and B&Bs, as well as a vibrant restaurant, shopping, music and art scene. It is also home to many of the country’s best known children’s book authors and artists. Be sure to visit R. Michelson Galleries, a downtown Northampton gallery representing the work of many local – and national – picture book artists.

The Carle is proud to be a part of Museums10, a partnership organization with area museums offering visitors a chance to explore everything from antiques to dinosaur fossils, from Emily Dickinson’s home to the world’s largest collection of Yiddish books.

Where to Stay and What to Do

For a list of hotels, restaurants, and things to do in the immediate area, go to Visit Hampshire County. The historic Lord Jeffrey Inn, on the green in Amherst, offers a special package just for Carle visitors.

For options throughout the greater Pioneer Valley and the Berkshires, visit the Greater Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau,  and Berkshire Visitors Bureau.