My husband and I went to see what was inside this museum and we thoroughly enjoyed it! There were…read moreso many things to view not only from Norman Rockwell but other artists as well that were very much related to the issues that Norman Rockwell covered that I feel are still relevant today. This museum has two floors of viewing rooms, a cafe, a museum store, and pathways to visit other sites outdoors related to this museum. I even rang the bell you ring if you have enjoyed what was viewed. We enjoyed this museum and will recommend it to others as well.

The location and facilities are very nice. I enjoyed the studio tour. The actual museum was a…read moredisappointment. It was oted that the museum posses upto 1000 pieces of art including painting, sketches and other drawings. Unfortunately only a small number were actually on display. Instead other artists and an emphasis in race, immigration and other woke ideologies were hyper emphasized. The tour we paid for was e tremely unenjoyable.with the exception of a couple Rockwell painting discussed. If I was to know about blacks, Indians, Mexicans and social in justices I will go to exhibitions that showcase that. The tour and hyper social justice warrior approach completely betrayed the essence of the celebration of rockwells Americana contributions. And the topic of civil rights and his works would have been relevant in the tour but not the focal point.

Beautiful house and gardens. Purchase tickets online before you visit. Parking is very limited…read more Grounds are grass, mulch and stairs. Not accessible. Only the lower floor of the house is accessible. Take the garden tour. It provides much information about the family, building the home and gardens and the architects/designers. Well worth the time. The property is on a hill so wear your walking shoes. A dirt 'one way' road leads past the house, to the dirt parking lot, then down the hill off the property. The lower part of the road, off property, is very rutted. (it happens to drive right past Norman Rockwell's grave site) Early spring the gardens are beautiful. The staircase from the cutting garden to the house is gorgeous. A leisurly walk down the Linden walk then curves around to a stroll in the wood. Many little gardens areas. Plan to spend at least two or three hours.

Another really underrated museum and estate in the Berkshires, the gardens and grounds are amazing…read more You have a wonderful view of the valley below and the house has a lot of stately charm. The tour guide we had was fantastic and is probably one of the best ones I've had for a museum tour. He was informative but kept it light. I didn't feel like he was flooding the zone with information to flex. There's some Asian/Chinese flavor in the home and the surrounding gardens, as the Choates had a keen interest in Asia. There's significant walking up and down, so keep that in mind, and not a ton of parking. This summer cottage is worth a visit, especially if you're interested in estates during the Gilded Age.

The home of two very talented artists made for an interesting way to spend a few hours in Lenox!…read moreUnique home in a lovely setting. Our tour guide was so interesting and informative. The home is deep in the woods so you either have to take a golf cart ride or walk in the woods which we did not mind. The property butts up to Tanglewood and we could hear music in the distance. There is a documentary offered which we did not see (it is an hour). Note that it is only open from Mid-June to Columbus Day so check the website for hours and for activities offered.

This is really a gem of a museum, and it shares a property line with Tanglewood. So when you…read morearrive, you park the car and then walk about 1/3 of a mile to the entrance to the house which is on the right. To the left is a building that plays a 20 minute video where you can learn about Suzie Frelinghusen and her husband George Morris who were modern artists in the 1930s and onward. After George's death, the Suzie created a non-profit for the house so that after her death, it would be preserved. This means that the house has the original carpeting and many things that are just as they were originally. In fact, the floor in their library is made of leather, so everyone has to wear booties so as not to damage them. Seeing this house is really like taking a trip back in time, and you get to see a glimpse of their art and how these two lived. Also, in order to see the house, there are tours at the top of each hour. My friend and I were the only two people on the tour, so except an intimate experience. I don't think that it ever gets crowded. Be sure to check out their book collection as well. It was very difficult for me to resist the urge to reach out and open up some of the books! Also, in Suzie's bedroom, she painted herself an extraordinary fresco on the wall. While most of her art is modern, the paintings in her bedroom show her impeccable skill as a landscape oil painter as well.

I am so glad I added this house to our itinerary. Thankfully the house was saved so we can all…read moreenjoy it! Sadly, it occurred after some of the interior demolition was begun. Our docent tour guide was very enthusiastic and informative. She made the tour so much fun. The tour includes a history of the property from it's construction, to it's use as a dorm for musicians, a dance school and movie set. Very interesting. The staircase with it's musicians gallery, the butler safe and original bathrooms are all part of the 'modern' amenities included in this home. There is an unimaginable amount of restoration that has been done to this property and restoration continues, including on the day of our visit when the salon, used as the gift shop, was having it's floors restored. The home's furnishings are, for the most part, donated or loaned to the museum and they are doing a nice job staging everything. The visit begins with a short film after which you begin your guided tour. The collections on display includes some beautiful clothing items. Really lovely. The fireplaces throughout the house a beautiful as well. The kitchens have not yet been restored and they are working on some of the upstairs rooms as well. It is truly amazing what they have been able to do, bringing this home back to life. The museum hosts fund raiser events, including 'Tea's' and you can rent the facility for private events. Definitely check that out! I would love to attend a Tea here.

As the owner of another Gilded Age mansion in the Berkshires, Holmesdale, I have a deep…read moreappreciation for the history, architecture, and dedication required to preserve these remarkable estates. My visit to Ventfort Hall exceeded every expectation. The staff was exceptionally professional, knowledgeable, and welcoming, providing outstanding service while sharing the fascinating history of this magnificent home.The ambiance is perfectly suited to the Gilded Age, transporting visitors back to a time of elegance and grandeur. Every detail reflects the care and commitment that has gone into preserving this historic treasure. Whether you're passionate about history, architecture, or simply want to experience one of the Berkshires' finest landmarks, Ventfort Hall is an absolute must-visit.

Steepletop was poet Edna St Vincent Millay's home before she passed away in 1950. According to the…read morenice man we spoke to here, the Millay Society opened the house and grounds up to the public in 2009-ish. What's here now is the house itself, which is only open for guided tours, the gardens, a small historical gallery with the poet's family tree, photographs, and heirlooms, and a Poetry Trail into the woods, leading to Millay and her family's burial site. Admission was a bit more than I expected, but I'm not sure why (why it surprised me, that is... not why it was more than I thought). Maybe it's just been a while since I've been to a historical site, but it was $10 to view the gallery and grounds; guided tours of the garden or the house would have been $16; and a combination of the two comes to $25. According to the website, reservations are required for the tours. Walking the Poetry Trail alone is free. As you come up East Hill Rd from Rte 22, you'll see the Millay Colony for the Arts on the left. That's not it. Keep going until you see the sign for the Millay Society at Steepletop. The gravel driveway is very tight, but I don't think they get a lot of traffic. There are signs directing you to the side of the house, where you enter and go up some stairs to the office. My friend and I did the gallery/grounds thing. The man working there was amazingly informative and loved to tell us everything he knew, but he was also happy to step back and let us browse on our own. The family tree that sprawled across an entire wall, though it was packed with information, seemed a little chintzy, created with printouts and typed with not always the best grammar -- a bit disappointing for an author's home. In addition to the family history, you can find books from Millay's own collection, a piano she grew up with, a couple of garments -- one real, one a replica -- and a few other family mementos. When we had fully saturated the gallery's displays and our host's brain, he pulled out a big cardboard map to show us the layout of the gardens. It wasn't until then that I realized the building we were in as not the actual Steepletop house. But it was not going to be hard to find. We memorized the map (why they don't have a version you can take with you, I have no idea) and ventured across East Hill Rd and up a soft incline to the house. All we could do was wander around the outside, but we were interested enough to do so. The Millay Society is in the process of restoring both the house and the gardens to their previous condition, and at the moment the gardens are in an odd in-between state where some bits are meticulous and well maintained and others are rustic and overgrown. But the swinging gates, the weather-stained sundial and other stone features, and grassy areas like the one that used to be a circular badminton court all still have a quaint and beautiful feel, even in their disrepair. The swimming pool has seen better days. And hopefully will see better ones to come. One intriguing stop in the garden area was Millay's writing cottage. It's small and musty and was the only building we encountered that didn't have its windows blocked from the inside, so we peeked in. A couple of desks are inside, one with a pile of papers and a composition book. The Poetry Trail is charming. It takes about 20 minutes to roam from the road to the burial area. Every so often, a passage of poetry by Millay appears on a post. The distance between poems is just right for letting the previous one sink in. Eventually we reached the burial site and found Millay and her husband Eugen Boissevain's graves easily enough. Millay's mother, sister, and brother-in-law are supposed to be there, too, but we didn't spot them right away (and it had started raining, so we weren't going to spend much time searching). Millay and Boissevain's flat gravestones were scattered with leaves and fit right into the unmanicured grove. I'm in this area once a year and might try a guided tour at some point. Whether you're a Millay fan or just Millay-curious, this little historic site is worth coming a little bit out of the way to check out.

I had a great experience at Steepletop with a very informed, very passionate guide (and I was lucky…read moreenough to be on a private tour). I did the combo tour of the house and grounds; when I called to reserve my spot, I was told this was the best way to visit, and I can't help but think she was right. The house itself is somewhat small but the outdoor space is substantial. Most of my traveling is for literary tourism and I aim to visit as many author homes as possible. Often, I'm disappointed because the tour makes it seem like any old house, rather than the home of an author. This tour guide was sure to highlight Edna St. Vincent Millay's life, her relationships, and her work. It was much better than what I call an "inventory tour" ("This is a chair!"). I even enjoyed the outdoor walking, though I'm not usually interested in gardens and plantings. This tour made those details seem relevant, rather than just pretty things. Oh, and the most important part: She read poetry! I mean, why visit a poet's home if you don't hear poetry? The price was a bit steep -- which I'm sure is at least partially due to the need for income despite relatively small visitation numbers -- and it really is in the middle of nowhere. It was a tad long (especially because I stayed to watch the film) and some folks might be overwhelmed by the bugs during the outdoor portion. Still, I think it was worth the trip and the fee.

I'll second that this is totally the place for a beginner and kids will thoroughly enjoy…read morethemselves. Eugene Mamut has an interesting collection of special effects, and asked some good questions of my 6 year old to let him explain what was going on with each. He showed us some differences between different styles of animation. The video that W made was uploaded on his website for sharing and Will had a great time!

I was researching things to do in the Berkshires while my classmates and I were vacationing. This…read morepeaked our interest as we're all tech-fascinated people, and my husband was an animation major. It's a free museum visit, but because it's privately run, you have to call them and make special arrangements for them to come and open the museum. The pros: you get a private tour, and hours aren't limited to your usual 9-5. The cons: since it's only run by 2 people, you're really at their mercy when you show up and they may or may not be on there way there still. Admittedly it's nothing fancy, but if you're legitimately into animation, it's a really fun casual tour. They go very old school on some animation techniques. They have a gift shop with some animation trinkets you can buy. For extra money if you have time, you can also create your own animation with them. We opted out of that one. If you're in the area anyway, it's a great place to stop by. Otherwise, I wouldn't go out of your way to travel to the area just for this.

The Mission House was built with the intent of teaching local indigenous people christianity. Built…read morein 1742, missionary John Seargent lived there with his wife. Previously located across the road from Naumkeag, Mable Choate purchased the Mission house in the 1920's and moved it downtown for more people to learn about Indigenous peoples history in Stockbridge. The building is maintained by The Trustees group. This house is open during the warmer months for a self guided 'tour'. As there are only two rooms to see, it's a quick stop. The gardens are open to the public year round at any time. They do offer house tours about once a month. Check their website for dates, times and how to reserve your spot. We wandered their gardens on a day the house was closed. There are signs with information and one of them highlights a walking tour with some of the town's history. You can walk the town stopping at each site and watch the videos or enjoy the tour from home. It was interesting and we walked up into the woods behind town hall to see some of the historic sites there. Before the tour we had no idea they existed so kudos. We returned to the house on a day it was open for a self tour. There was no docent on site so we couldn't ask questions. The two rooms to view have plexiglass doors so you can only see them. There was a bit of information in the house and barn to read about local indigenous history which sometimes seems agressive. I can understand that. We all know generally how Indigenous people were trated historically. This is the story of Stockbridge. The three stars is based solely on my disappointment of not having more access to the house and more information. The gardens are a lovely, quiet spot with a medicinal garden area and the house is well maintained. If in the area, the guided tour may be quite interesting. Hopefully someone will leave a review with more info on that.

This place has never ever been open. The sign out front shows the name and has closed perminately…read morepainted on it and even that's peeling. I've been watching since the sign went up years ago. So sad.