Jacob's Pillow, non-profit organization in the USA
Jacob's Pillow is a dance festival and arts center on a historic farm in Becket, Massachusetts, covering roughly 220 acres and recognized as a National Historic Landmark. The grounds include multiple theater spaces, dance studios, archive buildings, and outdoor performance areas where shows happen under open sky.
Ted Shawn, a modern dance pioneer, purchased the site in 1931 and created a training and performance space for dancers. The location became a national institution and received the National Medal of Arts in 2011 for its importance in American cultural history.
The name comes from a steep road called Jacob's Ladder and a pillow-shaped rock on the land, both features that impressed early visitors. Today you can still see these landmarks and understand how they shaped the identity of this place.
The site is best visited during summer months from June to August when performances happen both indoors and outdoors. Comfortable shoes are helpful for exploring the large grounds and discovering the various performance spaces and historic buildings.
A fire destroyed the main theater in 2020, but rebuilding plans with modern design are already underway. The new building will include rainwater collection, a fire pit, and gardens, blending the historic site with contemporary features.
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