Berkshire Museum

The Berkshire Museum is an art and natural history institution in Pittsfield that houses collections spanning multiple disciplines. Its galleries contain paintings by European artists, natural science specimens, and objects from ancient civilizations across the globe.

An industrialist named Zenas Crane founded the museum in the early 1900s as a collection open to the public. The project drew inspiration from major natural history museums already established in eastern United States cities.

The museum displays paintings by masters from the 1800s alongside ancient writing tablets from Babylon that visitors can examine directly. This collection brings together artistic and archaeological works that tell stories of different cultures in one place.

The exhibitions are arranged across multiple floors and can be explored on foot. It helps to set aside an hour or two to view the various collections without feeling rushed.

The Feigenbaum Hall displays regional inventions and inventors while maintaining the traditional concept of a cabinet of curiosities. This space blends local innovation stories with the classic way of collecting and displaying unusual objects.

Website: https://berkshiremuseum.org

GPS coordinates: 42.44734,-73.25383

Latest update: December 9, 2025 18:45