For adventurous explorers and those interested in visiting places around the Leverett Family Museum, we have compiled this list of local historic sites, museums, and historical societies. Enjoy!
Museums
Agawam Historical & Firehouse Museum is an old Fire Station converted into a museum.
The Amherst Historical Society and Museum hosts tours and lunchtime lectures in addition to its regular exhibits.
Ashfield Historical Society showcases period rooms and items that were once sold in its building’s old general store.
The Beneski Museum of Natural History (formerly the Pratt Museum) at Amherst College houses fossils, rocks, stuffed animals, and more!
In Westhampton, the Blacksmith Shop Museum houses a rich variety of tools related to smithing.
The Buckland Historical Society, housed in an old schoolhouse, now preserves artifacts and memorabilia from the town.
Easthampton Historical Society maintains six historic buildings that house collections and host tours.
The Conway Historical Society’s Eastman-Lord House Museum hosts guided tours of the house and its period artifacts.
In Lenox, MA, the Mount, Edith Wharton’s home, provides a wide variety of guided tours and events, including music, food, and even ghost-themed events.
A famous historic watering hole of Amherst, the Emily Dickinson Museum enchants visitors on a daily basis.
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is just down the road in Amherst.
The Hadley Farm Museum is a charming barn filled with artifacts related to the Pioneer Valley’s farming history and 19th century small town life.
Hampshire College Art Museum displays an array of modern art.
Hatfield Historical Society includes both the Hatfield Historical Museum and the Hatfield Farm Museum.
Historic Deerfield, known for its outdoor history museum-village, is a great place to explore Pioneer Valley history from the early 1700s to the late 1800s.
At Historic Northampton, you can find a museum with exhibits focusing on a related part of the Connecticut River Valley’s history. They also maintain three historic houses for you to visit.
The Jewish Historical Society of Western Massachusetts preserves the history, memories, and culture of Jewish communities in Western Massachusetts.
The Jones Library in Amherst center has rotating exhibits on Emily Dickinson, Robert Frost, Robert Francis, and other subjects in their archives. Contact their curators for more information on current exhibits.
The Joseph A. Skinner Museum in South Hadley, administered by the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum, has a wide variety of items including Native American, Egyptian, Greco-Roman, and New England artifacts.
Longmeadow Historical Society hosts visits to its colonial home, Storrs House.
Mead Art Museum of Amherst College houses a wide variety of art from around the globe.
The Greenfield Museum of Our Industrial Heritage displays several fascinating exhibits on Franklin County’s industry and small towns.
For information on museums a bit farther away, check out the New England Museum Association.
Pelham Historical Society hosts a series of walks and programs throughout the year that accompany its museum.
The Porter-Phelps-Huntington House Museum is a preserved 1752 house that hosts tours and displays 18th and 19th century artifacts.
The R. Michelson Galleries in Northampton host a variety of contemporary and modern art.
South Hadley Historical Society maintains the Old Firehouse Museum as well as the Sycamores estate and Rawson house
William Cullen Bryant’s Homestead in Cummington, MA, consists of a house and barn used by a celebrated New England poet.
At the Connecticut Valley Historical Museum & Genealogy Library (now the Wood Museum of Springfield History), you can learn about the history and traditions of the Valley through changing exhibits containing items dating from 1636, including antique autos, industrial equipment, firearms, and furniture.
Built on a 10-acre orchard, the Yiddish Book Center at Hampshire College houses several exhibits on their extensive collection.
Historic Sites
Colonial Williamsburg is a popular destination that focuses on 18th century American history.
This farm list is organized by products made by various farms in the Valley.
Franklin County Fair is held every September–don’t miss it!
The Field Family Farmstand and Sugarhouse carries on the sweet traditions of Leverett’s edible history!
Goshen Historical Society hosts an annual picnic in July.
For more information on the town of Leverett and upcoming events, visit their website.
Leverett Historical Society, which manages the Leverett Family Museum, also maintains two other historic buildings–a schoolhouse, which contains a small collection of historic materials, and a sawmill.
The Montague Book Mill is a mill that was converted into a charming bookshop, accompanied by a cafe, an art studio, and a music shop.
The Pioneer Valley History Network has a list of about 40 historical sites in the Pioneer Valley, all worth checking out.
The Sojourner Truth Memorial Statue is located in Florence, MA.
Leverett Family Museum 