Visit Fontaine's Antique and Fine Arts – things to do in the Berkshires
Our top recommendation of Things to do in the Berkshires would be to visit Fontaine’s Antique and Fine Arts and find out why Fontaine’s was voted best of the Berkshires seven years in a row.
Fontaine’s Antiques & Fine Art
1485 Pittsfield MA 01201
1-413-448-8922
Fontaine’s Antiques & Fine Arts 1485 West Housatonic Street, Pittsfield MA 01201 1-413-448-8922 Monday-Friday 9am-5pm
FontainesAuction.com
With over 55 years of experience, Fontaine’s Auction is the oldest full-service auction gallery in Western Massachusetts. Make a day out of your visit!
Voted the “Best Please To Buy Antiques” for over 7 years in a row, Fontaine’s Antiques and Fine Art is located just down the road from Hancock Shaker Village in the heart of the Berkshires. Our Antiques show room is filled with wonderful treasures from near and far.
We are asked by many customers what else is near by that they could visit. Here are some great ideas for things to do? We have put together a sampling of some of the wonderful places to visit all within a short drive from our store. Enjoy.
Arrowhead, also known as the Herman Melville House, one of our favorite recommendations of things to do in the Berkshires is a visit to this historic house museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It was the home of American author Herman Melville during his most productive years, 1850–1863.
The literary icon wrote “Moby Dick” in this cozy landmark 18th century house surrounded by farmland.
780 Holmes Rd, Pittsfield, MA 01201
mobydick.org
(413) 442-1793
The Berkshire Museum is a museum of art, natural history and ancient civilization that is located in Pittsfield, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States.
39 South St, Pittsfield, MA 01201
berkshiremuseum.org
(413) 443-7171
Chesterwood was the summer estate and studio of American sculptor Daniel Chester French located at 4 Williamsville Road in Stockbridge, Massachusetts
His fame as a sculptor was cemented when he was chosen to provide the massive statue of Abraham Lincoln which stands in the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC. Although the final carving of this massive work was not done at Chesterwood, French did his preliminary design work here, which included the construction of a 6-foot (1.8 m) scale model.
The studio, barn and other gallery spaces include sculptural studies for a number of his works, most notably:
The Minute Man (1875), Old North Bridge, Concord, Massachusetts
The Continents (1906), United States Customs House, New York City
Samuel F. Dupont Memorial (1921), the fountain at Dupont Circle, Washington, D.C.
Abraham Lincoln (1922) in the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C.
3 Williamsville Rd, Stockbridge, MA 01262
chesterwood.org
(413) 298-3579
The Norman Rockwell Museum is one of the most asked about places that we recommend when asked about places to visit and things to do the Berkshires. The Norman Rockwell Museum houses the world’s largest and most significant collection of Rockwell art.
Norman Rockwell Museum presents, preserves and studies the art of illustration and is a world resource for reflection, involvement and discovery inspired by Norman Rockwell and the power of visual images to shape and reflect society.
The Museum advances social good through the civic values of learning, respect and inclusion and is committed to upholding the rights and dignity of all people through the universal messages of humanity and kindness portrayed by Norman Rockwell.
9 Glendale Rd, Stockbridge, MA 01262
nrm.org
(413) 298-4100
Hancock Shaker Village – A living Shaker history museum with restored buildings, crafts & activities plus a cafe & shop.
There are many places to visit and things to do in the Berkshires, but if you are at Fontaines Retail Antique store, or at one of Fontaine’s Auctions, Hancock Shaker Village is of the of the top on our list of “Things to do in the Berkshires!” with 18 original historic buildings on this site it is a pleasant step back in time. In addition to viewing the architecture, we have so many things to see including the farm and gardens, the animals, costumed interpreters, demonstrations of handicrafts like weaving, spinning, and blacksmithing, hiking and walking trails, the Discovery Room where kids can do hands-on activities, photo and art exhibitions, a cafe and picnic area. We have modern amenities and the village is handicapped accessible.
Hancock Shaker Village is a living history museum whose mission is to bring the Shaker story to life and preserve it for future generations. Called the “City of Peace” by the Shakers who lived here for 179 years until 1960, this community was the third of 19 major Shaker Villages located in New York, New England, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana. There are 18 original historic buildings on this site. The staff and volunteers are dedicated to making the The values that the Shakers embraced — equality, pacifism, community, sustainability, responsible land stewardship, innovation, simplicity and quality in work — resonate with us today.
1843 W Housatonic St, Pittsfield, MA 01201
hancockshakervillage.org
(413) 443-0188
Naumkeag is the former country estate of noted New York City lawyer Joseph Hodges Choate located at 5 Prospect Hill Road, Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Naumkeag is the former country estate of noted New York City lawyer Joseph Hodges Choate located at 5 Prospect Hill Road, Stockbridge, Massachusetts. The estate’s centerpiece is a 44-room, Shingle Style country house designed principally by Stanford White of McKim, Mead & White, and constructed in 1886 and 1887.
The estate is noted for its large gardens, which were designed in the mid-20th century by noted landscape designer Fletcher Steele in conjunction with Choate’s daughter Mabel. A National Historic Landmark District, Naumkeag is now owned by The Trustees of Reservations, who operate it as a nonprofit museum.
5 Prospect Hill Rd, Stockbridge, MA 01262
thetrustees.org
(413) 298-8138
Jacob’s Pillow is a dance center, school and performance space located in Becket, Massachusetts, in the Berkshires.
The organization is known for the oldest internationally acclaimed Summer dance festival in the United States.
The facility also includes a professional school and extensive archives as well as year-round community programs. The facility itself was listed as a National Historic Landmark District in 2003.
Summer performances by prominent dance troupes on 2 stages plus a free outdoor option, shop & eats.
358 George Carter Rd, Becket, MA 01223
jacobspillow.org
(413) 243-0745
Crane Museum of Papermaking and Center for the Paper Arts – Explore the history of the oldest paper company in America from 1770 to today.
The Crane Museum is open Tuesday through Thursday, from 1-5 p.m. Beginning June 2, and going through the end of October, the Museum will be open Monday through Friday from 1-5 p.m.
Explore the history of the oldest paper company in America from 1770 to today. Exhibits focus on papermaking through more than two centuries, Crane’s fine 100% cotton stationery and, of course, the money you carry in your pocket every day. Admission is free and we love kids!
Groups of more than 12, please schedule your visit in advance (413) 684-6380 or (413) 684-7780.
Directions: Please use West Housatonic Street in Dalton MA 01226 and follow signs to the Museum.
http://www.crane.com/about-us/crane-museum-of-papermaking
(413) 684-6380
Balderdash Cellars – Founded in 2011, Balderdash Cellars is a boutique winery located in the beautiful Berkshires of Western Massachusetts.
We focus on producing ultra-premium (wicked to New England folks) wines from grapes grown by world-class California vineyards. What about the name?? When we said we were starting a winery, everyone said that we were mad, obsessed, and should stick to buying wine (truthfully, it is much easier than making it) – but we answered, “Balderdash.” As we sought to name the winery, Balderdash just seemed to stick. It also seemed like a good way to describe the stories behind each wine…while generally accurate, there may be some tall tales. Christian and Donna Hanson Owners
502 East Street (rear of the building) Pittsfield, MA 01201
Tasting Hours: Saturdays 1-5pm, please call to set up private/group tastings
Tasting Options: Tastings are $8/person and refundable with purchase of $50/person.
502 East St, Pittsfield, MA 01201
balderdashcellars.com
(413) 464-4629
The Mount, Edith Wharton’s Home – The Mount (1902) is a country house in Lenox, Massachusetts, the home of noted American author.
Edith Wharton was an American novelist, short story writer, and designer. She was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1927, 1928 and 1930. Wharton combined her insider’s view of America’s privileged classes with a brilliant, natural wit to write humorous, incisive novels and short stories of social and psychological insight. She was well acquainted with many of her era’s other literary and public figures, including Theodore Roosevelt.
Today, The Mount is a cultural center and historic house museum, welcoming close to 40,000 visitors each year. The house is open daily from May through October for house and garden tours. Speciality Ghost and Backstairs tours are also offered. In the summer, The Mount hosts performances, music, lectures, and outdoor sculpture exhibits. Additional special events are hosted throughout the year.
2 Plunkett Street, Lenox, MA 01240
edithwharton.org
(413) 551-5111
Berkshire Botanical Garden – 15 acres of flower beds, ponds & gardens for strolling & picnicking, plus exhibits & events.
The Berkshire Botanical Garden, is a 15-acre botanical garden in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, United States. Its collections contain over 3,000 species and varieties, with an emphasis on plants that thrive in the Berkshires
The Garden was founded in 1934 as the Berkshire Garden Center, and its public display gardens are among the oldest in the United States.
5 W Stockbridge Rd, Stockbridge, MA 01262
http://berkshirebotanical.org
(413) 298-3926
Clark Art Institute – Museum set on 140 lush acres & showcasing 19th-century American & European paintings, silver & more
The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, commonly referred to as The Clark, is an art museum and research institution located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. Its collection consists of European and American paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, photographs, and decorative arts from the fourteenth to the early twentieth century. The Clark, along with the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MassMoCA) and the Williams College Museum of Art (WCMA), forms a trio of art museums in the Berkshires. The institute also serves as a center for research and higher learning. It is home to various research and academic programs, which include the Fellowship Program and the Williams College Graduate Program in the History of Art. It is visited by 200,000 people a year.
225 South St, Williamstown, MA 01267
clarkart.edu
(413) 458-2303
MASS MoCA – Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art – Housed on a restored 19th century factory campus, MASS MoCA is the largest center for contemporary visual and performing arts in the country. Open year round with full schedule of live events, changing exhibitions and Sol LeWitt Wall Drawing Retrospective.
MASS MoCA is one of the world’s liveliest centers for making and enjoying today’s most evocative art. With vast galleries and a stunning collection of indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, MASS MoCA is able to embrace all forms of art: music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works of art that defy easy classification. Much of the work we show in our light-filled spaces, on our technically sophisticated stages, and within our lovely network of late 19th-century courtyards is made here during extended fabrication and rehearsal residencies that bring hundreds of the world’s most brilliant and innovative artists to North Adams all year round.
1040 Mass Moca Way, North Adams, MA 01247-2499
(413) 662-2111
Keep in mind if you are looking for things to do in the Berkshires; Fontaine’s is the Berkshires oldest Auction House, featuring the highest quality antique and fine art auctions every month.
Consignments Wanted for our upcoming auctions
One item to a complete estate or collection. Fontaine’s Auction can arrange for pickup and delivery nationwide.
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Call Today 1-413-448-8922 or Email [email protected]