There is a lot more than skiing and snowboarding in and around Mount Snow, including an array of curious and inspiring museums within a 1-hour drive.
Brattleboro Museum & Arts Center
10 Vernon St, Brattleboro, VT
10 am-4 pm: Wednesday to Sunday
Pay as you wish with a recommended $5-10 for an adult
The Brattleboro Museum & Art Center is a contemporary art museum that brings notable art and artists to Brattleboro while also providing a platform for local artistic riches. The museum presents approximately 20 exhibitions a year along with an array of public programs and educational offerings.
The Clark Art Institute
225 South Street Williamstown, MA
Open Tuesday–Sunday, 10 am–5 pm, September–June
Open daily in July and August, 10 am–5 pm
$20 for adults, always free for members, 21 and under, and students with ID
Known for its intimate galleries and stunning natural environment, the Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute, aka the Clark, was founded by Sterling and Francine Clark as a home for their personal collection. The museum combines a public art museum with research and academic programs, including a major art history library and houses European and American paintings, sculpture, prints, drawings, photographs, and decorative arts from the fourteenth to the early twentieth century.
MASS MoCA
1040 MASS MoCA Way, North Adams, MA
10 am-5 pm (in summer until 6 pm), Wednesday to Monday
Members and under age 5 free, $20 for adults
$18 for seniors & veterans, $12 for students, $8 for kids
A couple of exhibits require reservations
Known for its massive galleries and indoor and outdoor performing arts venues, the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art promotes all forms of art including music, sculpture, dance, film, painting, photography, theater, and new, boundary-crossing works that defy easy classification. The place is huge and has over 50 current exhibitions.
Southern Vermont Arts Center
Open 10 am-5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday
$10 for adults, $5 for children & seniors
Always free to members and kids under 10
The Southern Vermont Arts Center is a multi-disciplinary art organization situated on a scenic 100-acre campus listed on the National Register of Historic Places. They maintain galleries with permanent and rotating exhibitions and offer classes and workshops. With grounds open to the public, they are also home to the area’s largest sculpture park.
Southern Vermont Natural History Museum
7599 VT Route 9 East, West Marlboro, VT
Open 10 am-4 pm 7 days a week
$5 for adults, $3 for seniors, $2 for kids 5-12 $2, free for kids under 4
Guided tours must be scheduled at least 48 hrs in advance
Dedicated to inspiring stewardship and appreciation of the natural world through engaging educational experiences, the Southern Vermont Natural History Museum houses a natural history collection with almost 250 species of birds and mammals and offers access to over 600 acres of protected hiking trails.
Williams College Museum of Art
15 Lawrence Hall Dr, Williamstown, MA
Free, 10 am-5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday
Located on the campus of Williams College, the museum creates and inspires exceptional experiences with art that are integral to a liberal arts education, lifelong learning, and human connection and houses a collection with more than 14,000 works. Particular strengths include contemporary art, photography, prints, and Indian painting.
What’s your favorite museum in the area? Did we miss any? Let us know at jill@themaplebear.com!