Resources Right Down the Road
No matter where you live in Amherst, you’ll certainly feel the presence of the local colleges and university.. Amherst is home to Hampshire College, Amherst College, and UMass Amherst, while Smith College and Mount Holyoke College are just down the road. What does this mean for a non-academic citizen of Amherst? Lots of good things! Let's break it down by school.
Hampshire College is home to the Hitchcock Center for the Environment, the Yiddish Book Center, and the Eric Carle Museum, all of which are major New England destinations. The Hitchcock Center is a great place to learn about local flora and fauna, go on guided nature walks, or learn how to plant a native pollinator garden. The Yiddish Book Center hosts the world's largest collection of Yiddish-language books; and is a great place to learn about Jewish heritage, literature, folklore, and film. The Eric Carle Museum hosts original Carle art, as well as special exhibits by other children's book authors. All three attractions host educational programs for children, and performances by musicians, storytellers, and more!
Amherst College has a stunning campus with beautiful views and walking trails, especially during the fall. Attractions include sports games, the library, and some awesome sledding hills. Amherst College is also home to the Beneski Museum of Natural History and the Mead Art Museum, both of which are free to visit!
UMass Amherst is the largest school in Amherst, and is home to some really impressive resources, including the Institute for Applied Life Sciences, which has put out some game-changing COVID-19 research and supplied the community with essential supplies to weather the pandemic. UMass has great walking paths, lots of community events, high-level sporting events, and offers dozens of performances in the Fine Arts Center that range from comedy and poetry to orchestra and opera.
Of course, with COVID-19, many of the public gatherings and performances that would typically take place are currently on pause, but things are always changing, and we're looking forward to taking advantage of these amazing college resources before too long.