Highland Street Foundation Free Fun Fridays - Western MA Highlights

2016 marks the eighth year of the Highland Street Foundation's Free Fun Fridays!!  This annual event makes free admission available at various museums throughout the Commonwealth all summer long.   This year, Free Fun Fridays is bigger than ever with 80 different museums participating over ten weeks!  Luckily for us folks in Western MA, the Foundation has partnered with several local museums throughout Pioneer Valley and the Berkshires, allowing us the chance to participate locally most - though unfortunately not all - ten weeks! Here are your highlights: 

June 24th 

Holyoke - Children's Museum, Volleyball Hall of Fame 

Lenox- Tanglewood, The Mount 

North Adams - Mass MOCA 

Williamsburg - The Clark Art Institute 

July 1st 

Becket - Jacob's Pillow Dance Festival 
Westfield - Amelia Park Children's Museum

July 8th  & July 15th 

No Western MA participants 

July 22nd 

Amherst - Eric Carle Museum 

July 29th 

No Western MA participants 

August 5th 

Deerfield - Historic Deerfield  

Springfield - The Springfield Museums 

Pittsfield - Hancock Shaker Village

August 12th 

Amherst - Emily Dickinson Museum 

Great Barrington - Mahawaie Performing Arts Center 

Stockbridge - Naumkeag, The Trustees 

August 19th 

No Western MA participants 

August 26th 

Lenox - Ventfort Hall Mansion & Guilded Age Museum 

Pittsfield - Berkshire Museum 

Sturbridge - Old Sturbridge Village 

West Stockbridge - Norman Rockwell Museum 

Free Museums In Western MA

Do you feel like visiting a world class museum without getting in the car and driving to the city?  In the mood for some culture, and your wallet just doesn't agree?  You're in luck, there are some wonderful free museums to visit right here in Western Massachusetts!  

Note - I have not visited all of these museums, and inclusion on this list is not an endorsement.  This list is for informational purposes only - be sure to check current hours and information when planning a visit!  Post may include affiliate links. 

Free for All.  All The Time.

Amherst

• August Savage Gallery at New Africa House, UMass 
• Amherst Historical Society & Museum
• Beneski Museum of Natural History, Amherst College 
• Hampden Gallery, UMass
• Johnson Library Gallery, Hampshire College 
• Mead Art Museum, Amherst College 
• University Museum of Contemporary Art, UMass 
• Yiddish Book Center 

Chicopee 

• Polish Discovery & Learning Center, Elms College 

Great Barrington 

• Great Barrington Historical Society & Museum

Holyoke 

• Holyoke Heritage State Park Visitors Center 
• Taber Art Gallery, Holyoke Community College 

North Adams 

• Williams College Museum of Art
• Western Gateway Heritage State Park Visitors Center 
• North Adams Museum of History & Science (at Heritage State Park)

Northampton 

• R. Michelson Gallery 
• The Oxbow Gallery 

South Hadley 

• Mount Holyoke College Art Museum 
• Joseph Allen Skinner Museum, Mt. Holyoke 

Springfield 

• Springfield Armory National Historic Site 
• 
  

Turners Falls 

• Great Falls Discovery Center

Sometimes Free. 

Northampton

• Smith College Art Museum, Free for all 2nd Friday 4-8 (youth & students always free)

Springfield

• Springfield Museums (Quadrangle) - Free for Springfield residents, Blue Star Museum - free for active military plus 5 family members