Museum Profile
Memorial Hall Museum
Memorial Hall is one of New England’s oldest museums, housed in the original 1798 Deerfield Academy school building since the museum opened in 1880. The extraordinary furnishings, paintings, textiles, and Indian artifacts make up the finest collection of local antiquities in New England. Just minutes off Interstate 91 and Rt. 2 (the Mohawk Trail), visits from 20 minutes to 2 hours capture centuries of early American art and history, ranging from local Native Americans to the famous early 20th century Deerfield Arts and Crafts Movement--and even dinosaurs! Our newest exhibit materials include dinosaur footprints and fossils from our local geology, discovered by Edward Hitchcock, one of Deerfield's 19th-century native sons and a professor (and later president) of Amherst College. This year we have three special exhibits: 1) The Music Room - In celebration of the 100th anniversary of our 1916 wing, the Music Room has been renovated and reinstalled with three centuries of musical instruments, furniture, and artwork; 2) Children of Deerfield: Photographs by Frances and Mary Allen - Celebrated as the "foremost women photographers in America" in 1901, their 1885-1915 photographs provide a unique glimpse of childhood in rural New England, on the farm, at play, or in costume in Old Deerfield; and 3) Relics and Curiosities in Memorial Hall - Out of the ordinary, rarely seen curios and keepsakes gathered and preserved since 1799 are featured in this exhibit. Explore 19 galleries on your own, with printed and wi-fi assistance, or with a friendly human guide. Elevator and handicap accessible restrooms are available, and visitors can enjoy comfortable seating in our beautiful seasonal gardens. Groups are also welcome to the annual Old Deerfield Craft Fairs, when the museum hosts 200 artisans and crowds of 8,000 to 10,000 visitors. This year's Fall Arts & Crafts Fair will be held on September 17 & 18, 2016. Memorial Hall Museum is open weekends only in May, and daily June through October (closed Mondays). Our hours are 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults; $3 for youth and students 6-21. The museum is also a Blue Star Museum, offering free admission to the nation’s active-duty military personnel and their families (up to 5 family members), including National Guard and Reserve, from Memorial Day, May 30, through Labor Day, September 5, 2016. The museum is also open by appointment, and we are happy to design customized tours and lectures for special-interest and study groups for adults or children; if you would like to discuss options or arrange a group tour, please call 413-774-7476, ext. 10.
