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February 2024 by L M.
Nice little museum for little kids AND teachers. The exhibits show the importance of picture books with Carle being the master illustrator. Could be cheaper for what it is. We only spent an hour there.
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February 2024 by Becca D.
I came here by myself a few weeks ago. I was shocked by how few exhibits there were and now small they were. I was expecting them to have more on display about his life, artistic process and some of his more famous books. They had a studio and library which would be fun it you brought a child. The overall vibe was charming and very much in the spirit of his books. I just wouldn't go out of my way to go here. The gift shop and info wall about his life was the best part.
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February 2024 by Ada Y.
Being a devoted fan of children's picture books, visiting the Eric Carle Museum was truly amazing. Unlike New York, there isn't a similar museum there. The space was spacious with high ceiling. I stumbled upon interesting books with unfamiliar authors. The staff were friendly, and they offer engaging activities for kids. I can see the value in this place. No cafe is available but there is a snack vending machine and indoor and outdoor seating. There is a water bottle refill machine. I would advise to grab some food first at Atkins Farms as it is a just a few minutes' drive away. It offers a convenient option. Overall, I had a positive experience and I recommend others to come visit this unique place.
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September 2023 by Alicia Sullivan
Truly a gem!! There are two exhibits (that change often, it seems) and a consistent library, auditorium, art studio, cafe and outdoor space. There is a sweet little gift shoppe with a great selection of discounted books! (Not the kind that you MUST traverse in order to exit ?) My 6 & 8yo boys could have spent hours in the library. We discovered the art studio toward the end of our visit, but it was so well organized and inviting that they dug right in! We also loved that every hour there was a 10 minute story/ video in the auditorium. It was JUST enough. It was engaging not just for the kids, but for all three adults in our party too.
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August 2023 by Connor Scanlon
A wonderful museum for all ages. Small ish, so a great little afternoon trip. There is a little art workspace with provided materials for you to make something if you're feeling inspired, again welcome to all ages.Gift shop has an AMAZING selection of illustrated books.
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August 2023 by Che S.
VERY small. Feels more like an adult museum honestly. I heard a few parents shhhh-ing their kids inside. Beautiful artwork and information about Eric Carle. The book store alone got 3 stars, the best part of the visit!
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June 2023 by T B
We went on a Thursday at 10:30am. They're open Wednesday to Sunday (closed Monday, Tuesday).Plenty of free parking. Sidewalks on other side of hedges but not obvious when you park. Stroller friendly location!It is in a small, plain white, unassuming building. There are two small galleries - one was closed today- plus a library, auditorium, gift shop, and art studio for kids to paint. Tours are self-guided.The gallery we went in had drawings hung at child level for the 4-8yo age range. There was a cute sofa with lots of books to read.In the corridor there was a big butterfly mural (good for pics), a butterfly shelf with two seats inside for kids to "hide" in, an interactive felt board with colourful felt to move around (good for 1-5yo age range), and a cut-out head hungry caterpillar to pose for photos (3+ age range for height for that).We didn't make it into the library because it was hopping! Full of kids and parents and I'm not sure if it was for checking out books like a literal library or just reading them there.The gift shop had a variety of items in varying price ranges.The art studio had watercolor pencils and paint, drawing pencils that kids are invited to use (good for 2+). It also had a very small section with building blocks (good for 1-3yo).They offered story times and other kid events throughout the day.The bathrooms were clean. One Accessible stall, one child size toilet (which had an auto flush on it), and one non-auto flush toilet, plus several other toilets.We checked out a free admission pass from our local library. You can also get in free if you have EBT, WIC, or ConnectorCare health insurance.I would say this is best for the 4 or 5 age range and up. My 2yo wasn't overly impressed, but it wasn't crowded and definitely had a kid-friendly vibe!Down the street from Atkins Farm Market, so do yourself a favour and stop in for amazing donuts, ice cream, other baked foods, fresh local produce, sandwiches, deli meat, etc.
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June 2023 by Rachel Newquist
I was very excited about an Eric carle museum! The reviews seemed goof. Honestly the best part was the gift shop. The museum is not really that much to look at, I expected more art! Definitely not worth the $12.
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June 2023 by Beth Y
Any one who is a fan of Eric Carle will LOVE this museum. It was created by Carle and his wife and has a gallery of his evolution as an artist and another room dedicated to his lifelong fascination and partnership with Japan. The bookstore is a treasure trove of picture books, children's books, bags, stationary and clothes. There are also activities for children. We had such a great time.
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June 2023 by Juan E.
I really enjoyed my first visit ever to the Eric Carle Museum! I believe I spent a couple of hours here looking at every piece of art I could see. Excellent displays throughout the museum and a wide variety of artwork to appreciate. The space is large, and the collection of art is diverse from multiple authors. The price was incredibly reasonable at around $12 for general admission. You can also get a free day pass from your local public library. If I lived closer I would have absolutely become a member of The Eric Carle museum so I could visit for free and take advantage everything they have to offer. The Eric Carle museum is truly a gem in Amherst, MA. Even if you don't think you're "an art person", give this place a shot. You may be surprised by what moves and inspires you. The galleries have wonderful interactive crafts for toddlers, pre-school, and young school aged children. Adults will find it enjoyable, too, especially if you are young at heart. The gift shop is large, affordable, and varied. Allow time for that wonderful experience, too. I can't wait to be back!
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April 2023 by Sean G.
Cute, modern museum, but much smaller than I expected, and not a ton for the kids to do. They loved the art studio and outside area, but the 2 galleries didn't really captivate their attention. We happened to go on a day when admission was free, which was awesome. We attended a storybook reading by an author/illustrator in the auditorium which the kids loved. 2 hours sufficient with kids in tow.
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April 2023 by carlg613
Rotating exhibits are worth the visit! We stopped by the museum for a short trip we made to western mass, our 4 yr old had a wonderful experience. The exhibits include activities that encourage play while the adults can enjoy the exhibit. The art room got all three of us involved in a mix media project, that covered quite a bit of time for us. We dropped into the book store after and saw plenty of unique books thay followed us home.
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December 2022 by Selena Nederhoff
Eric Carle was an important influence in my children's youth, not only his books but they met him while I worked in a bookstore and spent more than one visit with him talking ahout.hia past, his love of reading, and he treated them like he was excited to visit with them, not that he was just being nice while he was signing books.I have wanted to visit his museum foe a while and was given the opportunity today. Not only does it include his time-line and examples of works and artwork, it also includes other children's artists work. There is a Cafe, museum, library, and bookstore on site.I wish I had been able to visit before and could discuss his museum with him, but thoroughly enjoyed my adventure and small glimpse into his artwork.
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December 2022 by James
Incredibly fun museum to visit that is not just dedicated to Eric Carle's artwork, but also many additional picture book artists. There are 2 galleries (the connecting one is closed at the moment), an auditorium, a cafe, a reading library, a play area for children, a gift store, and an art workshop.There is a lot to do and see, and it is a fun interactive museum that I'd highly recommend! The staff are really fun and nice, and there's even a fun scavenger hunt!
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December 2022 by Mélodie Pimentel
Loved all the artworks using collage and tissue paper, something I hadn't appreciated before. The art that goes into children's books is absolutely beautiful. Aside from their collection, I also recommend this museum due to them incorporating interactivity for children: from opportunities to read a picture book, to drawing your favorite pet, and finally wrapping up the visit in the art studio!Also glad to see that the museum is enforcing masks.
