Welcome to the home page of The Berkshire Historical Society, a non-profit corporation dedicated to collecting, preserving, and disseminating the history of Berkshire County in western Massachusetts. In addition, the Berkshire Historical Society is committed to the preservation and interpretation of Arrowhead, home of author Herman Melville, the first National Historic Landmark to be so designated in Berkshire County.

Research

We have a wealth of resources and services to support your research efforts. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

Visiting Arrowhead

. Herman Melville’s Arrowhead is open daily from Memorial Day Weekend through October 10 from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.. Tours begin hourly with the first tour at 10 a.m. and the last tour at 4 p.m. Tours are approximately 3/4 of an hour long. The offices of The Berkshire Historical Society are open year-round Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the summer hours, from 10 p.m. to 2 p.m. in the off-season. Closed state and federal holidays.

The Margaret H. Hall Library and Archives are open year-round by appointment with the Curator of Collections.

Directions

The offices of the Berkshire Historical Society and the Margaret H. Hall Local History Library and Archives are located in a 20th-century addition to Herman Melville’s home, Arrowhead, in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.

Arrowhead is located at 780 Holmes Road in Pittsfield. From the Massachusetts Turnpike(I-90), take Exit 2 (Lee). Follow Route 20 West for 8.5 miles; it will merge with Route 7 North. Turn right onto Holmes Road at the traffic light. Arrowhead is 1.5 miles ahead on the left.

From points north: Route 20, Route 9, and Route 7 all lead to Pittsfield and intersect with major interstates. Consult your own maps for reaching Route 7 from where you are. Once you are on Route 7 South, follow Route 7 South until you cross the Pittsfield-Lenox town line. Turn left onto Holmes Road at the traffic light. Arrowhead is 1.5 miles ahead on the left.

Click here for google maps