Plan Your Visit: Hours and Directions
Visitors are Always Welcome at Our Shtetl
We are once again welcoming visitors at our architecturally distinctive museum and Visitors Center, designed to recall a shtetl—the iconic Jewish town of Eastern Europe—and set on a ten-acre apple orchard at the edge of the campus of Hampshire College in Amherst, Massachusetts. We’re a two-hour drive from Boston, three hours from New York, and one hour from the Berkshires.
The world's first Yiddish museum, the Yiddish Book Center is home to permanent and visiting exhibits on Yiddish and Jewish culture. We also offer a full schedule of virtual and some live public programs.
Hours
The Center is currently open to the public on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Closed Shabbos (Saturday) and Jewish and legal holidays.
Holiday Closings 2021
Labor Day - September 6
Rosh Hashanah - September 7 & 8
Yom Kippur - close at noon September 15
Yom Kippur - September 16
Sukkos - September 21 & 22
Shemini Atzereth - September 28
Simchas Torah - September 29
Thanksgiving close at noon on November 24, and closed all day November 25 & 26
Close at noon December 24
Christmas Day observed - December 25
Directions
GPS: Set destination as “Hampshire College, Amherst, MA.” Once you arrive on campus, follow signs to the Yiddish Book Center.
Click here for directions and a map of the area.
Visitor Guidelines
To ensure the health and safety of all our visitors and staff, we have COVID protocols in place. Visitors must follow the most current Massachusetts travel guidelines. All visitors will be required to wear facemasks while in the Center and to adhere to social distancing requirements to protect the safety of themselves and others.
Suggested donation: $8 for adults; $6 for seniors. Free for members, students, and children.
Accommodations
We're located in Massachusetts' Pioneer Valley, home to renowned museums and colleges, a lively restaurant scene, eclectic shops, and a wide range of hotels and inns.
To learn more about places to stay, eat, shop, and explore, go to Visit Hampshire County.