The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art
About the Museum
The mission of The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, a non-profit organization in Amherst, MA, is to inspire a love of art and reading through picture books. The only full-scale museum of its kind in the United States, The Carle collects, preserves, presents, and celebrates picture books and picture book illustrations from around the world. In addition to underscoring the cultural, historical, and artistic significance of picture books and their art form, The Carle offers educational programs that provide a foundation for arts integration and literacy.
Eric and Barbara Carle founded the Museum in November 2002. Eric Carle is the renowned author and illustrator of more than 70 books, including the 1969 classic The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Since opening, the 40,000-square foot facility has served more than half a million visitors, including 30,000 schoolchildren. Its extensive resources include a collection of more than 10,000 picture book illustrations, three art galleries, an art studio, a theater, picture book and scholarly libraries, and educational programs for families, scholars, educators, and schoolchildren. Educational offerings include professional training for educators around the country.
Read here about the remarkable life of Eric Carle MORE
Hours:
Saturday 10 am – 5 pm
Sunday 12 pm – 5 pm
The Bookshop, Art Studio, and Reading Library hours are the same as the Museum.
Holiday Closures
Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day.
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The Eric Carle Museum, Exhibits
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Road, Amherst, MAOpen + Shut: Celebrating the Art of Endpapers Endpapers are the unsung glory of contemporary children’s publishing. Once a purely functional form—sturdy pages glued to the inside of a book’s cardboard covers—endpapers today are often full of wit, surprise, and deep emotion. As one of the first (and last!) visual elements readers encounter when interacting with…
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The Eric Carle Museum, Special Storytime
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Road, Amherst, MACaldecott and Sibert Medalist Jason Chin will read his new book Hurricane. It’s a beautiful day on Hatteras Island, North Carolina. But while all seems calm now, a hurricane is barreling across the Atlantic, and everyone is wondering when it will hit the U.S. coast - and where. Jason will host a live drawing demo after the storytime. A book…
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The Eric Carle Museum, The Carle After Dark
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Road, Amherst, MADiscover The Carle in a whole new light! Join us on the first Thursday* of each month, when the Museum transforms into a playground of wonder, celebrating the mysteries of night, the sparkle of dreams, and the magic of timeless tales. Join us after-hours and bring your friends, neighbors, and kindred spirits. Each month unveils a…
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The Eric Carle Museum, Word Play with The Center Dance Studio
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Road, Amherst, MAJoin The Center Dance Studio for creative movement and narrative dance inspired by Daniel’s Good Day, by Micha Archer. Kids will love this interactive class that honors the reader, and storyteller, in all of us. Bring your imagination and your dancing feet! Recommended for children ages 2-6. Caregiver participation welcome. Free with Museum admission
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The Eric Carle Museum, Special Storytime
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Road, Amherst, MAJoin bestselling author Angela DiTerlizzi as she reads her newest book The Marvelous Now! Missed the bus? Flubbed a test? Got overwhelmed in a crowd? When you’re feeling big feelings or having a bad day, it can be hard to calm your racing mind and stay present. The Marvelous Now gives kids the tools to see that this…
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The Eric Carle Museum, Educators’ Night
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Road, Amherst, MAGrace Lin (1.5 PDPs) The Carle is pleased to welcome Grace Lin as the 2025 Educators’ Night guest speaker. This event is free and open to all educators as space permits. Reservations are required and begin September 29. Book signing to follow program. Can’t make the event? Order books online by November 7 to reserve signed books. Schedule of events 3:30 - 4:30 pm Guests…
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The Eric Carle Museum, Open Book, Open Play
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Road, Amherst, MAEnjoy this interactive storytime for early learners. Move, sing, talk, and explore materials during this interactive storytime designed with toddlers and preschoolers in mind. Recommended for children under 5 and their caregivers. WHO YOU'LL MEET DAVID FEINSTEIN Literacy Educator at The Carle since 2017, David enjoys working with artists, educators, and families to create and share their stories.
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The Eric Carle Museum, Explore the BERL
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Road, Amherst, MAEnjoy a morning exploring the Barbara Elleman Research Library (BERL), a collection of scholarly resources and rare books. Librarian Betty Matthews will share some of the treasured items Elleman amassed over the course of her thirty-year career in the children’s literature field, along with more recent additions to the library. Immerse yourself in a treasure trove…
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The Eric Carle Museum, Special Storytime
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Road, Amherst, MAJoin Berkshire Hills Music Academy’s Mary Westgate for a fun, music-filled storytime featuring singing, musical instruments, and braille books. Who You'll Meet Mary Westgate Mary Westgate has been reading Braille books and singing with children for over 10 years. Mary is a day student at Berkshire Hills Music Academy (BHMA) in South Hadley, MA. She is a…
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The Eric Carle Museum, Special Storytime
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Road, Amherst, MAJoin author Megan Litwin as she shares her newest book Gather Grateful! As colors in nature start to change, animals begin gathering items—squirrels their acorns, crows their treasures, raccoons the bits and pieces needed to fortify their homes. Animals of all species prepare to gather with each other too, for warmth, for affection, for sharing food…
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The Eric Carle Museum, Special Storytime
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Road, Amherst, MAJoin author and illustrator AJ Smith Book for a reading of his new book, Catnip Mouse, followed by a presentation and discussion about the making of the book, an interactive game that invites kids to be just as silly as the book itself, and a drawing demonstration. Book signing to follow program. Can’t make the event? You may reserve…
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The Eric Carle Museum, The Carle After Dark
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art 125 W Bay Road, Amherst, MADiscover The Carle in a whole new light! Join us on the first Thursday* of each month, when the Museum transforms into a playground of wonder, celebrating the mysteries of night, the sparkle of dreams, and the magic of timeless tales. Join us after-hours and bring your friends, neighbors, and kindred spirits. Each month unveils a…
