This is a gem in the area. One of the best museums for kids and adults. The gallery was great and the staff was very helpful knowledgeable and friendly. The library and work shop areas are fantastic.

It was a nice mixture of art and items my 3 year old could explore. We love the very hungry caterpillar so this was a highlight for our family

Great Place to bring the wide-eyed little one who loves to read or just look at books! Also come to one of the great events and remember to pack a lunch to share! They provide the space but not food and for those early risers they have complimentary coffee in the cafe

Great place for kids and adults. A lot of space so Its easy to keep social distance. This place is very clean and staff friendly.

If youre a lover of childrens books, this small museum is a must-see. They have a few older antique copies of books on display near their very user friendly library room. The library has booklist resources, updated displays, and lots of places to grab a book and read. There is a movie theater where short films are shown every few hours and events happen as well. The cafe space has healthy vending machines, a calm place to sit and eat and free coffee. If you want more than vending, bring your own lunch. The three galleries have the main Carle exhibit and two others that change. I saw an owls in books and a graphic novel exhibit, both informative and interactive with activities for children to do. Theres an art studio for people to make art while there as well and a fantastic, but pricey, gift shop. The best thing about this museum was its small size and entry points for adults and children. I didnt leave overwhelmed and was able to see everything in about 2 hours. Definitely worth a stop!

This is the best child oriented museum Ive been to. We came for the Dav Pilkey book signing event, and right from the beginning everything was organized, orderly, and everyone was well informed about the event.The museum itself is open and inviting, with tons of things for children to immerse themselves in. Every staff member we encountered had a friendly demeanor, and they all clearly enjoy their jobs.Theres a library, art studio, gardens outside, a cafe to bring your lunch, not to mention the galleries.This place is fantastic, and completely exceeded my expectations!

Great variety for kids of all ages! Art studio time for all making unique creations!There was a fun gallery and several creation areas.Most Loved stories including Where The Wild Things Are, and the 50 yr old story The Hungry Caterpillar

This is a lovely museum. If you have kids between the ages of 3 and 9, the entire space has been set up for you, in really interactive ways that resemble the best childrens museums and you can spend hours. If you have older children or no children, the art in the galleries has been thoughtfully curated and will take you about 45 minutes to see it all. Still definitely worth a stop. Gift shop is fantastic including of course wonderful books, notecards and childrens games, but also T shirts that will even win over your most sophisticated teenager (Harold and the purple crayon or Alice in Wonderland or Edward Gorey or...)

Always a great visit and very helpful staff.

Great picture book artwork exhibit and some biographical presentation. Two or three large spaces and outreach to both adults and children.

Exhibits were limited but the art room, library, and book shop make the visit worth it. there’s also a small garden and cafe with more permanent art installations. it’s a great space for little kids and encourages interaction with the exhibits and the space. older guests might find that this is a quick visit.

An excellent collection of picture book artwork, including work by authors other than Eric Carle. Fully stocked gift shop/bookstore.

We had a great time. The painting was fun.

Small, but beautiful and cherished museum. There is cafe space with free coffee.The museum shop is great in variety of products and also available online.

Great place of you like the author and his books.

Not a whole lot to do here for little kids. Most of the exhibits are focused on the hungry caterpillar book. There is an auditorium which shows movies/documentaries, but only at specific times. The art room was awesome. Kids had a chance to create an artifact based on the exhibit. I wish they had glue instead of tape though... Bookstore was good and had a diverse selection of books at good prices. We likely wont go back though.

Went with my family and we have a great experience. My 2 YO love it!

I went with my daughter and 3 year old grandson and had a great time! I loved watching him getting excited and enjoying himself. They have a lot to offer other than the beautiful illustrations of Eric Carle. The library has activities like puzzles and coloring pictures from the books. Theres a maze you have to get through on a childrens height table. There are also musical instruments outside to play with and a meadow to search for and observe wildlife. Looking forward to a return visit.

Neat museum for adults as well as kids. Gorgeous building, interesting exhibits and good films. 60-90 minutes is perfect.

Quiet and lovely. Its a very educational place with a beautiful setting. Would go every week if it were free.

Lovely place to spend a rainy day. Fun for children and adults.

Quite small, but with quality exhibits adults will appreciate (if theyre into picture books at all) and activities for the pre-K crowd.

This is such a great museum! I went here for their graphic novel exhibit, which was fun and really informative. I didnt get a chance to see much of the rest of the museum, but what I did see looked amazing, from giant wall-sized versions of Eric Carle art to a replica of the rock from Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (complete with a picnic basket full of felt food for kids to play with)! I especially liked that this museum has plenty of things to amuse kids and inform adults at the same time. Its definitely worth a trip!

Great local museum with a lot of favorites

A great family place! Just enough to do and the kids loved it.

Fantastic museum. Wonderful weekend spot to take the kids. Interactive exhibits and an art room to create something of their own. Highly recommend a visit

I like it, but only recommend going when events are happening. Or make the most of the free library passes.

Amazing little museum

Great exhibits with interactive components too. Also a beautiful gift shop. Outdoor play space as well.

We brought our 7 yr old down from Keene, NH to the Eric Carle Museum and he loved the storytime, the art activities in the studio, the interactive displays and of course the gift shop! I loved reading about the process of creating the books from conception to publication.

A good time for all ages. Films, Crafting, reading, seek n find in the exhibits. Place to eat your packed lunch inside or outside. All my kids had fun and learned things. Will go again.

Lovely museum with interactive exhibits for children. Delightful art studio for kiddos and the adults they bring with them. Loved the Maira Kalman exhibit.

I was expecting the exhibits to be a lot more interactive. They have an art room which we did a craft in and the rest of the place was really for kids 8 & up I would say. They showed a documentary about Eric Carle and his work. Definitely for older kids.

We were extra lucky to visit this light-filled kid-friendly museum on the annual Very Hungry Caterpillar Day & catch the 50th anniversary collection of the Very Hungry Caterpillar but it would be wonderful any time. The staff was friendly. There is an art studio, a library, a gift shop and gallery area. Others told me outdoor picnicking is welcome on the grounds in warm weather. My son is a major Caterpillar fan and it was a great program, complete with real life caterpillars and butterflies and a chance to meet the Caterpillar himself. A very creative place.

Although its fun to read about Carle and see the exhibits or attend an event here, the museum space seems cavernous compared to the amount of material presented.

Its a cute concept. The museum is very clean and well maintained. However, if youre an adult there isnt much to do. There are three main galleries, a mini meadow walk, an auditorium with occasional shows and a gift store. There is also a library and crafts area for small children. Adults could easily see everything in about an hour. I think the museum is probably a better experience for families with very young children. Older children and teenagers would probably get bored pretty quickly. I wouldnt drive a long distance just for the museum, but if youre in the area its worth checking out once. See if your local library offers free or discounted tickets.

Was really nice and our son, a big Eric Carle fan, loved it

Truly a magical place and worth visiting more than once.

Great place for kids to explore from arts,crafts, illustration and gift shop. All clean,staff very courteous.

It was a lot of fun for the grandchildren....ages 5 and 2 1/2. They danced with the Hungry Caterpillar, did a craft and got a tattoo. Very entertaining. Free on Friday, too.

This is a small museum with a few displays. Its great for young children and fans of illustrations. For adults theres not much to do beyond the few display rooms. Although the craft room is AWESOME!Wish they could add just a little bit more.

Its a very small museum, but what they have is very nice. We got free passes from the library for Mothers Day. They have 3 galleries, one was closed. During our visit one was dedicated to Eloise.The second room had a nice gallery of storybook art. Probably best for 7 and up. My 5 year old was bored in the galleries. They have a great library and art room for kids to make their own art.

Oh my gosh!! If you have even just a little appreciation for the world of childrens picture books, you must go to the Eric Carle Museum. Get deeper into the artists and authors processes, you can spend hours just in the library alone, never mind the wonderful studio space where there are all sorts of art activities for young and old alike!! The shop is also very fun and is sure to have something, okay many somethings, that you realize you must have to add to your very own childrens picture book library. Its a beautiful museum, with such an atmosphere of joy and fun.

Small museum but affordable and some great exhibits. My kids (3 and 6) loved the art studio and the library.

A must visit, interactive stations throughout and the Art exhibit was a huge hit.

Great exhibits and hands on art studio area for adults and children

Great Fun for adults. Spent over an hour in the museum store. Fascinating wall panels on his life and art, specifically end papers, hidden initials in collages, etc.

A lot of fun for adults and kids alike. Very interesting to learn about the mind behind the books

Loved the museum. Nice gallery. The art section for kids was excellent. Kids were engaged with quite a few activities. Overall a great experience. Spent about 4 hrs during our trip.

We visited on Free Fun Friday. Although there were many kids there (it seemed to be a popular day camp day trip), most of them were doing crafts or outside. The exhibits were reasonably empty. The Winnie the Pooh exhibit was very educational and the Central Gallery was filled with amazing artwork. Recommended for anyone who has ever read (or had read to them) a picture book!

Beautiful, kid friendly, sensory friendly Loved the spaces dedicated to kids creating art and picture books inviting and comfy library/reading space. Would buy out the gift shop if we could afford it!

Wonderful museum for little and big kids. Lots of activities for children, and stimulating experiences. Large outside space with several musical instruments installed. Been there with a one year old, have been there with an 11 year old. Had great time both times. Allows everyone to be a kid again! Well worth a visit.

It’s a fun museum for younger kids, focused on simple picture books. It’s a great place for 3-8 year olds to explore, try some art, and just explore a little. The museum is very well kept and it does have interesting notes and stories about Eric Carle. Eric Carle is author and illustrator of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and the museum is centered around that book. Great for families with young kids!

Such a fun place to chill and make art with my 8 year old daughter. Not just a museum but a muse for creativity and joy. Overall we spent 2.5 hours here and it was a perfect amount of time.

Fantastic way to spend a day with your young ones

Really well kept building with very little content inside. The kids art room was fun for the little ones. Not worth a 2-hour drive.

My wife and I toured the museum on a weekend away from our toddler, and I spent the whole time wishing she could have been with us. And thats not because the museum or its exhibits were juvenile. Instead, everything was so well done and I was enjoying myself so much that I wished I had the opportunity to share it with her.If you have a child you loves to read, go and spend hour reading and celebrating childrens literature.If you find childrens literature illustrations as beautiful and inspiring as I do, then its worth your time to visit and more.

I went here with my 17 month old toddler who saw a ball from the gift shop and we got it for her. We walk into the gallery where she’s only rolling the ball and we get told to not let her play with the ball while were in there. She is a baby who can’t even throw a ball she was screaming crying because we had to take it away from her. Which usually that would make sense but it doesn’t make sense because they have the art work displayed at a low level where the kids could grab the work with there hands. There where no signs saying don’t bring in toys and we left that was very disappointing. Do not sell things that you don’t want kids playing with at that moment.

Best educator experience! Educational experience fabulous! Definite go back place!

Really nice day out with the family. Wish it had a few more exhibits but for a 15 month old it was just right. The exhibits were hands in as very cute and there was a craft room to make your own souvenir. Definitely plan to go back again at some point.

Great for our 2 year old. Crafts felt a little involved and a few no touch exhibits seems out of place. Trying to be both for young kids and adults, and falling in a weird middle place. Worth a day trip.

Great place to visit with young children: movies, books, displays, and craft room plus gift store

Awesome place!! The staff was friendly, wonderful, and helpful. My children and my autistic client love the pictures and the creative and welcoming environment.

I got there shortly before close so didnt have time to look at the exhibits, but the entry area and gift shop were great and the museum generally seemed sweet and interesting. Will go back if Im in the area again.

Great for toddlers and elementary aged kids alike. It was loved equally by our kiddos (18 months, 5, and almost 8). Cool place to discover, do some artwork of your own, and have quality time as a family. The museum is on the smaller side and consists mainly of a couple kid friendly gallery spaces, cozy library, art room, and theater. Bonus for parents- there is free coffee in the cafe. And its good...

Great museum for kids. The staff here is really friendly. They have a daily craft that the kids get to do, and they switch out the exhibits. There is also a library chuck full of kids books for some bonding reading time with your child. They have a small cafeteria for a snack. You bring that yourself or use their self help snack vending machines. They offer complimentary coffee, thats first come first serve. Its decent coffee that helps you keep up with the kiddos. There is a nice lawn area with outdoor seating and a red elephant for the kids to run around too halfway through the day .

Hidden gem. Fun without kids probably, but my 2 and 4 year old were extremely pumped. Nice little cafe area with healthy vending machine and legit coffee for free! Highlight was art zone where you and kids can paint/draw with help of staff, very well organized. Cant wait to go back!

We love this place. This is my familys third year being members and we go often. Theyre always changing the exhibits, so theres new stuff to see if the gallery. The curators work to make the galleries interactive and fun, even for toddlers (I have a 6yo and a 3yo). The art studio and library offer activities and crafts, there are free lockers in the coatroom, so pack a lunch and eat in the cafe (free coffee plus a natural food vending machine) or enjoy a picnic outside in the meadow. The museum is constantly having book signings (met Eric Carle himself!) Author talks, fun events like friendship day and pancake breakfasts and theres an improv show once a month.If youre from out of town, nearby Amherst and Northampton offer lots to eat, great shopping and beautiful hiking trails. Make a weekend of it!

One of a kind museum! Worth a visit if in the area, doubly so with young ones

Such a wonderful place for children and adults.

The museum isnt for little kids. Its worth a visit if youre an adult or older child interested in Eric Carle or artwork, but the main studio displaying different pieces of artists work isnt very appealing to younger children, and my 6, 4, and 2 year olds were very disinterested.There IS an art studio with staff aimed towards young children where they get to create different types art projects, and a large room with childrens books for reading to your children. Those areas are very interactive, though I certainly wouldnt consider either activities enough to justify the price of admission.Having experienced the museum once, I wouldnt visit again.

What an amazing place! Found it by accident and my family, all adults, dropped by and its wonderful

Really cute place to bring kids for a couple hours of fun. They have free coffee for adults which is a huge plus. A little art studio for kids to paint. A nice size library. Definitely recommend going if you havent been. It is kind of small but its worth it.

We drove from the Boston Metro area to there. It was so not worth it. The museum was small, even worse, not much Eric Carle things. It is a one-floor building with gift shop, auditorium, art and craft place, two exhibit rooms, library and eating area.It would help if the staff at check-in reminded us about the show time for the short films at the auditorium. I wouldnt say its a kid friendly place as it is a very quiet place. (Kids like to run around and make noises.) Overall, not much going on at the museum.

If you have any sort of imagination youll enjoy The Carle! Have a couple of hours? This museum is family friendly, not overwhelming, and easily manageble. Theres something for everyone: the artist, shopper, reader, historian.... keep an eye on their event calender for exciting author meet and greets.

Very cute museum, my 3 and 7 year olds very much enjoyed the library, galleries and activities.

Nice little museum. Well designed exhibits and an art space that is welcoming for adults and kids.

Great childrens museum!

A beautiful facility, with excellent staff and child-centered activities as well as installations of interest to adults. When we visited, we were fortunate to hear gallery talks from 3 winners of the Coretta Scott King Prize for Illustration among a powerful exhibit of African American childrens literature and Illustration.

Little kids will have a great time

Great place for little kids and anyone who loves childrens literature.

Great place for little kids and anyone that loves childrens literature.

FABULOUS place!!! Great hands on opportunities for kids too! Lovely grounds! Many fun events!

Small Museum, with a limited on location for and play-space.For the child who like to read or make crafts this is a great Trip. If your children require a lot of physical activities you may need to balance the rest of your day around places to get the energy out.I took my children and we spent much of out time in the Art Studio and the on site Library. I wouldnt expect to spend more then 3 hours here, so call ahead to see if they have the days activities schedule is available. On the day we went we were about to catch one of the story readers, but need to run around and get lunch before we could make the next presentation.

Its not or miss. I have very active children and this isnt a good place for them. Its a library. The craft is awesome and so is the mini movie/book. They have lots of interactive things for the kids.

The ABC song, itsy bitsy spider, and twinkle twinkle, was much too young for 2nd grade.

Not worth it. There was no Eric Carle art n display. One of the galleries was closed, so they charged the full $9 to see just two rooms. I could’ve gone to a bookstore for free. I want those $9 back...

Great place for families. My 15-month old and 3 1/2 year old absolutely loved it. Highly recommend!!!

Great museum with great library, art studio and ever changing exhibits. Always a joy to come.

Great to view unpublished works by Eric Carle as well as learn the background on how he created his books.

This was a nice place. The work they had on display around the different childrens books was very very nice. Alot of thought went into the arrangement and it was very enjoyable. Outside of the gallery, in the museum, they had a display of different caterpillars. The gentleman explaining them really made the trip for us. He was passionate, knowledgeable and did a great job explaining the life cycle of caterpillars in ways that we could really appreciate.The place did not have good ventilation. We visited after a snowstorm and the people, babies, lack of ventilation made the place literally smell like a dirty diaper.

Great local author visits

Great shop with lots of good kids books.

Loved the improv show

A good, but small museum. We went on a Friday with a 2 year old and a 4 year old. The museum has a great library full of childrens books and a nice craft area with staff/volunteers there to help you through a fun craft project. There is also an auditorium where they screen short films. There are kind of two main areas for exhibits, one of which was closed off while they were preparing to change it over. The exhibits themselves took maybe 10 minutes to look through.The building itself and the grounds are beautiful, although it was cold and we didnt spend much time outside. There is also a small cafeteria area with vending machines if you would like a snack or a drink.

What an amazing place for young children to explore and learn. The hands-on art studio is a great place for kids to show there creativity.

Not much for kids to do and its pretty tiny

This museum is so adorable and kid friendly! I loved reading the descriptions of the book art while my youngest played freely!

Took the kids over on the weekend and they had a great time!! Its just right for the lottle ones and enjoyed every minute of it. Amazi g artwork display of Leo and Diane Dillon

$25 family fee for limited exhibition, small library . Not worth it