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:
The Bookshop, Art Studio, and Reading Library hours are the same as the Museum.
Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day.
It’s evening and Baby is asleep. Momma and Dad set up Baby’s crib, but leave the door unlocked. Most babies scoot, flop, and roll their way to sleep. But this Baby? This Baby tumbles right out the door! Eventually, Tumblebaby tumbles home, well-traveled, well rested, having changed the whole world, eyes closed all along. A […]
Calling All Gen Xers and families with young children! Grab your bell-bottoms or anything crocheted, take our hand, and come along to this fully interactive and participatory show. Join local pianist and song leader Joshua Sitron (Nickelodeon, Disney) and Myka Plunkett (actor, director, educator) for a Free to Be…You and Me Sing-along Spectacular! Get ready to laugh, […]
Being a child can feel like being buffeted along by a huge force out of your control. At any moment, something incredible could happen—but so could something scary, or sad, or hard—and everything is always changing. Learning to cope means learning the cycles, the things you can depend on. There’s That Sun Again illuminates that cycle, showing […]
Join Director of Education Courtney Waring for a guided tour exploring The Carle’s current exhibitions. Who You'll Meet Courtney Waring Courtney joined The Carle as Director of Education in 2013. She enjoys fostering the confidence to appreciate and enjoy art of every kind.
