graphic for exhibition The Preferred Flower — paintings by Mabel Loomis Todd feauturing a variety of painted flowers from Todd's works

Press Release:
The Preferred Flower — Paintings by Mabel Loomis Todd

For Immediate Release
Contact:
Patrick Fecher
publicrelations@emilydickinsonmuseum.org

The Emily Dickinson Museum and Amherst Historical Society to Co-Host Exhibition Featuring Paintings by Mabel Loomis Todd

Opening reception to be held on Tuesday, November 10, 5:30pm ET at the Amherst History Center and Emily Dickinson Museum. Opening remarks at the Amherst History Center, 6pm.

(AMHERST, Mass., October, 21, 2026) – The Emily Dickinson Museum and the Amherst Historical Society are pleased to announce The Preferred Flower, an exhibition illuminating the expressive botanical paintings of Mabel Loomis Todd (1856–1932). Best known as the primary editor of Emily Dickinson’s posthumously published poetry, Todd was also an accomplished painter whose vivid renderings of flowers captured the natural world with precision and vitality.

The exhibition title originates from an 1882 letter Emily Dickinson wrote to Todd after receiving a painting of “Indian Pipes” (Monotropa uniflora): “That without suspecting it you should send me the preferred flower of life, seems almost supernatural.” A few days later, Dickinson followed up with one of her favorite poems “A Route of Evanescence” indicating “I cannot make an Indian Pipe but please accept a Humming Bird.” Todd’s “Indian Pipe” illustration went on to grace the cover of every 19th-century edition of Dickinson’s poetry.

Mabel Loomis Todd was a founder of the Amherst Historical Society, the Amherst chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and the Amherst Woman’s Club. Her love of nature led her to encourage tree planting as a member of the Village Improvement Society, and later to greater involvement in the emerging American conservation movement. The Historical Society holds many objects related to Mabel Loomis Todd, including additional artworks and art supplies.

The exhibition features eighteen floral studies, including detailed renderings of Monotropa uniflora, trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens), cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), fringed gentian (Gentianopsis crinita), arrowheads (Sagittaria latifolia), wild mountain pinks (Silene caroliniana), bellwort (Uvularia perfoliata), witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), and more. The 18 paintings on view were donated to the Emily Dickinson Museum by 40-year Emily Dickinson scholar and former guide at both Amherst History Museum and the Emily Dickinson Homestead, Ruth Jones. Nine of the paintings will be on view at the Emily Dickinson Museum and nine at the Amherst History Center on Boltwood Walk.

Gigi Barnhill, President, Board of Trustees of the Amherst Historical Society says, “We are delighted to partner with the Emily Dickinson Museum to showcase the artistic endeavors of Mabel Loomis Todd, a writer, editor, musician, conservationist, and proponent and editor of Emily Dickinson’s poetry. She was an accomplished artist as well and we are so pleased that this aspect of her life is being promoted.”

Jane Wald, Keiter Family Executive Director of the Emily Dickinson Museum says, “The Emily Dickinson Museum is enormously grateful to Cinda and Evan Jones for this gift of eighteen remarkable paintings by Mabel Todd, and to their mother Ruth Owen Jones, who left her own indelible mark on the Town of Amherst as a historian and as a guide at the Museum. These paintings represent the confluence of many different streams of nineteenth-century American culture, and pinpoint a moment when Todd’s increasingly nuanced compositions met Emily Dickinson’s wholly unprecedented poetry.”

Cinda Jones writes, “Thank you Jane and Gigi for honoring both the invincible Mabel Loomis Todd, and my mother by showcasing both the Amherst Historical Society and the Emily Dickinson Museum, two organizations they both loved.”

The joint exhibition will open on Mabel Todd’s 170th birthday, Tuesday, November 10, 5:30 to 7:30 pm at both the Emily Dickinson Museum at 280 Main Street and the Amherst History Center, the Society’s satellite location at 45 Boltwood Walk, just a five-minute walk from each other. Participants are encouraged to begin their evening at the Amherst History Center where opening remarks will occur at 6:00 pm. A shuttle between sites will be running between 6:15 pm and 7 pm. The public is warmly invited to attend; refreshments will be provided.

The Emily Dickinson Museum is exhibiting these paintings in an area of the Homestead undergoing restoration. This historic wing, where most of the family’s domestic labor once took place, is currently undergoing forensic study ahead of a full-scale restoration.

For additional information regarding exhibition hours, museum access, and upcoming public programming, please visit EmilyDickinsonMuseum.org.

For additional photography, please contact publicrelations@emilydickinsonmuseum.org

ABOUT THE EMILY DICKINSON MUSEUM
The Emily Dickinson Museum is dedicated to sparking the imagination by amplifying Emily Dickinson’s revolutionary poetic voice from the place she called home.

The Museum comprises two historic houses—the Dickinson Homestead and The Evergreens—in the center of Amherst, Mass. that were home to the poet (1830-1886) and members of her immediate family during the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Museum was created in 2003 when the two houses merged under the ownership of the Trustees of Amherst College. The Museum is overseen by a separate Board of Governors and is responsible for raising its own operating, program, and capital funds.

ABOUT THE AMHERST HISTORY CENTER
From hands-on artifact preservation to storytelling sessions that bring the past to life, there is something for everyone at the Amherst History Center. Whether you are a history buff or just curious about the stories that shaped our community, we invite you to be part of our journey through time.

Opening Reception
The Preferred Flower —
Tuesday, November 10, 5:30pm

Join us for a special evening honoring the joint exhibition opening of The Preferred Flower — Paintings by Mabel Loomis Todd!

Date: Tuesday, November 10
Time: 5:30pm – 7:30pm, opening remarks 6pm at Amherst History Center
Locations:
- Amherst History Center (45 Boltwood Walk)
- Emily Dickinson Museum (280 Main Street)

Guests are encouraged to kick off the celebration at the Amherst History Center, where opening remarks will take place at 6:00 PM. From there, explore both feature displays at your own pace. The venues are just a scenic five-minute walk apart, and a complimentary shuttle will run continuously between both locations from 6:15 PM to 7:00 PM.

Complimentary refreshments will be served at both locations. This event is free and open to all—come raise a glass with us!

The collection of eighteen paintings in The Preferred Flower was the gift of Ruth Owen Jones, Amherst historian and longtime guide at the Emily Dickinson Museum and Amherst Historical Society. The paintings span a significant decade, from 1876, when Mabel Todd studied at the New England Conservatory in Boston, to 1886, the year of Emily Dickinson’s death.

The Emily Dickinson Fund provides for the Museum’s day-to-day operations, undergirds its highest priorities, and is foundational to its overall excellence and success. The Fund supplies 36% of our operating budget. Your gift has an immediate impact and provides critical, unrestricted support. Every donor and every gift sustains and elevates the Museum’s mission for generations of admirers to come. Learn more about how you can support the Museum.

The collection of eighteen paintings in The Preferred Flower was the gift of Ruth Owen Jones, Dickinson scholar, historian, and longtime guide at the Emily Dickinson Museum and Amherst Historical Society. The paintings span a significant decade, from 1876, when Mabel Todd studied at the New England Conservatory in Boston, to 1886, the year of Emily Dickinson’s death.

three candles sit on the mantle in The Evergreens

Emily Dickinson’s 196th Birthday Open House
Sat., Dec. 12, 1-4:45pm ET, 2026

IN-PERSON PROGRAM at the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, MA

You are cordially invited to the Emily Dickinson Museum’s celebration of the poet’s 196th birthday! On Saturday, December 12, join us in person at the Homestead and The Evergreens for an open house with tours, crafts, music, hot cider and gingerbread cookies!

Emily Dickinson, the second child of Edward Dickinson and Emily Norcross Dickinson, was born on December 10, 1830, in the family Homestead on Main Street in Amherst, Massachusetts, now the site of the Emily Dickinson Museum. She celebrated 55 birthdays before her death in 1886. Some of the poet’s most favored themes were time and im/mortality. She wrote, “We turn not older with years, but newer every day.” (Johnson L379)

Registrants are encouraged to choose a "Pay Your Way" ticket that supports the cost of Museum programs. Free tickets are also available at registration.

REGISTER

This year, as we celebrate Emily’s 196th birthday, we invite you to honor her with a gift to the Museum. Your contribution to the Emily Dickinson Fund keeps her voice vibrant and her story alive for generations to come. Thank you!

GIVE A BIRTHDAY GIFT

The Preferred Flower —
Paintings by Mabel Loomis Todd

IN-PERSON PAINTING EXHIBITION
On view Tuesday, November 10 through December 20

“That without suspecting it you should send me the preferred flower of life, seems almost supernatural.”

An opening reception will take place on Tuesday, November 10, Mabel Todd’s 170th birthday, 5:30 to 7:30 pm at both the Emily Dickinson Museum at 280 Main Street and the Amherst History Center, the Society’s satellite location at 45 Boltwood Walk, just a five-minute walk from each other. Participants are encouraged to begin their evening at the Amherst History Center where opening remarks will occur at 6:00 pm. A shuttle between sites will be running between 6:15 pm and 7 pm. The public is warmly invited to attend; refreshments will be provided.

The Emily Dickinson Museum and the Amherst History Center are pleased to announce The Preferred Flower, an exhibition illuminating the expressive botanical paintings of Mabel Loomis Todd (1856–1932). Best known as the primary editor of Emily Dickinson’s posthumously published poetry, Todd was also an accomplished painter whose vivid renderings of flowers captured the natural world with precision and vitality.

The exhibition title originates from an 1882 letter Emily Dickinson wrote to Todd after receiving a painting of “Indian Pipes” (Monotropa uniflora): “That without suspecting it you should send me the preferred flower of life, seems almost supernatural.” A few days later, Dickinson followed up with one of her favorite poems “A Route of Evanescence” indicating “I cannot make an Indian Pipe but please accept a Humming Bird.” Todd’s “Indian Pipe” illustration went on to grace the cover of every 19th-century edition of Dickinson’s poetry.

The exhibition features eighteen floral studies, including detailed renderings of Monotropa uniflora, trailing arbutus (Epigaea repens), cardinal flower (Lobelia cardinalis), fringed gentian (Gentianopsis crinita), arrowheads (Sagittaria latifolia), wild mountain pinks (Silene caroliniana), bellwort (Uvularia perfoliata), witch hazel (Hamamelis virginiana), and more. The 18 paintings on view were donated to the Emily Dickinson Museum by 40-year Emily Dickinson scholar and former guide at both Amherst History Museum and the Emily Dickinson Homestead, Ruth Jones. Nine of the paintings will be on view at the Emily Dickinson Museum and nine at the Amherst History Center on Boltwood Walk.

Emily Dickinson Museum

Admission: Free and open to the public
Hours: 10:00 AM–3:00 PM

Amherst History Center

Admission: $5 regular | $3 with Emily Dickinson Museum admission button
Hours: Wed–Fri 1:00–4:00 PM | Sat 11:00 AM–3:00 PM

ABOUT MABEL LOOMIS TODD

Writer, editor, lecturer, traveler, conservationist, and artist, Mabel Loomis Todd (1856–1932) exercised her agile curiosity across the fields of literature, arts, and science. Best known today for her critical role in bringing the poetry of Emily Dickinson to the public, Todd also pursued creative work of her own, including theater, music, and painting. She painted on textiles, ceramics, screens, and wall surfaces, most often capturing wildflowers and other features of the natural world. This collection of her botanical oil paintings offers a uniquely intimate glimpse into an artistic practice of a lifetime. Small in scale, these works invite close looking and become occasions for studying color, form, texture, and the distinctive character of individual plants.

Born in Washington, D.C., Todd studied voice and piano at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where she also cultivated a talent for flower-painting and writing. She married astronomer David Peck Todd who, in 1881, joined the Amherst College faculty. In Amherst, Mabel Todd found a lively intellectual community and a vivid, inspiring natural landscape. Always industrious and energetic, she accompanied her husband on scientific expeditions; wrote about their travels, astronomy, art, literature, and other subjects; lectured publicly on all these topics; and cultivated a lifelong engagement with the arts. Her contributions to the town included founding roles with the Amherst Historical Society, the Amherst Woman’s Club, and the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

Arriving in Amherst in 1881, Mabel Loomis Todd grew to be closely connected with the Dickinson family and ultimately became a romantic partner of the poet’s married brother, Austin. But it was through her friendship with the poet’s sister, Lavinia, that Todd would eventually become the first editor of the poems. Todd’s own momentous correspondence with Emily Dickinson led to one of the most famous exchanges in American poetry—Todd’s gift of a painting of “Indian Pipes” (Montropa uniflora), which Dickinson acknowledged as her “preferred flower of life.” An illustration of this painting later adorned the cover of the collections of poetry and letters Todd saw into publication between 1890 and 1896.

Meet a Poem
This is my letter to the World

graphic that reads "this is my letter to the world f r 519 lesson guide by Tina Cane"

This is my letter to the World
Fr519
Lesson guide by Tina Cane

“This is my letter to the World” (F519) is one of Emily Dickinson’s most widely known poems, and makes for a wonderful introduction to her work for students of all ages. Compact yet packed with meaning, it offers a fine example of how brevity and economy can effectively convey a complex, powerful statement. Dickinson’s “Letter” expresses a sense of dejection, isolation, and fear of being judged. Despite feeling vulnerable and rejected, the speaker shares her “message” with the world, transforming this brief declaration into an appeal for connection and reciprocity. Many young people will appreciate and relate to the sentiments expressed here, and any lesson would be enriched by a class discussion about inclusion, belonging, fears of rejection, or judgment.

LESSON OBJECTIVES

Engagement
– Connect to students’ own experiences of writing and receiving messages, both analog and digital.
– Connect themes raised by Dickinson’s poem to the intersection of the personal and political in poetry.

Content Knowledge
– Define epistolary poetry.
– Explore the relationship between letters and poems in Dickinson’s personal and literary life.

Process Knowledge
– Appreciate the poem’s compact tension, its use of punctuation and capitalization, and the way in which it employs metonymy by conflating letter-writing with the act of writing a poem.
– Learn by doing: reinforce an appreciation for the poem’s merits through writing original poetry.

Transfer Goals
– Recognize that genre can be fluid, that different kinds of writing are interconnected, and that poetry is a flexible form in which the rules of syntax can be bent.
– Develop an appreciation for poetry as an art form that is also visual and can be tactile.

DOWNLOAD THE LESSON GUIDE

This is my letter to the World
That never wrote to Me—
The simple News that Nature told—
With tender Majesty

Her Message is committed
To Hands I cannot see—
For love of Her—Sweet—countrymen—
Judge tenderly—of Me

About Tina Cane

tina cane headshot - a woman looks confidently into the camera lens

Tina Cane was born in Hell’s Kitchen, NYC in 1969 and grew up in the city’s East and West Village. She attended the University of Vermont, the Sorbonne and completed her master’s degree in French Literature at the University of Paris X-Nanterre and Middlebury College.

She is the founder and director of Writers-in-the Schools, RI, for which she works as a visiting poet. Over the past twenty-five years, Tina has taught French, English, and creative writing in public and private schools throughout New York City and Rhode Island.

Her poems and translations have appeared in numerous publications, including American Poetry Review, Spinning Jenny, Poetry, The Literary Review, Tupelo Quarterly, The Common, Texas Review, and Poem-a-Day. Her work, The Fifth Thought, was the 2008 Other Painters Press chapbook winner.

Tina’s books include The Fifth Thought, Dear Elena: Letters for Elena Ferrante, Once More With Feeling, and Body of Work. Tina was the 2016 recipient for the Fellowship Merit Award in Poetry from the Rhode Island State Council on the Arts. She currently serves as the Poet Laureate of Rhode Island where she lives with her husband and their three children. In 2020, Cane was named a poet laureate fellow with the Academyof American Poets. Tina is also the creator/curator of the distance reading series, Poetry is Bread, the editor of Poetry is Bread:The Anthology (Nirala Publications, March 2025).

Alma Presses Play, Tina’s debut verse novel for young adults readers, was released in September 2021 with Penguin/ Random House Books. Are You Nobody Too?, Cane’s most recent novel-in-verse for middle-grade readers, came out in September 2024.

Meet a Poem
Perhaps I asked too large –

graphic that reads "perhaps i asked too large F R 358 lesson guide by Sylvie Cathrall"

Perhaps I asked too large –
Fr358
Lesson guide by Sylvie Cathrall

This lesson guide provides a playful, imaginative approach to teaching with “Perhaps I asked too large – ” that focuses on the power of fantasy as a tool for self-expression. At the end of the lesson sequence, students will engage in a creative collaboration with Emily Dickinson by writing short-form prose responses that reflect their own interests and imaginations.

LESSON OBJECTIVES

Engagement
Connect the fantastical imagery in Dickinson’s poem to contemporary genres that students enjoy.

Content Knowledge
– Describe the imagery featured in the poem.
– Identify how the poem relates to representations of the cosmos from Dickinson’s era.

Process Knowledge
– Analyze the poem’s cosmic metaphors to interpret its content.
– Write a creative response inspired by the poem.

Transfer Goals
– Recognize that modern fantasy and science fiction emerged from a history of writers, artists, and thinkers using their imaginations to transform reality.
– Demonstrate how engaging with historical poetry can prompt new writing, art-making, and creative expression across genres and media.

DOWNLOAD THE LESSON GUIDE

Perhaps I asked too large –
I take – no less than skies –
For Earths, grow thick as
Berries, in my native Town –

My Basket holds – just – Firmaments –
Those – dangle easy – on my arm,
But smaller bundles – Cram.

About Sylvie Cathrall

a woman wearing glasses and a white dress looks off into the distance

Sylvie Cathrall is the author of the Sunken Archive duology. Her first novel, A Letter to the Luminous Deep, was an Indies Introduce debut pick and one of Library Journal’s best books of 2024. She lives in Wales with her spouse (formerly her pen pal) and their child (currently an inquisitive toddler).

Meet a Poem
Color – Caste – Denomination –

graphic that reads "color - caste - denomination f r 836 lesson guide by Bruce M. Penniman, Ed.D.

Color – Caste – Denomination –
Fr836
Lesson guide by Bruce M. Penniman, Ed.D.

Written in 1864 amid the social disruption and dreadful human sacrifice of the Civil War, Emily Dickinson’s poem “Color – Caste – Denomination – ” is a poignant and ironic commentary on the social distinctions —of race, class, and religion—that sharply divided American society then and continue to divide it even now. As such, this poem is eminently teachable to high school students, many of whom are sensitive to instances of prejudice and discrimination and activated by social justice causes.

LESSON OBJECTIVES

Engagement
Connect themes raised by Dickinson’s poem to current social justice debates reckoning with race, class, and religion.

Content Knowledge
– Explain the poem’s views on people’s physical traits.
– Connect the poem’s ideas to its Civil War context.

Process Knowledge
– Unpack the poem’s syntax to paraphrase its content.
– Interpret the role of Death as personified in the poem.

Transfer Goals
– Recognize that the ideas expressed and the questions raised by poets and poetry of bygone eras can still meaningfully address issues of contemporary concern.
– Develop their appreciation for poetry as an art form and hone their skills of close reading, interpretation of figurative language, and analysis of themes.

DOWNLOAD THE LESSON GUIDE

Color – Caste – Denomination –
These – are Time’s Affair –
Death’s diviner Classifying
Does not know they are –

As in sleep – all Hue forgotten –
Tenets – put behind –
Death’s large – Democratic fingers
Rub away the Brand –

If Circassian – He is careless –
If He put away10
Chrysalis of Blonde – or Umber –
Equal Butterfly –

They emerge from His Obscuring –
What Death – knows so well –
Our minuter intuitions –
Deem unplausible

About Bruce M. Penniman, Ed.D

headshot of a man with white hair, mustache, beard and glasses

Bruce M. Penniman taught writing, speech, and literature at Amherst Regional High School from 1971 until 2007 and recently retired (again) as the site director of the Western Massachusetts Writing Project at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In 1999 he was Massachusetts Teacher of the Year and a finalist for National Teacher of the Year, and he is the author of Building the English Classroom: Foundations, Support, Success (NCTE, 2009). He has served as a teacher curriculum mentor in all four NEH Emily Dickinson: Person, Poetry, and Place workshops and has facilitated discussions in the Poetry Discussion Group on topics ranging from “Emily Dickinson and the Bible” to “Emily Dickinson and Science.”

For Dan Blom, Who Loves Emily Dickinson

a birthday sonnet for Dan Blom Who Loved Emily Dickinson

Between the Dashes #4 – An Emily Dickinson Museum Blog • September 29, 2026

For Dan Blom, Who Loves Emily Dickinson
By Nicole Heath, Emily Dickinson Museum Board Member

Not long ago, while going through my late father’s belongings, I uncovered a treasure: a signed original poem written by Kathleen Flenniken, the Poet Laureate of Washington State. It had been penned for my father’s 93rd birthday in 2012, celebrating his life during an event at the Rainier Club in Seattle.

My father, Dan Blom, was a lawyer by profession, but his heart belonged to literature. As chairman of the Rainier Club’s literary committee, he curated events that spotlighted novelists, poets, and non-fiction writers. Through that work, he formed a warm personal friendship with Flenniken, who learned about my father’s deep, lifelong love for Emily Dickinson and crafted this birthday poem in his honor.

After my father passed away, finding this poem among his papers felt like a sign. It felt like a testament to how Dickinson’s legacy reaches far beyond the meadows of Amherst. It brought me back to my childhood.

In our household, poetry was a living, breathing presence. Reciting verse from memory was a family sport, as my parents were constantly trying to outdo one another with quotations at the dinner table. Naturally, I memorized Dickinson from a very young age, and I made sure to pass that same love of poetry down to my own children.

Two of Emily’s poems, in particular, serve as bookends to my family’s history:

“There is no Frigate like a Book” (Fr1286) was my father’s absolute favorite, and it became mine, too. The poem functions as a sort of mission statement for anyone devoted to the world of literature. It was so fitting for a man who collected rare books and championed authors that, as a gift, I hand-embroidered the poem for him on fabric. My mother had it framed, and it hung in my parent’s home for decades.

When my mother passed away, “If I can stop one Heart from Breaking” (Fr982) was the poem we selected for her memorial service. It personified her altruistic, generous spirit and felt like a perfect tribute.

Given my family history, my path to the Museum almost felt preordained and when I first stepped onto the grounds, I was immediately smitten. Each visit here feels like a homecoming.

What I love most about serving on the board is the community behind the Museum. The board, staff, and visitors, all share a genuine affection for Dickinson’s work. To be here is to be inspired by her words and it is the spirit of this place that compelled me to join. Serving the Museum continues to be an ongoing education. It offers constant opportunities to dig deeper into Emily’s writing, her era, and the rich history of Western Massachusetts.

For my family, Dickinson was a lens through which we viewed generosity, curiosity, and imagination. Being part of the Emily Dickinson Museum allows me to honor my parents’ legacy while helping ensure that Emily’s “Frigate” continues to take future generations “Lands away.”

Image of Dickinson's room featuring her writing desk and white dress

Photography and Video Policy

Capture your special moments amidst the historic beauty of the Homestead and The Evergreens!

Private Exterior Photo Shoots

If you are celebrating an engagement, wedding, family milestone, or graduation portrait, our historic grounds offer an inspiring setting for your images. Private sessions require advance approval and scheduling to ensure you have a dedicated, seamless experience. Please note this is for use of the grounds only, and you must book your own photographer.

Shoot Type	Experience Details	Suggested Donation
Engagement	Exterior grounds photoshoot	$150
Wedding	Exterior grounds photoshoot	$300
Family	Exterior grounds photoshoot	$150
Portraits	Exterior grounds (Senior, personal, etc.)	$60

All private session fees directly support The Emily Dickinson Fund, which provides for the Museum’s day-to-day operations, undergirds its highest priorities, and is foundational to its overall excellence and success

Ready to schedule your private exterior session or learn more about commercial rates? Contact museum administration at publicrelations@emilydickinsonmuseum.org or 413-542-8161.

ADDITIONAL PHOTO POLICY

Recreational Visitor Photography

Casual, personal photography is permitted in the Museum’s interior spaces during a guided tour, and encouraged throughout the exterior grounds during your visit—no advance registration or check-in fee required.
Flash photography, video/audio recordings of tours, and use of unapproved equipment or props are not permitted inside the Homestead and The Evergreens. Please ask for consent before capturing images of staff or other visitors.

Preserving Dickinson’s Historic Landscape

To keep the site beautiful and accessible for everyone, we ask all photographers to follow a few simple guidelines:

Visitor Courtesy: Keep pathways, doorways, and tour routes clear so all guests can enjoy their visit.
Garden & Grounds Protection: Please remain on designated paths and lawns. Help us protect our historic plant beds by keeping feet and equipment on pathways and leaving flowers undisturbed.
Historic Preservation: Climbing, sitting, or standing on historic features is prohibited.
Interior Guidelines: Flash photography, video/audio recordings of tours, and use of unapproved equipment or props are not permitted inside the Homestead and The Evergreens. Please ask for consent before capturing images of staff or other visitors.
Drones & Equipment: Extensive lighting, large props, and drones are not permitted on the property without prior written approval and may be subject to a small additional fee.
Copyright: Reproduction or commercial copying of museum exhibits, artwork, and historic property requires prior authorization.

Commercial & Artistic Collaborations

Commercial Photography: Productions created for publication, advertising, or promotional use are welcomed by permission through the Associate Director of Communications and subject to discretionary fees.
Artistic Projects: Art projects intended for sale, public display, or publication require prior written approval.

For any additional questions, please contact museum administration at publicrelations@emilydickinsonmuseum.org or 413-542-8161.

two people are looking into a square cutout carved out of the plaster of the walls at the Dickinson Homestead

Behind the Scenes Tour:
Restoring Dickinson’s Kitchen, Pantry, and More!

Private tour with Museum Executive Director Jane Wald
Space is limited — registration required.

$100/adult
Limited to 10 tickets per tour.

Tour Dates:
Saturday, October 24, 4-5pm [SOLD OUT]
Saturday, October 31, 4-5pm [SOLD OUT]
Saturday, November 14, 4-5pm [SOLD OUT]
Saturday, November 21, 4-5pm

Stay tuned for more availability!

a flashlight points at an open hole in a wall

RESERVE YOUR TICKETS

During this once-in-a-lifetime program, witness the discoveries emerging within the walls of Emily Dickinson’s 1813 home as the Museum enters the final phase of Homestead restoration. Executive Director Jane Wald leads a private tour of the architectural and forensic investigations illuminating the original condition of the Homestead’s service wing during the poet’s writing years. Guests will see discoveries in the kitchen where Dickinson baked her famous gingerbread, the pantry where she composed and read poems, the family dining room, secondfloor bed chambers, and rooms that housed the Amherst residents who worked for the Dickinson family. Now in the exploratory phase–a brief window when modern finishes have been removed and restoration work has not yet begun–this wing of the house has never been seen this way and will not remain in its current condition for long! From wear patterns on the original floorboards, to the “ghosts” of the poet’s pantry cupboards, you’ll see up close how new understandings of everyday life at the Homestead are shaping the final restoration plan.

This is a specialty tour focusing on historic architecture and restoration. For tours of the restored Homestead and Evergreens, please register for a guided or general admission tour.

About Jane Wald

a headshot of Executive Director Jane Wald

Jane Wald is the Jane and Robert Keiter Family Executive Director of the Emily Dickinson Museum. She has worked in the public history and literary sites for more than thirty-five years and has been executive director of the Dickinson Museum for twenty years. Her interests in literary and cultural history, combined with her background in historical archaeology and material culture, have been a particular strength at the Emily Dickinson Museum in its first decades. In 2006, Wald helped to create a master plan for stabilization, preservation, and restoration of the two Dickinson family homes, grounds, and collections, and has systematically implemented each of its recommendations ever since. Critical projects have included preservation measures at both historic Dickinson houses including installation of fire detection and suppression and museum-grade mechanical systems. Significant restoration projects have included the Homestead library, original 1813 house, Emily Dickinson’s bed chamber, and reconstruction from original materials of Dickinson’s cherished conservatory.

Wald has presented numerous lectures, talks, and papers about Emily Dickinson, the Museum, and especially the material and cultural contexts of Dickinson’s environment. Of particular relevance to this “Behind the Scenes” program are publications including “A Short Biography of the Homestead and The Evergreens,” in The Oxford Handbook of Emily Dickinson (2022); “’The Poet Hunters’; Transforming Emily Dickinson’s Home into Literary Destination” in the Emily Dickinson Journal (2017); “’Pretty Much Real Life’: the Material World of the Dickinson Family” for the Blackwell Companion to Emily Dickinson (2014); and “’Better than Heaven’: Emily Dickinson’s Religious Texts” for the Dickinson Electronic Archive. She received an A.B. from Bryn Mawr College, graduate degree in American History from Princeton University, and historical archaeology graduate work at the College of William and Mary.

IN-PERSON PROGRAM at the Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst, MA

IN-PERSON PAINTING EXHIBITION On view Tuesday, November 10 through December 20

“That without suspecting it you should send me the preferred flower of life, seems almost supernatural.”

For Dan Blom, Who Loves Emily Dickinson By Nicole Heath, Emily Dickinson Museum Board Member

Private tour with Museum Executive Director Jane Wald Space is limited — registration required.

IN-PERSON PAINTING EXHIBITION
On view Tuesday, November 10 through December 20

For Dan Blom, Who Loves Emily Dickinson
By Nicole Heath, Emily Dickinson Museum Board Member

Private tour with Museum Executive Director Jane Wald
Space is limited — registration required.