Visitor Code of Conduct
At the Emily Dickinson Museum, the health and safety of our staff and visitors is our top priority. We are dedicated to providing a welcoming experience for everyone. The Museum does not tolerate discrimination or any form of unlawful harassment. By purchasing tickets and visiting the Emily Dickinson Museum, you are agreeing to comply with the following requirements for visitor conduct:

• The Museum is comprised of two historic houses containing original Dickinson-family possessions. Visitors help to preserve these resources for the future by refraining from touching or leaning on furniture, walls, and objects. 
• Food and beverages other than water are not permitted inside the Museum. 
• Visitors are welcome to take non-flash pictures inside the Museum, but videos are not permitted. 
• Visitors may be asked to silence their cellphones during guided tours at the Museum. 
• In the event of an emergency, visitors will follow directions from the Museum staff.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Visit the Emily Dickinson Museum from the comfort of your home!

You can explore the Homestead and The Evergreens or take a walk around the landscape with these online tools:

Landscape Tour

A Virtual Tour of
the Homestead and The Evergreens

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Due to space restrictions, parties of 11 or larger who would like to visit together are asked to book a group tour. The Emily Dickinson Museum welcomes groups of 11-30 people to explore the rich world of Emily Dickinson through pre-planned guided experiences. Groups over 11 will be asked to divide into separate tours with staggered start times during their visit. A Museum staff member will work with you to create a memorable experience tailored to your group’s interests, exploring Emily Dickinson’s poetry, place, and lasting legacy.

Group tour reservations are now available for spring 2024 and beyond. For K-12 and College groups, please visit our Education section. Homeschool groups, scout troops, and community non-profit groups that provide education and skill-building for registered student participants may also qualify as an Educational tour.

For virtual program requests, please scroll to the bottom of this page.

Reservations

• Advance reservation is required for all groups. Reservation requests should be made at least three weeks in advance.
• Please complete our Group Tour Request Form here.
• A staff member will be in touch to schedule your group tour and confirm your reservation by providing an agreement form and invoice.

Please review our Accessibility page before making your reservation request. Let us know of any access needs when you fill out your group tour request form so we can work with you to create the best experience for your group.

Group leaders are responsible for reading the Group Tour Policies and communicating Museum expectations to all group members.

Questions? Call 413.542.5073 or e-mail edmreservations@emilydickinsonmuseum.org.

Your group visit will include:

“This Was a Poet”: 45-minute tour of the Homestead

• Introduction to Dickinson’s life and revolutionary poetry, with an emphasis on sharing her own poems and letters
• Includes the parlors, library, Dickinson’s bedroom, and Dickinson’s mother’s room

“A Hedge Away”: 25-minute tour of The Evergreens

Visit the home of Austin and Susan Dickinson, next door to the Homestead.

• Learn more about the family and friends who shaped the poet’s daily life and posthumous publication
• Includes the main floor parlor, master bedroom, dining room, kitchen, and second floor hallway
  

Pricing
Adult $17
Youth (17 and Under) $7
Caregiver/Personal Attendant Free

Non-refundable deposit due 1 week after date of invoice: 50%

Final numbers are due 2 weeks prior to the scheduled tour date. Please note that groups will be asked to pay a fixed minimum equal to the cost of 11 visitors, even if group size decreases after booking.

Virtual Group Tours

Is your organization or community group unable to travel to the Museum? Let us bring Emily Dickinson’s world to you! 

“This Was a Poet”: A Virtual Tour of the Emily Dickinson Museum

Enjoy a virtual “armchair” tour of the home of renowned 19th-century American poet Emily Dickinson. The Museum comprises two historic houses. You’ll visit the Homestead where Dickinson was born in 1830, produced nearly 2,000 poems, and died in 1886. Next door, you will see The Evergreens, an untouched Victorian interior that was home to the poet’s brother, beloved sister-in-law Susan, and their children. Through this live talk shared over Zoom and accompanied by images of the Amherst houses, landscape, and historic interiors, your tour guide will transport you into the very rooms where Dickinson found her inspiration.  Along the way, you’ll learn about the poet and her family’s daily life through her own words.

Virtual Tours can be offered at 45- or 60-minutes with an optional 15-minute Q&A. Museum guides access virtual group tours using their own videoconferencing technology and will screenshare and advance their own powerpoint presentation. You will be asked to host and provide the videoconferencing platform for this program.

Pricing: 

$250 Speaker Fee per session

Reservations:

• Please use the Virtual Group Tour Request Form to request a session for your group.
• Requests must be made at least three weeks in advance.
• A Museum Staff member will be in touch to schedule your program and work with you to create a memorable experience for your group.

Read the Virtual Group Tour Policies here before submitting your request.

Questions? Email edmreservations@emilydickinsonmuseum.org.

Please note that the Museum driveway is for dropping off passengers and for accessible parking only. All vehicles must park either at meters (many are available directly in front of the Homestead and Evergreens), in an Amherst town parking lot or in the town parking garage on the north side of Main Street two blocks west of the Museum.

The Town of Amherst’s interactive parking map offers details about nearby parking options. Visitors are encouraged to allow extra time for parking.

The Museum is two blocks east of Amherst Center on 280 Main Street:
Emily Dickinson Museum
280 Main Street
Amherst, Massachusetts 01002
413-542-8161

Go to Google Maps »

Driving Directions

From Interstate 91:

Take Exit 25 (if coming from the south) or Exit 26 (if coming from the north) to Route 9 east. Take Route 9 east approximately five miles through Hadley to the Amherst town limit. Proceed up a long hill. At top of hill, turn left at traffic light onto South Pleasant Street. Turn right at next light onto Main Street. The Museum is 3/10 of a mile ahead on the left.

From the Boston area:

Take Massachusetts Turnpike to Exit 63 (Palmer/Ware). Take Route 32 South to Route 20 West/N Main St. in Palmer. North Main St. becomes MA-181. Follow MA-181 North for 6 miles into Belchertown. Turn left onto Route 9 West and follow into Amherst. After entering Amherst, look for a railroad overpass. Go under the overpass and make an immediate right onto Dickinson Street. Travel two blocks to the end of the street. At the traffic light, turn left onto Main Street. The Museum is ahead on the right.

OR

Take Route 2 West to Exit 71 for Route 202 South. Take Route 202 South about 15 or 20 miles, until you enter Pelham. At an intersection with flashing yellow lights, turn right onto Amherst Road (Amherst Road will eventually turn into Main Street). Go through two traffic lights. The Museum is just ahead on the right after the second traffic light.

Public Transportation

The Emily Dickinson Museum is accessible via public transportation, and a PVTA bus stop is located near the West corner of the Evergreen’s property. Learn more about available options.

Parking

Please note that the Museum driveway is for dropping off passengers and for accessible parking only. All vehicles must park either at meters (many are available directly in front of the Homestead and Evergreens), in an Amherst town parking lot or in the town parking garage on the north side of Main Street two blocks west of the Museum.

The Town of Amherst’s interactive parking map offers details about nearby parking options.

PLAN YOUR VISIT

The Evergreens is now open!
Admission to the Museum includes tours of the Homestead and The Evergreens with timed entry. Tickets to visit the Museum are currently available through August.

Please note there are 2 TICKET TYPES:
Guided Admission – Available daily – Knowledgeable guides lead you through the Homestead and The Evergreens, sharing Dickinson’s journey as a poet.
General Admission – Available select weekend dates – Visitors explore historic rooms at their own pace, Museum guides in each room discuss the significance of the space and answer questions.

RESERVE YOUR TICKETS

Admission

The Emily Dickinson Museum is open to visitors March through December. Begin your visit at the Museum’s Tour Center, located in the Homestead, to check-in for an existing reservation or to purchase tour tickets. From there, visit our Museum shop, grounds, and gardens, all of which are open to the public. 

Purchase of a Museum admission ticket grants access to both houses based on a timed ticketing system. Visitors select a timed entry into the Homestead followed by a timed entry into The Evergreens.

Purchasing tickets online ahead of your visit is recommended.

Tickets: Prices include visits to both houses — visitors reserve consecutive timed entry to the Homestead and The Evergreens.

Further discounts available by calling the Tour Center:

PLAN YOUR VISIT