6 Best Sights in North Adams, The Berkshires

Formerly the home of the Sprague Electrical Company, the nation's largest center for contemporary visual and performing arts is one of the finest such facilities in the world, a major draw for its art shows, large music festivals, dance presentations, and film screenings. Expansion in 2017 nearly doubled the amount of gallery space, bringing the total to a quarter million square feet, which includes the wall drawings of Sol LeWitt, an immersive light-based exhibit by James Turrell, and a large room in the main gallery that allows for massive exhibits that wouldn't fit anywhere else. A Kidspace, studios, cafés, shops, and festivals and other special events round out the offerings.

This public-arts project includes 31 galleries in downtown North Adams. From late June through September, DSA presents visual and performing arts events including exhibitions, video screenings, site-specific installations, and, on the last Thursday of the month, opening galas and performances.

Themed (fall foliage, Christmas) hour-long train rides make the 10-mile journey between Adams and North Adams in restored historic cars.  All trains depart from (and return to) Adams Station.

The 30-foot span that gives this 48-acre park its name crosses Hudson Brook, yielding appealing views of rocky chasms. The marble arch at the park's center rises in what functioned as a marble quarry from the early 1880s to the mid-1900s. Natural Bridge has picnic sites, hiking trails, and well-maintained restrooms. In winter the area is popular for cross-country skiing. Do check for trail closures due to maintenance before going.

This museum celebrates the extraordinary life and legacy of Susan B. Anthony, who played a pivotal role in winning women the right to vote. In addition to viewing suffrage mementos, you can learn about the abolition and temperance movements, in which she also participated. Definitely worth a look is the collection of 19th-century postcards supporting these three campaigns.

The old Boston & Maine Railroad yard is the site of this park whose free museum has exhibits that trace the construction of the Hoosac Tunnel and the impact of train travel on the region. A scale model of North Adams in the 1950s is on display, and there's a short film that documents the intense labor required to construct the nearby Hoosac Tunnel; the tunnel is best viewed from a pedestrian bridge one block from the park where you can see the tracks as they disappear into the tunnel.