The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art was at the top of my museum bucket list for a LONG time. I had forever wanted to visit, but I don’t often find myself in western Massachusetts. Well, I recently changed that.

I intentionally planned our summer road trip to pass through (relatively remote) Amherst, MA, with the sole purpose of swinging by the Carle. And boy was I not disappointed.

If you’ve never been and you either live near western Massachusetts or will be visiting/traveling through the area, do yourself a favor and stop in to the museum. Even if you don’t have little ones in tow.

It’s not just a stellar kids museum. It’s a stunning art museum, full stop.

Founded by Eric and Barbara Carle – and opened to the public in 2002 – the museum was the first in the country devoted to picture book art. I should explain that, even though Carle’s name is on the museum, this is not the Eric Carle Museum.

Sure, you’ll find plenty of very hungry caterpillars, brown bears, grouchy ladybugs, and other Carle creations. But the museum is a place to celebrate ALL forms of art – from ALL artists – found in children’s picture books. Which, I shouldn’t have to tell you, makes it a magical place.

The museum primarily houses three main galleries, which are typically home to three rotating exhibits. Currently on display are exhibits for the Coretta Scott King illustrator award winners, Leo and Diane Dillon, and a 50th anniversary celebration for The Very Hungry Caterpillar. (As I said, though, these are rotating exihibits, so check to see what’s on the walls before your visit.)

During our visit, we managed to catch the extraordinary “Paddington Comes to America” exhibit. This, again, was intentional planning on my part since I had recently had R.W. Alley on my podcast, and we actually stopped by the Alleys’ home later in the same road trip.

It’s here that I’d like to plug an upcoming exhibit at the museum, which will have a tantalizingly short run from February 10 through May 26, 2019: “Out of the Box: The Graphic Novel Comes of Age.” The exhibit will examine the graphic novel’s coming of age through ten poignant coming-of-age stories by Vera Brosgol, Catia Chien, Geoffrey Hayes, Gene Luen Yang, Jarrett Krosoczka, Hope Larson, Matt Phelan, David Small, Raina Telgemeier, and Sara Varon. To say that these are some of the best names working in graphic novels today would be an understatement. I need to find my way back to Amherst for this one.

But what else will you find in the museum? Oh, I’m so glad you asked.

The Carle houses more than 11,000 objects, including 7,300 permanent collection illustrations, three art galleries, an art studio, a theater, and picture book and scholarly libraries. It also sponsors oodles of educational programs.

The Reading Library was a particular favorite. More than 4,500 picture books line the walls and are available simply to pull off the shelf and read. We could have spent all day there. As it was, we spent an inordinate amount of our time in the museum exploring the collection. Also on site, but open by appointment only (primarily to researchers and educators), is the non-circulating Barbara Elleman Research Library.

Another favorite spot? The 1,500-square-foot art studio, which is positively overflowing with art supplies and ideas for creative expression. Again, the little Roarbots could’ve spent all day in there.

This past summer also saw the dedication of a brand-new space at the museum: Bobbie‘s Meadow, a multiuse space located in an apple orchard just in front of the museum. Alexandra Kennedy, the museum’s executive director, describes the space: “We’re connecting art, nature, and people in a new setting to inspire creativity and expand our programming. We are also creating an important new wildlife habitat and giving guests of all abilities access to it.”

The meadow includes tools to build, make music, and explore the natural habitat. While we were there, it was a buzz of activity as kids chased down their scavenger hunts, played musical instruments, or just crawled through the grass. It was enchanting.

Western Massachusetts is home to some enormous talent. Mo Willems, Tony DiTerlizzi, Jane Yolen, Jarrett Krosoczka, and Grace Lin all call the area home. It seems to be a magnet for amazing artists. So it’s no wonder that The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art feels so perfectly at home here.

Do yourself a favor and add the Carle to your museum bucket list. Now move it to the top. Now make plans to visit Amherst and be blown away in person. You can thank me later.

Check here for hours and admission, and if you’re just visiting the area, definitely try to combine your visit to the Carle with The Amazing World of Dr. Seuss (in Springfield) and/or The Norman Rockwell Museum (in Stockbridge).

Mo Willems sculpture