The Emily Dickinson Museum

12/28/2018

“We turn not older with years, but newer every day.” –Emily Dickinson, 1874.

Here at the end of December, the year ahead looks as welcoming and ready to be filled with new growth as Emily Dickinson’s restored conservatory. What might this year hold for you? We hope it holds all the happiness, plenty of poetry, and maybe a visit to see us in Amherst. Welcome 2019!

We are open for tours now through Sunday, the 30th. The tour season continues in March. While we are closed for tours in January and February, we are still offering group tours and public programs. Find out more on our website.

There’s still time to make that end of year gift in support of the Emily Dickinson Museum. Now through December 31, all contributions will be matched 1:1. https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/EmilyDickinsonMuseum_1/give.html

12/25/2018

“Atmospherically it was the most beautiful Christmas on record—(...) The Hens came to the Door with Santa Claus—(...) and the Horses had both new blankets from Boston”

Emily Dickinson to Sally Jenkins, late December 1880

Wishing a merry and “atmospheric” Christmas to you and yours, including the feathered and furred members of your family.

The Museum will be be open Wednesday, December 26 through Sunday, December 30 for final days of the winter season. (We will reopen in March.) Pay us a visit to toast 2019 with poetry!

If our programs have touched you in 2018, we hope you will also consider a gift to the Museum. Now through December 31, all contributions will be matched 1:1.

Https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/EmilyDickinsonMuseum_1/give.html

#emilydickinson #emilydickinsonmuseum #christmas2018 #joy #peace

12/21/2018

There is a Zone whose even Years
No Solstice interrupt —
Whose Sun constructs perpetual Noon
Whose perfect Seasons wait —

Whose Summer set in Summer, till
The Centuries of June
And Centuries of August cease
And Consciousness — is Noon —
(Fr1020)

Though tonight’s solstice indicates that we have not reached the “Zone” Dickinson wrote of, we can still enjoy the rarity of a solstice that falls on a full moon like this one seen over the Homestead. We wish you many “perfect seasons” to come, and hope you can construct some “Noon” of your own this winter.

The Museum will be offering guided tours Wednesday through Sunday from now until the end of the year. We are closed on December 24 and 25. Add a Museum visit to your holiday festivities with friends and family!

Thanks to donations from friends like you, the Emily Dickinson Museum offers an increasingly immersive experience while sparking an emotional connection for so many visitors. We hope you'll consider a gift to the Museum as the year comes to a close. Now through December 31, all contributions will be matched 1:1.
https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/EmilyDickinsonMuseum_1/give.html
#EmilyDickinson
#emilydickinsonmuseum
#solstice
#fullmoon

12/19/2018

“The James Cohan Gallery on New York’s lower east side is presenting ‘The Brain is deeper than the sea’, an exhibition of new work by Spencer Finch through December 21. Finch has long been inspired by Dickinson’s poetry, and admires what he calls her “super sensitivity” to the world around us. Over the summer, the artist re-read all 1,789 poems that Dickinson wrote in her lifetime. Like Dickinson, Finch is interested in making the abstract tangible and defining experience without confining it, while simultaneously acknowledging the limits of observation and the impossibility of objective memory. Many of the drawings in this show explore the ephemeral and fundamentally ineffable qualities of light and color in the same New England landscape that shaped Dickinson’s elliptical language.” [https://www.jamescohan.com/exhibitions/spencer-finch3#28]

We were delighted to host Spencer Finch as an artist in residence at the Museum back in 2011, and when he returned this fall to capture photographs in the poet’s bedroom in preparation for this show! It’s wonderful to see how contemporary artists are inspired by Dickinson’s revolutionary poetic voice.

If you too find inspiration in Dickinson, you might consider making a gift in support of the Museum. All donations made between now and December 31 will be matched 1:1. Donations can be made online at https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/EmilyDickinsonMuseum_1/give.html

Thank you for your generosity!
#EmilyDickinson #EmilyDickinsonMuseum #SpencerFinch

12/13/2018

» Baking Emily Dickinson’s Black Cake Houghton Library Blog

On a cold afternoon like this one, wouldn't it be nice to spend a few hours in a warm kitchen baking treats from Emily Dickinson's recipe book? In this 2015 video, watch as staffers from Harvard University's Houghton Library re-create the poet's famous Black Cake! All you need are a couple pounds of butter, 19 eggs, and all the dried fruit and spices you can find. Oh, and don't forget the brandy!

This recipe and others can be found in a recipe book sold exclusively at the Emily Dickinson Museum shop. We are open Wednesday-Sunday through the end of the year and hope you'll drop by soon!

And speaking of the end of the year, all donations made to the Museum between now and December 31 will be matched 1:1. Donations can be made online at https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/EmilyDickinsonMuseum_1/give.html Thank you for your generosity!

The Emily Dickinson manuscripts are a cherished part of Houghton Library’s collections and while it is her poems and letters that are most often celebrated, we’ve lately been dwelling on the poet’s lesser known lines: “2 Butter. / 19 eggs. / 5 pounds Raisins.”

12/10/2018

A very special tribute to Emily Dickinson on her 188th birthday took place in the parlor just now. These middle schoolers have spent the fall studying her poetry and memorizing it before coming to the Museum to give a reading, which culminated in the singing of 'This is my letter to the world' set to this familiar tune. What an amazing way to celebrate the poet's legacy!

And you can celebrate too with a birthday gift to the Museum in Dickinson's honor! Donations can be made online at EmilyDickinsonMuseum.org/support
All donations made between now and December 31 will be matched 1:1. Thank you for your generosity!
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#EmilyDickinson #emilydickinsonmuseum #dickinsonday #mylettertotheworld
#happybirthdayemilydickinson

12/04/2018

Did you know that Christmas was not officially observed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts until 1856? In the late 1850s Susan Dickinson (Emily's sister-in-law) began decorating The Evergreens with laurel, making it among the first houses in town to have a wreath! Because Christmas wreaths had earlier “pagan” or hedonistic associations, daughter Martha later remembered, “Susan’s (…) first celebration of Christmas in Amherst with wreaths of laurel in the windows almost upset the family’s apple cart.”

Today you can come see both houses decorated for the holidays. This week is a perfect time to stop by during either the Thursday Arts Night or on Saturday during Emily Dickinson’s 188th birthday celebration! More info at EmilyDickinsonMuseum.org/events

Here at the end of the year, your support means the world to us. Gifts to our annual fund in any amount are appreciated, and we invite you to make your tax-deductible contribution now online through our secure site. https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/support

#emilydickinson
#emilydickinsonmuseum #dickinsonday
#holidaytraditions #christmashistory @ The Emily Dickinson Museum

11/30/2018

"Biography first convinces us of the fleeing of the biographied”

-Emily Dickinson (letter to T.W. Higginson, 1885)


“Writing this book has meant learning to sift through the clutter of two intensely collected lives. Upon ascertaining that there were over seven hundred boxes of primary source material in Yale’s Sterling Library, my first reaction was unmitigated joy… My second reaction… was panic: How do you start to wade through the hundreds of thousands of pages and try to make sense of someone’s life?”

-Julie Dobrow, After Emily, 2018

Don’t miss Julie Dobrow’s reading of her new work ‘After Emily: Two Remarkable Women, and the Legacy of America’s Greatest Poet’ this Sunday the 4th at 2PM. For more info see EmilyDickinsonMuseum.org/events
#emilydickinson
#emilydickinsonmuseum #womenshistory #biography

11/28/2018

"Bold little Beauty -
Bedecked with thee
Nature forswears -
Antiquity -"
(Fr1357)
The shop at the Emily Dickinson Museum is full of thought-provoking, unique, and--sometimes--fragrant items like these lavender sachets from the Museum garden! It's a great place to stop in on a cold day and knock out some of that holiday shopping. And this Saturday during #packthesack day in Amherst we're offering 20% off a single item (some exceptions apply). We hope you'll drop by!
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#emilydickinson #emilydickinsonmuseum

11/27/2018

The Poets Light but Lamps —
(Fr930)

It's #GivingTuesday! Your personal support sustains the Museum’s vitality and Dickinson's immeasurable value in today’s world. Please donate if you can; even small contributions make a big difference!

As an additional thank to our Friends, all donors at the $25 level and above will receive a key-chain from the Museum's gift shop.

#EmilyDickinson #EmilyDickinsonMuseum #ValleyGivingTuesday

11/24/2018

Earlier this fall we were delighted to host Ocean Vuong, Cheryl Strayed, and Sharon Olds for writing sessions in Emily Dickinson's Bedroom. Our partners at BBC Radio 4 have created a new episode of the program 'Pursuit of Beauty' focused on these visits, which will air tomorrow, Sunday, the 25th at 11:30AM EST. To listen in, follow this link: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000198y
#EmilyDickinson #EmilyDickinsonMuseum #BBCRadio4 #OceanVuong #CherylStrayed #SharonOlds #GivingTuesday

And don't forget Giving Tuesday is right around the corner! Your support means the world to us. Gifts of any amount are appreciated, and we invite you to make your tax-deductible contribution now online through our secure site. https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/support

11/21/2018

"The rain fell in torrents & the wind howled around the sides of the mountain over our heads [...], yet nothing daunted, we rode swiftly along & soon the Colleges & the spire of our venerable Meeting House, rose to my delighted vision. Never did Amherst look more lovely to me [...] All were at the door to welcome the returned one, from Mother with tears in her eyes down to Pussy who tried to look as gracious as was becoming her dignity."
- Emily Dickinson in 1847, describing her Thanksgiving holiday from Mt. Holyoke

Wishing everyone safe travels and warm welcomes this Thanksgiving! We’re deeply grateful for the support of our visitors and Friends.

The Museum is closed Wednesday and Thursday, but will be open regular hours on Friday. Pay us a visit—and don’t forget Giving Tuesday is around the corner! Gifts of any amount are appreciated, and we invite you to make your tax deductible contribution now through our secure site. Https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/support
#emilydickinsonmuseum #emilydickinson #amherst #givingtuesday #givingtuesday2018

11/19/2018

On Sunday, December 2nd author Julie Dobrow gives a reading and book signing from her brand new work entitled, After Emily [W. W. Norton & Company; October 30, 2018]. You don’t want to miss it! Find out more here: https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/Dobrow

“Dobrow chronicles the lives of two of Emily Dickinson’s earliest champions and editors. . . . Impeccably researched using more than 700 boxes of the Todds’ personal documents, Dobrow’s narrative gives a fascinating glimpse into the lives of two tireless advocates for Dickinson’s work, demonstrating how poet and editors alike were ‘all women pushing up against the boundaries of their times.’”—Publishers Weekly
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#emilydickinson #emilydickinsonmuseum

11/17/2018

Emily Dickinson Museum set to expand restorations

Exciting things are underway at the Museum! Find out more here, and thanks for the write up, Hampshire Gazette! #emilydickinson #emilydickinsonmuseum

AMHERST — An effort to restore the Emily Dickinson Museum’s homes and grounds to the way they were during the 19th century is continuing through a new project that will eventually open up to visitors more parts of The Homestead, the residence in which...

11/14/2018

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. (FR358)

Explore Emily Dickinson's Planet at our poetry discussion group this Friday 12-2pm. Facilitator Renée Bergland is the Hazel Dick Leonard Research Professor of English and Simmons University, and Visiting Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at Dartmouth. Check out our events page for more information!
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#emilydickinson
#emilydickinsonmuseum

11/06/2018

Ok, so Emily Dickinson isn't on the ballot this midterm, but we still hope you #getoutthevote on this rainy Tuesday! #vote #emilydickinson #emilydickinsonmuseum

11/02/2018

"How do the plants look now & are they as flourishing as before I went away?"
-letter to Austin Dickinson, November 2, 1847

Marta McDowell, the Museum's Gardener-in-Residence, returns one last time this season for weekend volunteer sessions and a concert with the Red Skies Music Ensemble Sunday, November 4, at 2:30 pm. And yes, the final daisy of 2018 is still thriving in Emily's garden and awaiting Marta's return!www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/Gardenerinresidence

11/01/2018

What would you leave at Emily Dickinson’s grave?

https://www.gazettenet.com/Emily-Dickinson-s-grave-isn-t-the-only-one-with-activity-21196119

AMHERST — Stones, a sprig of lavender, a jam jar, alcohol nips, pencils and pens. These are just some of the things left at Emily Dickinson’s grave, but it is far from the only grave site in the Pioneer Valley where people leave mementos.“Cemeteries...

10/31/2018

"Doubtless we are 'fearfully and wonderfully made,' and occasionally grotesquely."
- letter from Emily Dickinson to Louise and Frances Norcross, October 1863

Sending wishes that your Halloween is fearfully, wonderfully, and grotesquely made, like this detail from a chair in The Evergreens!

10/30/2018

"The Leaves are flying high away, and the Heart flies with them, though where that wondrous Firm alight, is not 'an open secret-'"
-letter from Emily Dickinson to Elizabeth Holland, autumn 1884

Before the leaves all fly "high away," experience autumn at the Emily Dickinson Museum this weekend during the last Gardener-in-Residence sessions with Emily Dickinson's Gardens author Marta McDowell! Learn more at www.EmilyDickinsonMuseum.org/GardenerInResidence. And be sure to check out our autumnal concert by the Red Skies Music Ensemble on Sunday, November 4. https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/redskies

10/29/2018

"The Sun came out when you were gone.
I chid him for delay -
He said we had not needed him. Oh prying Sun!"
- letter to Elizabeth Holland, autumn 1873

On this very rainy day in Amherst, a few minutes of sun slipped through before the clouds covered the light up again.

10/28/2018

"Thank you for Greatness-"
-letter from Emily Dickinson to Thomas Wentworth Higginson, October 1870

Today we say goodbye to our unofficial museum guide Oscar Wilde, who took one last stroll through the Homestead garden this morning before moving on to new adventures with his owners.

We can say with scholarly thoroughness that Oscar is likely the greatest museum cat in the history of museum cats (and we think Emily's cat-loving sister Lavinia would agree). Goodbye Oscar, we miss you already!

10/26/2018

"How softly summer shuts, without the creaking of a door, abroad for evermore."
- letter to Louise and Frances Norcross, autumn 1880

Autumn is in full color in Amherst. As we near the end of another season in Emily Dickinson's garden, help us to softly shut summer with Gardener-in-Residence Marta McDowell during the final volunteer garden sessions of the year in November! Learn more at:
www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/Gardenerinresidence

10/25/2018

"We are by September and yet my flowers are bold as June. Amherst has gone to Eden."
- letter to Elizabeth Holland, October 1870

Despite several frosts that have withered most of the Homestead garden, this one daisy keeps blooming. Come see if it's still defying the season on Sunday, November 4, at 2:30 pm, when the Red Skies Music Ensemble performs "Dickinson's Eden". This concert bridges Dickinson's musical, poetic and natural worlds through rarely-performed vocal and piano music from Dickinson's own collection of sheet music, as well as selections of popular 19th century songs.

Learn more at www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/redskies

And be sure to check out our final volunteer garden days of the year on Friday and Saturday! More info here: https://www.emilydickinsonmuseum.org/Gardenerinresidence