chesterwood museum

It does take a bit of an effort to get to Chesterwood; it's in a really out of the way spot. We put the address into our GPS and it took us through a large hilly, wooded area, over narrow, unmarked dirt roads. Our trust was rewarded, though, and eventually we got to the beautiful site. Other visitors were talking to the site manager, and she said that there is an easier route to get there, but apparently most GPS units do not pick it up.The residence is what I would consider a nice enough upper-middle-class home, although the view is one of a wealthy family. The tour is thorough and pleasant, although since all the original furnishings are still in the house, visitors are only allowed to peek into each room from the doorway. The tours are also given only at certain times and the building is locked otherwise. So if you don't arrive right at the moment when a tour begins you'll have some time to kill.The tour of the studio is the real prize. It's a fascinating building, with a 40-foot-high glass ceiling, to allow in the proper light. The docent is excellent, and will enthusiastically answer any question a visitor could have about French's work and sculpting in general. French's final project, the beautiful but not quite finished Andromeda, is breathtaking and in itself is worth the trip.I wouldn't say that the site is accessible to a handicapped person. The residence, studio, and visitors' center are not close together, and the ground is not at all level; there's a lot of up and down. But if you can find it, and are up to walking around the grounds, you'll find the attraction well worth your while.

Chesterwood is the home of Daniel Chester French... think Lincoln Memorial. He was a very prolific and well known 19th century artist with many stunning sculptures, commissions etc. His home, and the studio are a deeply personal experience in my opinion. Plus the small museum is beautifully done and very informative. Another very worthwhile visit to enjoy the former lifestyle of the Berkshires back in the day of Estates, and elaborate summer lifestyles.

This is not the open, sprawling area graced with French’s sculptures that I’d somehow envisioned. The home, studio, and welcome center are a bit crowded on a hillside. There are open areas, mainly featuring contemporary, abstract sculpture when we were there. There’s one DCF sculpture of Lincoln standing and a small fountain and landscaped area and a nice view of the mountains. In the welcome center there are examples of his famous Minuteman (one of his first works) and of the sitting Lincoln, centerpiece of the Lincoln Memorial. The orientation video is well-done and informative. His last work, the remarkable nude, Andromeda, is in the studio along with another, larger sitting Lincoln. Unfortunately, home tour times are inconvenient: we arrived after the tour at 11 and didn’t have time to stay for the 2:30 tour.

Outdoor art great for photography. Pray for good weather, most of it is outdoors. Art studio is a must

I've been to Chesterwood a few times as a Massachusetts native and take clients there as a small tour company operator..it is always a favorite!! The gorgeous setting and works of this magnificent American sculptor are awe inspiring. Visitors from near and far always love this gorgeous site and the docents here are enthusiastic, knowledgeable and wonderful!! A must visit on your next Berkshires trip!

This was a find and well worth the two hours spent there. To learn the history of this prolific sculpter is very interesting. The amount of work going into the start and prep, is time consuming along with hard. The studio custom designed for proper light is very large and austere. To see the the stages of the Lincoln statue is interesting as many things changed before the one we all see in Washington.

Walk around the grounds. Look at the view. See Daniel Chester French's art and see where it was created in his studio. French's place in art and history is clearly understood in an understated museum in a beautiful spot in the Berkshires. Literally, just up the road from the Rockwell Museum. Different contemporary sculptures are placed throughout the grounds too. Bring a picnic!

Very helpful staff. A beautiful home and studio. Learned a lot about French and his work. Definitely worth the visit.

Was pleasantly surprised when visiting the Chesterwood Museum. My wife decided to go here, and I figured it would be all about the Lincoln Memorial. Well, a great deal of it was, but there was also much more. We toured the museum that displayed many of his sculptures, saw a movie on his life, hiked in the trails on the property, looked at the art displays by Albert Paley that are around the property, and sat on a porch with a super view of the mountains in his studio. Staff was knowledgeable and friendly. Takes about two hours to do. I recommend it. You can parlay this museum with others in the area to save money.

With a home in Lenox, Chesterwood is a favorite place to bring visitors for the history it offers concerning the sculptor of the Lincoln Memorial and other major pieces but also for its yearly contemporary sculpture show that is installed throughout the site. This year's show featured a single artist whose works were so massive that they were unable to install them along the extraordinary woodland walk (a walk created by Daniel French as inspiration for his work). I love this place. When my children were little they used to offer clay sculpting classes that we attended frequently (free). It is worth looking up the events that are occuring each year. There is truly something for everyone. This summer they have been offering Friday night music. Last one is the 29th of August and I plan to attend. Go with an open mind and bring the children - there is something for everyone. Note: There is a BEAUTIFUL picnic spot - do pack a picnic and linger back in time for awhile.

I really didn't know who sculpted the Lincoln Memorial and it was a great pleasure to see Daniel Chester French's work. I enjoyed seeing how he originally was going to do the Memorial of Lincoln standing and how it evolved. Especially enjoyed seeing his studio and other pieces. Beautiful gardens that host other artists. Great display of Paley art when we were there. House is closed for a couple of hours during lunch time so check hours if you want to include the house. Nice woodland walk to take.

Chesterwood is the former summer home, studio and gardens of America's foremost public sculptor of the 20th century, Daniel Chester French. The studio and adjacent gardens are first rate. This season the extensive grounds a number of large works of the sculptor, Albert Paley.

Having seen the Minuteman statue near Old North Bridge, as well as the Lincoln Memorial, I hadn't given much thought to the artist/sculptor, Samuel Chester French, in terms of his creative process or how integral he was toward creating iconic American images based in his own perception. So much of that is revealed with a trip to Chesterwood. The docent giving the tour of French's house had me hanging on her every word, and the private studio was as stunning as any artists' atelier I have seen in Europe -- this is a "real" handyman's workplace. I like that Chesterwood supports the work of other sculptors, aside from French, by displaying their work throughout the property -- it adds a nice touch of the new amidst the historical.

house he lived in and his gallery were just so great. He was a part of our history.I just learned so much about large sculpture and did not know he did this work.

I've been to hundreds of museums in my life and this is probably the worst visitor experience ever. To begin with, the signage is misleading, for example the "Restrooms" sign points up a hill to the wrong building. When we went in to buy our tickets, the clerk didn't seem to know how to operate the register. Luckily another clerk arrived and took over. We were then given a map of the premises that was totally confusing. It turned out that "North" was at the right-hand side of the map, where east is on a standard map. Chesterwood offers very little information of interest to the casual visitor. OK, there is a video of Daniel Chester French's biography which is very good, but when you try to understand what is going on with the gardens and the studio, you are either left guessing or you can read technical sheets about each individual piece of sculpture, which is great if you are seriously into this material but not engaging if you are not. Also, the grounds were littered with a temporary show of abstract sculptures by a 21st-century sculptor but no background info on who that sculptor is or why his work was considered relevant. We were told you can only enter the "Residence" (which the map labels "House", not "Residence") via guided tour, which was going to be in an hour and a half. So we hung around for an hour and a half, only to have the tour guide arrive and announce that there were too many people to accommodate. A loud argument ensued with one woman interrupting the tour guide with comments like "I don't want to be rude, but ..." At that point we left.