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The Atlas Obscura Guide To Amherst

11 Cool, Hidden, and Unusual Things to Do in Amherst, Massachusetts

Updated September 23, 2024
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Atlas Obscura Itineraries

12 Places in Massachusetts Where Literature Comes to Life

Massachusetts is a lit-lover's paradise. From landscapes that have moved writers to wax poetic about beans to story-inspired sculpture parks and shops stacked with volumes new and old, the Bay State would also be aptly named the Book State. Here are 12 places to celebrate writers or the places that inspired them.

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Explore Amherst, Massachusetts

Universities 5
Museums 3
Poetry 2
Architecture 1
Astronomy 1
Roads 1
Art 1
Geology 1

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Stories About Amherst

For more than a century, people have traveled to Amherst to see where Emily Dickinson lived.

How a TV Show Brought New Fans (and Furniture) to Emily Dickinson's House

The poet’s home-turned-museum has embraced its pop-culture moment.
by Elizabeth Minkel, Atlas Obscura
The cake reveals much about Dickinson’s life and times.

The Messy History of Emily Dickinson's Black Cake Recipe

It reveals an unexpected side to the poet's personality and the brutality that brought a Caribbean dish to New England.
by Reina Gattuso, Atlas Obscura
Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
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