All the United States Massachusetts Amherst

The Atlas Obscura Guide To Amherst

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

Updated September 23, 2024
Email

Unusual Attractions in Amherst

Places

Discover your next amazing Atlas Place.

Get more unusual and extraordinary places each week with the Atlas Obscura Places newsletter.

Your newsletter subscriptions with us are subject to Atlas Obscura's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

See All 11 Things To Do in Amherst
In partnership with GetYourGuide

Unforgettable Experiences Nearby

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.

View Itinerary

Explore Amherst, Massachusetts

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

Amherst Leaderboard

Recent Amherst Activity

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.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member

Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member