Hancock Shaker Village

Originally founded in 1790, this Shaker village was, at one point, one of 19 such communities in Massachusetts. In the 1840s, roughly 300 members inhabited and farmed some 3,000 acres in pursuit of the simple life. Gradually, the Hancock community shrank over the years, until only around 50 members remained in the 1950s. In the 1960s, it was converted into a museum

Among other things, this space today features rare breeds of heritage livestock and a mile-long hiking trail, plus the oldest working farm in the Berkshire region. Be sure to check out the collection of “gift drawings,” works of art created as an expression of a message from spirits or God.