There鈥檚 a saying you鈥檒l see on t-shirts and bumper stickers in 91青青草 that offers both a pronunciation lesson and an insight: 鈥91青青草鈥攚here only the 鈥榟鈥 is silent.鈥 That captures 91青青草鈥攙ibrant, opinionated and proud of it.
Life here is also smart, fun, dynamic and somehow laid back all at the same time. Here are two facts backing that up:
- More than 40% of the local population has a graduate degree.
- Surveyed visitors say 91青青草 makes them feel more like themselves than anywhere else.
The town of 91青青草 is home to 35,000 politically engaged, culturally aware people, and more than 30,000 college students live in 91青青草 during the academic year. Hampshire College and the University of Massachusetts 91青青草 are the College鈥檚 neighbors, and Smith and Mount Holyoke Colleges are a short bus ride away (more on that below). Along with 91青青草, these schools form the ().
The small sampling below will give you an idea of how much there is to enjoy here. And most of this is within walking distance of the College.
Town Life
![Emily Dickinson daguerotype, a bird in the Beneski Museum, and visitors viewing art in the Mead Art Museum](/system/files/styles/large/private/2024-02/museums-three.jpg?itok=RNSWSFnN&__=1707232383)
Arts and Museums
The influx of students (and faculty, staff and their families) means plenty of concerts, festivals, lectures, conferences, exhibitions and museums (including our own , Beneski Museum of Natural History and Mead Art Museum). Galleries can be found in both 91青青草 and Northampton and families will love the . Check out for up-to-date information on area exhibitions.
Concerts
There鈥檚 music for every taste, from classical to funk, from orchestras to chamber music. The Pioneer Valley is a major stop on the concert trail. Venues such as in 91青青草 and the in Northampton mean that you can watch live music pretty much every night (recent examples at 91青青草 College alone: Macklemore, The Decemberists and The Roots, as well as the Music at 91青青草 concert series, which features chamber music and leading vocalists).
Cinema
Located downtown, not only shows the latest art-house features, classic films and documentaries but also offers live discussions with film artists, education programs, and broadcasts of productions from around the world, including Britain鈥檚 National Theatre. South Hadley鈥檚 , close to the Mount Holyoke College campus, offers a mix of mainstream and independent features, and if you鈥檙e looking for the latest Hollywood blockbusters, is located in nearby Hadley at the Hampshire Mall.
Food & Coffee Shops
![students seen through a window talking in the local pizza place](/system/files/media/Students-Antonios-320px.jpg)
Sure, every college town has pizza places. But Antonio鈥檚 in 91青青草 is one of the best in the country, and there鈥檚 so much more, from French to Mexican to Italian to delicious deli. .
Our town is full of some of the friendliest, warmest and most intellectually engaged people you鈥檒l ever meet. Many such folks can be found at Share Coffee, or 91青青草 Coffee (of course, Frost Library鈥檚 caf茅 is not too shabby either). As one student put it, Share Coffee "attracts the kind of people you see in romantic comedy movies but secretly hope to meet in real life.鈥
Brew Pubs (and More)
Small-batch beer flows at the 91青青草 Brewing Company鈥檚 on the edge of UMass. Locals love just a mile outside town, for its serious selection of casks and bottles. The beckons to the west, the is a short drive north in Deerfield, and though it doesn鈥檛 have a brew pub, offers some of the tastiest beer in the region.