Berkshire County Historical Society at Arrowhead preserves and operates Arrowhead, the historic Pittsfield home where Herman Melville lived and wrote, and presents a calendar of public tours, talks, screenings, and special events that explore local history and literary heritage. The organization offers guided Arrowhead tours that showcase mid‑18th‑century architecture, Melville’s study, period family furnishings, and interpretive stories about his life and work, including seasonal and off‑season tour schedules for 2025–2026.
Programming includes a Downtown Mural Tour led by BCHS Executive Director Lesley Herzberg, which guides visitors past more than two dozen public murals and explains the community project that inspired the city’s mural movement. Literary and cultural programs feature presentations such as Strange Fancies with Robert Oakes, a series of talks on Pittsfield ghost lore and the spectral writings of Herman Melville and Nathaniel Hawthorne; film events like the 1926 silent screening The Sea Beast with an introduction by Professor Richard Matturro; and author panels including Author to Author conversations and Winter Tea Fundraiser talks with noted authors.
The historical society presents exhibitions and curator‑led talks such as Grandmother’s Wedding Dress, a textile‑focused lecture by historian Lorraine German. Events emphasize interpretation of artifacts, historic architecture, and literary connections tied to Melville and regional history. Visitors can attend public programs at Arrowhead in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, to experience guided interpretation, author discussions, film screenings, and seasonal tours offered by the society. Winter Tea Fundraiser has included talks by Simon Winchester, Debby Applegate, Michelle Young, and Kevin O'Hara in Herman Melville's study there.