The Village offers a variety of experiences for groups of every interest – from gardening to crafts to architecture – and much more. Our April through October season means your group can enjoy blossoming spring gardens, the cultural vibrancy of summer in the Berkshires, or brilliant fall colors!
Your group’s experience will be a quality one – the Village is rated three stars by the Michelin Guide, a AAA gem site, an Editor’s Pick in Yankee Magazine’s Travel Guide to New England, and a Registered National Landmark. Group amenities include an on-site catering service, designated free motor coach parking, and the unique shopping experience that awaits you in the Museum Store.
GROUP LUNCHEON MENUS For groups of 10 or more, enjoy a private dining experience by Savory Harvest Catering.
Please contact Hancock Shaker Village with questions about hosting your group: 413.443.0188 x100, or fill out our online inquiry form: Click here if you have questions about group tour visits before booking.
Self-Guided Group Visits
April – June 30th, 2013: 10am to 4pm
July 1st – October 27th, 2013: 10am to 5pm
Allow two hours minimum
Group Rates $15 per adult
This walking tour of the Village’s historic buildings offers you the opportunity to experience the Shakers’ City of Peace at your own pace. Informative videos and friendly, knowledgeable staff are available in the historic buildings throughout the Village to bring the Shaker story to life. Demonstrations of traditional crafting and farm activities enhance your understanding of America’s most successful utopian society. You’ll want to extend your stay beyond two hours to appreciate fully the simple beauty and exceptional efficiency of Shaker architecture and artifacts; the power of religious beliefs echoed in song and everyday routine; the pastoral tranquility of the Village farm; and the earthy splendor of our gardens. Your group members may dine on their own in the Village Harvest Café or contact us to arrange a special catered meal. Advance reservation required.
Guided Group Visits
April – June 30th, 2013: 10am to 4pm
July 1st October 27, 2013: 10am to 5pm
Allow 1.5 hours for guided portion, price includes self guided time before or after tour
Group Rates $20 per adult
Step back in time as a lively Village guide in traditional Shaker garb escorts your group in this two hour walking tour highlighting three of the most dramatic and significant of our historic buildings: the Brick Dwelling, the iconic Round Stone Barn, and the Laundry & Machine Shop. Outstanding themes of Shaker life related to each of the buildings visited — community, farming, innovation and technology — thread the tour, providing an incomparable examination of the Shaker world. Minimum of 15 persons per group.
Specialty Guided Tours
In addition to self-guided and traditional guided tours for groups, Hancock Shaker Village offers a number of specialty tours designed for groups with specific interests or who are looking for a unique experience in Shaker dining. The tours listed below must be reserved in advance, via email or phone, and cannot currently be booked online:
Shaker Dinner and Song Tour
We make you “kindly welcome” in true Shaker fashion with this tour. Expanding upon the Highlights Tour, the Shaker Dinner and Song Tour affords visitors the ultimate Village experience. A guide in traditional Shaker dress accompanies your group in a two-hour walking tour that highlights and emphasizes themes of community, farming, and innovation and technology. The tour culminates with cider and cheese under the Visitors Center Timber Frame, where your group is treated to an unparalleled view of the Round Stone Barn. A sumptuous four-course Shaker-inspired dinner, served up in the modern comfort of Community Hall, begins with the singing of a Shaker grace and concludes with a program of music that helps to illuminate Shaker beliefs and spirituality. The bountiful buffet-style dinner offers two entrees. Special arrangements for vegetarians are gladly accommodated. Approximately four-and-a-half to five hours should be scheduled to savor this truly memorable experience. Minimum of 15 persons per group required; maximum of 60 persons can be accommodated. Available year-round on a first-come, first-served basis.
$68 per person for group members
$38 for each driver, escort and/or tour leader
Historic Shaker Garden Tour
The first to produced packaged seeds and well-known for their fine herbal remedies, the Shakers invested great thought, time, and work in their gardens. This two-hour specialty tour, conducted by our Head of Historic Gardens, offers a superb historic overview of Shaker plantings in the medicinal and herb gardens, heirloom seed and vegetable gardens, and the areas surrounding the Victorian-era Trustees Office and Store. Showcasing the quiet yet sublime beauty of a wide variety of cultivated plantings, the gardens also demonstrate the Shaker preoccupation with functionality and the creation of a heaven on earth. Ample time is allotted to wander the gardens. This tour also includes general admission to the Village and is provided on a limited, first-come, first-served basis to groups of from 15 to 30 persons. Available from Memorial Day Weekend to mid-October only.
$25 per person
Rates are subject to change and will be confirmed with your reservation.
Driver and leader free for commercial tour groups; tour leader free for all other groups. Meals are not included in complimentary admissions.
Please click here to request more information about Group Tours at Hancock Shaker Village. Or, call 413.443.0188 x100.
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