Norman Rockwell Museum

  In 1973 Norman Rockwell gave 367 pieces of his artwork in trust to the museum. The collection includes many of his most famous paintings plus preliminary sketches and studies. His studio, which was located in the backyard of his home in Stockbridge, Mass, has been moved to the museum grounds and is open to tour.  All 323 Saturday Evening Post covers that Rockwell illustrated are on display on the lower floor of the museum.

   The museum is accessible but very plush carpeting makes pushing around a bit tiring. The path to the studio is paved. The studio is accessible.

The parking lot is large enough for RVs. Museum
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Berkshire Botanical Garden

  The garden is divided into two sections on opposites sides of the road. Demonstration gardens and a greenhouse are located behind the visitor center. Cross the road to view over a dozen display gardens located along a circular path. The garden is fairly small so it doesn’t take much time to see it all.

   The visitor center is accessible but the aisles may be crowded with merchandise, leaving little room for maneuvering a wheelchair. The paths on the visitor center side of the road are flat and fairly easy to push along. The paths on the other side of the road have some steep hills and are surfaced with loose gravel. Wheelchair users will need a strong helper to travel along the circular path. Some of the gardens are best seen by traveling across the grass which is thick and uneven. This is not a good garden for wheelchairs or scooters.

  The parking lot is large enough for RVs. Garden
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Michele & Donald D’Amour Museum of Fine Arts

  This is a small museum with a wide variety of art. The first floor showcases American art. The second floor is European art starting with religious paintings from the middle ages and traveling through the centuries to French impressionists.

  A platform stair lift accesses half of first floor. The second half is down a few steps with another platform stair lift. The second floor is accessed by an elevator. Museum personnel will open an emergency entrance door to exit the museum so using the lifts is not necessary when leaving. This is the first time that I’ve used a platform stair lift. It works so well that I’m surprised more business don’t use them.
     
 Admission tickets are good for five different museums all located in the same block. In the center of the block is a small park dedicated to Springfield native, Dr. Seuss.

Two museum parking lots are located on either side of Edwards Street. Both are fairly small but short RVs will fit in the one on the northwest side of the street if parked using two spaces.  Museum
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Museum of Springfield History

  In 1777 George Washington established the National Armory at Springfield which attracted many skilled workers and established Springfield as a precision manufacturing center. Indian motorcycles, Rolls-Royce, and Stevens-Duryea automobiles were manufactured in the city along with less technical products such as Breck shampoo, Milton Bradley games, and Friendly ice cream. The museum’s permanent exhibits focus mainly on the city’s manufacturing legacy. Admission tickets are good for five different museums all located in the same block.  
           
  The museum is accessible.

  Two museum parking lots are located on either side of Edwards Street. Both are fairly small but short RVs will fit in the one on the northwest side of the street if parked using two spaces.  Museum
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Heritage Museums & Gardens

   In addition to over 100 acres of gardens and walking trails, there are three very good small museums – one with changing exhibits, another with antique cars in a round gallery designed after Shaker barns, and a folk art gallery which also houses a working, 1908, hand-carved carousel.

 The buildings are all accessible but the main garden paths, which lead to the buildings, have some very steep sections that are hard to do even with help. A shuttle will drop passengers at the buildings but it isn’t wheelchair accessible. Other garden paths are surfaced with wood chips, are hilly, and not accessible.

The parking lots are large enough for RVs but the street to the gardens is narrow.  Garden
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Nickerson State Park

  Reservations are necessary in the summertime.( We lucked into a cancellation. ) There’s plenty of space between the sites but little underbrush so not much privacy. The actual vehicle parking areas are all fairly small although there are sites that will accommodate 35’ RVs. No electric or water hookups but showers in the restrooms and a dump station.

  Some of the sites in this campground are supposed to be accessible and near accessible restrooms but I have my doubts. There are only seven. Five are yurt sites and the other two are tent or popup sites so there aren’t any that we could have used. The restroom near our site was not accessible. Many of the standard sites are usable as long as they’re fairly level. The ground is hard packed sand and dirt. The tables have a short overhang.

  A paved bike trail runs alongside the campground’s main road and connects to the Cape Cod Rail Trail. The campground trail has some very steep sections but the rail trail is fairly flat and handcycles can be rented from concessionaires.  Campground
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Cape Cod National Seashore

  Cape Cod National Seashore encompasses 43,500 acres and has almost 49 miles of seashore. Most of the land is wild and undisturbed but there are six developed beaches, three bicycle trails, eleven hiking trails and a few historic sites.

  Very little is wheelchair accessible which is frustrating because it’s a federal site and should be held to the same standards as private properties that are open to the public. We didn’t visit all of the park but this is what we found at the places that we did visit:

  Fort Hill – no access to the informative sign or any way to get close to the sea captain’s house. Handicapped parking space at the overlook. Trails were too steep to be made accessible.
       
  Salt Pond Visitor Center – all accessible. The museum is a little cramped in some sections with no room for a wheelchair to pass by if someone is looking at the exhibits. Trails are not accessible.

  Marconi Station Site – ramp to higher overlook is too steep. Lower overlook and signs are accessible.

  Pilgrim Heights -  overlook is accessible, trails are not.

  Province Land Visitor Center – ramp to the center is too steep and does not have landings. Railing at overlook is at a height that blocks the view.
                
  Old Harbor Life Saving Station Museum – almost all accessible. Long ramp with landings, wide doors in the museum with a lot of room to maneuver. Stairs only to upper floor.
       
  Park bike trails have very steep sections.

  The visitor centers have long RV/bus spaces. Fort Hill has a 20’ limit. Marconi Station and Pilgrim Heights lots are large enough for RVs. Old Harbor Life Saving Station Museum and some of the beaches do not allow any vehicles or the lots fill early and you must walk, ride a bike, or take a shuttle.  Park
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