PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Berkshire Museum has suspended its mask and vaccine requirements for visitors. Starting Monday, guests will not be required to wear masks nor show proof of vaccination.
This move follows guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and state and city health officials, who are no advising that indoor masking is no longer required because positive cases of COVID-19 have dramatically declined since the holidays.
The museum is among the first to drop all pandemic restrictions; a number of Berkshire institutions are still requiring masks and/or proof of vaccination, at least as of Monday. Public schools have already dropped their masking requirements or have set dates for those mandates to expire.
Pittsfield has dropped from red to yellow in this incident rate level and is reporting about 50 active cases in the city. About 76 percent of residents are now vaccinated.
Museum staff will continue to wear face coverings and encourage any unvaccinated visitors or those who have a weakened immune system or are at increased risk for severe disease due to age or an underlying medical condition or have someone in their household with a weakened immune system, to do the same, as recommended by public health officials.
"As we have done throughout the pandemic, we are following scientific evidence, striving to be good neighbors and community members, and adhering to the standards put forth by city and county leaders, and our public schools. We will continue to do so and recognize that this may be a temporary loosening of restrictions. We're all in this together, and we will continue to provide wonderful programming and exhibits to the entire community according to guidance from public health officials," according to a statement by co-Executive Directors Hilary Ferrone, Miriam Kronberg, and Craig Langlois. "We are grateful for the community's support and understanding of our previous admission restrictions as we sought to make every visitor's museum experience as safe as possible."
The museum's current exhibit is "Voyage to the Deep," based on French author Jules Verne's 1870 classic "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." At the center of this fantasy world is Captain Nemo's submarine, a giant Nautilus in which kids can climb aboard and discover the inner workings of a deep-sea submersible and explore the captain's Cabinet of Curiosities full of marine specimens.
Adults only can party at the "(un)Beach Bash!" on Friday from 6 to 9 p.m. with Voyage to the Deep and the White Eyed Lizard Band. Tickets includes marine-inspired nibbles, tropical spirits, and a steel drum band. Admission is $50; members $40.
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Pittsfield School Committee to Again Vote on PHS Report Release
By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The School Committee will again discuss releasing a redacted version of the PHS report after confusion over a March vote.
On Wednesday, member Ciara Batory, who has been vocal about releasing last year’s investigation into allegations of staff misconduct at Pittsfield High School, demanded a date for its release to the public. It was indicated that the item can be put on the next meeting's agenda.
"I am done playing the game. The public wants a date of when the redacted PHS report will be released, and I will not stop until I get a date," she said before a five-minute recess was called on the meeting.
Last school year, five past and present PHS staff members were investigated for alleged misconduct, and allegations were found to be "unsupported," according to executive summaries released by the last term's committee.
The School Committee agenda for its March 25 meeting included a "request by Ciara Batory to release the May 2025 Pittsfield High report with required redactions." It was reported that there were threats of legal action if the redacted report were released.
Batory on Wednesday said she did not request that agenda item, and that the motion had already passed. Mayor Peter Marchetti, also chair, said they voted in January to review the redacted version, not to release it.
"I move the committee vote to release a PHS investigation report in a redacted form by February 18, 2026, and I'd like to add to that the School Committee reviews it before its release to the public, to make sure that there is enough to present to the public."
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