Welcome

The Massachusetts Center for Interdisciplinary Renaissance Studies is an internationally leading center for the study of the culture and achievements of the Renaissance period (1400-1700). The Center contributes to the field of Renaissance studies through research, teaching, and outreach to the University of Massachusetts Amherst campus, the Amherst community, and beyond.

Home to the scholarly journals English Literary Renaissance and The Sidney Journal, as well as the book series Massachusetts Studies in Early Modern Culture, the Center is a lively scholarly community with a rich program of lectures, seminars, and conferences along with graduate and undergraduate classes and programs for the wider Amherst community. Visiting scholars from four continents have made use of the research opportunities at the Center, and the Center's work reaches across both geographic and disciplinary boundaries.

We welcome all qualified scholars and students to do specialized research using our unique collection of more than 30,000 items, including primary and secondary texts, manuscripts, microfilms, CDs, DVDs, and one of the largest collections of books printed between 1500 and 1700 in the Northeast. This rich library includes, in addition, digitized resources and the papers of the Yale Thomas More edition, Dame Helen Gardner, Harriet Hawkins, C.A. Patrides, and Marvin Rosenberg, and the professional papers of many major Renaissance scholars as well as the working libraries of J.H. Hexter, Sam Schoenbaum, Arthur Kinney, Vincent Ilardi, and Carol and Robert Kaske.

Arthur F. Kinney, Director

  

 

 
 

CURRENT FOCUS

May 5th Annual Community Renaissance Festival. 11am to 4pm, Renaissance Center Meadow rain or shine! Featuring performances by: Ayrecraft, Cantabile, Amherst Recorder Consort and the Amherst College Madrigal Singers. Free entry and free parking. Handicap accessible.


Activities: (With times that are currently set.)

--Ayrecraft Concert 11:00-11:30 and 1:30-2:00
--Phoenix Swords performance and costumed sword presentation 11:30-12:00 and 3 - 3:30.
--Falconry with Chris Davis of N.E. Falconry at 12-12:30, 1-1:30 and 2-2:30.
--UMass Theater performance of Suitors at 12:30-1:15.
--Cantabile Concert 12:30 - 1:15
--UMass Theater performance of excerpts from The Complete Works of --William Shakespeare, Abirdged 2-3:30
--Amherst College Madrigal Singers concert 2:30-3
--Morris Dancing by And Sometimes Y 3-3:30
--Acme Lute Movers concert at 3:30-4:00

Activities that are ongoing OR times not set yet:

--Mud antics and mud face painting by "Dauber the Mud Beggar" (in costume, covered in mud)
--Strolling performances by "The Renaissance Buffoons" (in costume) (Steve Henderson and Steve Pierce of Hampshire Shakespeare Company)
--Book Sale in the barn.
--Food for sale by UMass Concessions.
--Juggling (in cosutme) and impromptu juggling lessons by UMass student Hannah French
--Amherst Recorder Consort concert
--Printing press demonstration with Master Printer Pen Martorell of Wisteriahurst Museum
--Weaving demonstration - by members of Pioneer Valley Weavers
--Members of Gardener's Guild and Stockbridge School of Agriculture with hops and strawberry seedlings and information about the new Renaissance era vegetable garden and Renaissance era apple orchard.
Performance times are subject to change.
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