 AMHERST, Mass. - The Emily Dickinson Museum: The Homestead and The Evergreens will open for its 2011 season on Wednesday, March 2. The Museum will be open March through December, Wednesday through Sunday, 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with extended hours, June 1 through August 28, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The Emily Dickinson Museum is comprised of two homes, the Homestead where the poet was born and lived for most of her life, and The Evergreens where Emily Dickinson's brother Austin lived with his family. The Museum's daily program features three different tours. "This was a Poet," a 40-minute tour of the Homestead introduces and explores Emily Dickinson and her poetry. "Emily Dickinson's World," a 90-minute tour, provides a more in-depth look at the Dickinson family at both the Homestead and The Evergreens. "Grounds of Memory" a self-guided audio tour of the Dickinson grounds, explores Emily Dickinson's fascination with the natural world and her family's deep interest in the land. The Museum will begin this year with The Big Read: Emily Dickinson, April 2 - May 21. This is the second time the Museum has participated in this initiative to celebrate great American poets and the nation's historic poetry locales. The Museum's 2011 calendar is full of special programs and workshops to encourage appreciation of Dickinson's poetry and her influence. Big Read programs will include "Emily Dickinson's Poetry 101" at locations around the Pioneer Valley, and a Dickinson- inspired installation by artist Spencer Finch and Amherst High School students. Other programs include a nosegay workshop with landscape historian Marta McDowell, the popular Poetry Walk and our Second Annual Baking Contest. For a complete list of the Emily Dickinson Museum's 2011 programming and special events, visit www.EmilyDickinsonMuseum.org. The Emily Dickinson Museum, comprising of the Dickinson Homestead and The Evergreens, is devoted to the story and legacy of poet Emily Dickinson and her family. Both properties are owned by the Trustees of Amherst College. The museum is overseen by a separate Board of Governors charged with raising its operating and capital funds. The Homestead was the birthplace and residence of the poet (1830-1886). The Evergreens was the home of the poet's brother and sister-in-law, Austin and Susan Dickinson. The Emily Dickinson Museum is located at 280 Main Street in Amherst. The Museum is a member of Museums10, a consortium of ten Pioneer Valley museums forged to celebrate the collections and promote the programs of its affiliated museums to local, regional, and national visitors. | 
