OLLI at BCC Announces Winter 2026 Semester

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PITTSFIELD, Mass. — The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Berkshire Community College (OLLI at BCC) announced its Winter 2026 class catalogue, offering hundreds of courses, lectures, and events — online and in person — for adults seeking enrichment, connection, and community. 
 
Online registration is open at berkshireolli.org/winter2026.
 
Each winter, OLLI brings together a learning community from across the Berkshires. In Winter 2026, members may choose from a variety of classes, spanning literature, history, science, arts, current events and even practical topics such as self-defense and hiking.
 
Some highlights of the Winter 2026 offerings:
  • Whose Declaration?: Reflecting on the Meaning and Significance of the Declaration of Independence — a six-session online course exploring the creation, motives, and lasting meaning of the U.S. Declaration of Independence, part of OLLI’s Rev250 commemoration of the American Revolution.
  • A diverse array of courses including literature classics, modern political issues, creative arts, fitness & self-defense, theatre, music, and more — 40+ course titles listed for Winter 2026.
  • Outdoor-learning opportunities like Winter Hiking in the Berkshires, offered on Thursdays and Fridays in January–February for small, member-only groups.

Flexibility for busy schedules: many online courses are recorded, allowing members to access sessions at their convenience.

Winter semester fees are structured to encourage participation: $60 for a single course, $110 for two, and $150 for three or more courses. As always, membership in OLLI at BCC is required to register — a full-year membership is $75. Scholarships are available for those who qualify.
 
 

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Berkshire Museum Explores Ancient Egypt With ‘Soulful Creatures’

By Sabrina DammsiBerkshires Staff
PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Following its multimillion-dollar renovation, the Berkshire Museum is welcoming an exhibition unlike any it has been able to host before.
 
Marking the museum's first major exhibition since its renovation, "Soulful Creatures: Animal Mummies in Ancient Egypt," opening Saturday, Oct. 10, thins the veil between the ever-evolving history of Egyptian culture and society and modern day people. 
 
"The most important thing about history is recognizing people from the past as actual people. Ancient Egyptians are no different than us," said William Dore, the museum's chief curator. "They have different cultures and beliefs and different viewpoints, but you can say the same thing about people today."
 
When audiences experience the exhibit, they will see the humanity in the people of the past, which in turn helps them connect with different views and perspectives around the world today, he said. 
 
Combining archeology with modern scientific imaging, Brooklyn (N.Y.) Museum curators Yekaterina Barbash and Edward Bleiberg designed an exhibit that works to uncover the mysteries behind these objects and the beliefs and rituals that surround them. 
 
"I think something that people kind of misunderstand about history is none of it's ever settled. ... History is a science that is constantly questioned,” Dore said. "It only works if everyone's constantly rethinking things, learning new things ... which is for me super exciting because as much as we know a lot about the ancient Egyptians, there's a lot we don't know.”
 
The installation features dozens of artifacts on loan from the Brooklyn Museum that explores the practice of animal mummification and the role animals played in ancient Egyptian religion. 
 
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