Ooooh, I hope you get the chance to go to Amherst! Emily Dickinson's house is one of the nicest preserved houses I've seen (although of course I'm biased: It's Emily's), and the tour was wonderful - knowledgeable, personable docent, just lovely.

I really liked the gift shop too. I probably bought more than I really ought to - but how could I fail to buy that picture book about Emily Dickinson illustrated by Barbara Cooney, one of my favorite illustrators of all time???