The Berkshire Museum will be decorated with creatively-recycled materials for the occasion, including and igloo made from milk jugs.

“The Festival of Trees has become a holiday tradition throughout the community,” said Stuart A. Chase, executive director of the Berkshire Museum. “With an increased interest in ‘green’ living, this year’s theme will certainly be a relevant and innovative holiday celebration.”

The Festival of Trees is sponsored by Legacy Banks.

More than 400 community businesses, groups, and individuals volunteer their time and donate resources to make the Festival of Trees possible. In addition to large trees decorated by local businesses, organizations, and volunteers, the Festival of Trees also features smaller trees decorated by area school children, scout troops, and other youth groups. Local artists, crafters, and decorators design miniature trees for a silent auction.

A special Festival of Trees Museum Shop will offer a variety of unusual holiday ornaments as well as cards, books, jewelry, and more. The shop is known for its array of toys and games for all ages and price ranges, and shoppers will find a wide array of unusual gifts for adults.

During Festival of Trees, the Berkshire Museum is open Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sundays noon to 5 p.m. The galleries are closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, and close at 2 p.m. on December 24 and December 31. Admission to Festival of Trees is $11 for adults, $6 for children ages 3 to 18. ($6/$4 for members). Children under 3 are admitted free. Group rates are available.

Admission includes all galleries at the Berkshire Museum, including the Feigenbaum Hall of Innovation, new in 2008. The collection includes American art from the 18th to the 21st century. Natural science galleries include an interactive dinosaur dig, numerous examples of regional animals, an array of rocks and minerals, and miniature dioramas from the Northern Tundra to the Amazon Jungle. Artifacts from ancient Egypt include the mummy of Pahat, a Sem priest from the Ptolemic period (332 - 30 B.C.E.). The Native American gallery features artifacts from the Mohican, Iroquois, Haida, and Tlingit nations. The Berkshire Museum aquarium features more than 30 tanks of native and exotic fish, reptiles, and amphibians, including a coral reef tank with more than 25 species of coral and a touch tank. -- www.berkshiremuseum.org