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List of museums in Rhode Island

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This list of museums in Rhode Island encompasses museums defined for this context as institutions (including nonprofit organizations, government entities, and private businesses) that collect and care for objects of cultural, artistic, scientific, or historical interest and make their collections or related exhibits available for public viewing. Museums that exist only in cyberspace (i.e., virtual museums) are not included. Defunct museums are listed in a separate section.

To use the sortable table, click on the icons at the top of each column to sort that column in alphabetical order; click again for reverse alphabetical order.

Current

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Image Name Town/City County Type Summary
Annmary Brown Memorial Providence Providence Art Part of Brown University, collection includes European and American paintings from the 17th through the 20th centuries and swords
Artillery Company of Newport Newport Newport Military Uniforms, weapons, military artifacts and memorabilia
Audrain Automobile Museum Newport Newport Automobile Preserves and presents automobile history.
Barrington Preservation Society Barrington Bristol History Local Includes household items, brick industry, fishing industry, historical houses.
Beavertail Lighthouse Museum Jamestown Newport Lighthouse Located in the assistant keeper's house, includes models of many Rhode Island lighthouses
Belcourt Castle Newport Newport Historic house 1890s summer cottage estate with furnishings, art and artifacts from 33 European and Oriental countries and 37 other Newport mansions
Blithewold Mansion, Gardens and Arboretum Bristol Bristol Historic house 45-room English-style manor mansion, 32 acres of gardens & arboretum
Block Island Historical Society Museum Block Island Block Island History - local Includes household items, maritime and farming artifacts
Block Island Southeast Light Block Island Block Island Lighthouse Open in summer
Boyd's Wind Grist Mill Middletown Newport Mill Early 19th-century smock mill, open to the public on Sunday afternoons in July, August and September, operated by the Middletown Historical Society
The Breakers Newport Newport Historic house 1890s Vanderbilt family mansion
Bristol Historical and Preservation Society Museum and Library Bristol Bristol Prison 19th century jail and keeper's house
Bristol Train of Artillery Museum Bristol Bristol Military Open by appointment only
Cape Verdean Museum Exhibit East Providence Providence Ethnic history and culture of Cape Verde and Cape Verdean Americans[1]
Chateau-sur-Mer Newport Newport Historic house Gilded Age mansion
Chepstow Newport Newport Historic house 19th century period mansion
Clemence-Irons House Johnston Providence Historic house Operated by Historic New England, late 17th-century house
Clouds Hill Victorian House Museum Warwick Kent Historic house Late 19th-century Victorian period house
Coggeshall Farm Museum Bristol Bristol Living history Late 18th-century period farm with living history re-enactors
Culinary Arts Museum Providence Providence Food Part of Johnson & Wales University, history and culture of food, cooking and cuisine[2]
David Winton Bell Gallery Providence Providence Art part of the List Art Center at Brown University[3]
Eleazer Arnold House Lincoln Providence Historic house Operated by Historic New England, 17th century period house
The Elms Newport Newport Historic house Early 20th-century mansion
Firemen's Museum Warren Bristol Firefighters Open by appointment only[4]
Fort Adams Newport Newport Fort Tours of historic fort, located in Fort Adams State Park
General Nathanael Greene Homestead Coventry Kent Historic house 18th century home of Revolutionary War general Nathanael Greene, also known as Spell Hall
Gilbert Stuart Birthplace Saunderstown Washington Historic house 18th century Colonial house and museum about portraitist Gilbert Stuart
Governor Henry Lippitt House Providence Providence Historic house 19th century period Victorian 20 room home
Governor Sprague Mansion Cranston Providence Historic house Operated by the Cranston Historical Society, mid 19th century period mansion
Governor Stephen Hopkins House Providence Providence Historic house Operated by Society of Colonial Dames of America, 18th-century home of Stephen Hopkins
Great Friends Meeting House Newport Newport Religious Historic Quaker meeting house, operated by the Newport Historical Society
Green Animals Topiary Garden Portsmouth Newport Historic house 80 topiary animals and an 1859 Victorian house museum with displays of vintage toys & furnishings
Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology Providence Providence Anthropology Part of Brown University
Hearthside Lincoln Providence Historic house Early 19th century stone mansion
Hera Gallery Wakefield Washington Art Contemporary art
Herreshoff Marine Museum Bristol Bristol Maritime Includes America's Cup Hall of Fame
Hunter House Newport Newport Historic house 18th century period house
International Tennis Hall of Fame Newport Newport Sports Located at the Newport Casino
Isaac Bell House Newport Newport Historic house 1880s Shingle-Style house
Jamestown Arts Center Jamestown Newport Art Art museum and teaching space. Also host to multiple film festivals
Jamestown Fire Museum Jamestown Newport Firefighting Operated by the Jamestown Fire Department and volunteers, located next door to the main station[5]
Jamestown Museum Jamestown Newport Local history Operated by the Jamestown Historical Society, open seasonally
John Brown House Providence Providence Historic house 18th century period mansion, operated by the Rhode Island Historical Society
John Hunt House East Providence Providence Historic house 18th-century house and museum operated by the East Providence Historical Society
John Waterman Arnold House Warwick Kent Historic house Late 18th-century house, home of the Warwick Historical Society
Joy Homestead Cranston Providence Historic house Operated by the Cranston Historical Society, 18th-century Colonial period house
Kingscote Newport Newport Historic house 19th-century Gothic Revival house
Linden Place Bristol Bristol Historic house 19th century estate and gardens
Marble House Newport Newport Historic house Gilded Age Vanderbilt family mansion
Mount Hope Farm Bristol Bristol Historic house 18th century period mansion and farm grounds
Musée Patamécanique Bristol Bristol Patamechanics Private museum containing works representing the field of Patamechanics
Museum of Natural History and Planetarium Providence Providence Natural history Located in Roger Williams Park
Museum of Newport History Newport Newport Local history Operated by the Newport Historical Society
Museum of Primitive Art and Culture South Kingstown Washington Archaeology / Anthropology Changing exhibits of archaeological and ethnological objects from around the world, including Native American
Museum of Work and Culture Woonsocket Providence Industry Textile industry, operated by the Rhode Island Historical Society
Museum of Yachting Newport Newport Maritime Art, photographs and history of yachting, sailing, and boatbuilding
National Museum of American Illustration Newport Newport Art American illustrative art, located at Vernon Court, a Gilded Age mansion
Naval War College Museum Newport Newport Military History of the Naval War College, area naval activities and science of naval warfare
Nelson W. Aldrich House Providence Providence Local history Home of the Rhode Island Historical Society, changing exhibits on Rhode Island history
New England Wireless and Steam Museum East Greenwich Kent Technology Includes the Massie Wireless Station PJ station, antique radio equipment, locally manufactured steam engines, steam turbines, and technical artifacts.
Newport Art Museum Newport Newport Art Includes notable works from Rhode Island and New England artists, mid-19th century period rooms in the John N. A. Griswold House
Newport Car Museum Portsmouth Newport Automobile 75+ cars from the 50s through to current models, in six galleries: World Cars, Corvettes, Ford/Shelby, Fin Cars, American Muscle, Mopar
Newport Colony House Newport Newport History Meeting place for the Colonial legislature and alternative State House, operated by the Newport Historical Society
Norman Bird Sanctuary Middletown Newport Natural history 300-acre (1.2 km2) wildlife refuge with trailside museum
Paine House Museum Coventry Kent Historic house Colonial period house
Paradise School Portsmouth Newport School One room schoolhouse
Pettaquamscutt Historical Society Museum Kingston Washington Local history Housed in a former jail building
Portsmouth Historical Society Portsmouth Newport Local history Houses the majority of its collection in the former Portsmouth Christian Union Church, includes Julia Ward Howe Room
Prescott Farm Middletown Newport Mill Includes windmill, Revolutionary War guard house, and historic gardens
Providence Children's Museum Providence Providence Children's
Quonset Air Museum North Kingstown Washington Aviation State's aviation heritage, includes military vehicles, missiles, aircraft and aviation artifacts
Redwood Library and Athenaeum Newport Newport Art Library with changing exhibitions of art and history from its collections, also sculpture, furniture, gardens & special book collections
Rhode Island Computer Museum North Kingstown Washington Technology A very large collection of vintage computers, many are operational, and include interactive demonstrations. The RICM recently merged with RIMOSA and offers STEM/STEAM classes.
Rhode Island Museum of Science and Art (RIMOSA) Providence Providence Science / Art Hands-on exhibits, experiences, portable outreach programs, and creative resources for multi-generational learners. RIMOSA has recently merged with the Rhode Island Computer Museum
Rhode Island School of Design Museum Providence Providence Art Collection includes art from Egypt, Asia, Africa, ancient Greece and Rome, Europe, and the Americas, decorative arts, costumes and textiles
Rhode Island Radio Museum North Providence Providence Historic Technology Private Collection of Radio and Wireless Equipment and Parts produced in Rhode Island during the 1920s.
Rhode Island Railroad Museum Kingston Washington Railroad Located in southern half of Kingston Railroad Station
Roger Williams National Memorial Providence Providence Biographical Life of Roger Williams, co-founder of the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations and a champion of the ideal of religious freedom
Rosecliff Newport Newport Historic house Gilded Age mansion modeled after the Grand Trianon
Rough Point Newport Newport Historic house Estate of Doris Duke, includes large art collection and
Samuel Whitehorne House Newport Newport Historic house 19th century brick townhouse with examples of Newport and Rhode Island furniture from the late 18th century
Seabee Museum and Memorial Park Davisville Washington Military Includes the former U.S. Navy concrete chapel, seven vintage Quonset huts and a Seabee statue[6]
Slater Mill Pawtucket Providence Industry Textile mill industry
Smith-Appleby House Smithfield Providence Historic house 18th century period house
Smith's Castle Wickford Washington Historic house Late 17th century period house
South County Museum Narragansett Washington Living history Includes farm and agriculture exhibits, Victorian kitchen, general store display, maritime gallery, print shop, carpentry shop, blacksmith shop, one-room schoolhouse, carriage barn, early vehicles
Sydney L. Wright Museum Jamestown Newport Archaeological Ancient and Colonial period Narragansett Indian artifacts, European artifacts from the 1600s, photos and maps[7]
Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum Exeter Washington Native American Museum of the Narragansett
Touro Synagogue Newport Newport Historic site Colonial-era synagogue
Varnum House Museum East Greenwich Kent Historic house 1773 house built by James Mitchell Varnum, furnished with period furniture and features many historic artifacts. Owned and operated by the Varnum Continentals.
Varnum Memorial Armory Military Museum East Greenwich Kent Military website, operated by the Varnum Continentals in the former Varnum Memorial Armory, includes weaponry, uniforms and artifacts dating from colonial America and through the 20th century
Wanton-Lyman-Hazard House Newport Newport Historic house Colonial era period house, operated by the Newport Historical Society
Warwick Museum of Art Warwick Kent Art Changing exhibits of fine and decorative art
Watson Farm Jamestown Newport Historic house 1796 house is not open to the public but visitors can explore the farmland on their own.
Westerly Armory Museum Westerly Washington Military Local military memorabilia
Whitehall Museum House Middletown Newport Historic house 18th century period house
Wilbor House, Barn and Quaker Meeting House Little Compton Newport Historic house Operated by the Little Compton Historical Society, late 17th-century house and early 19th-century meeting house

Defunct

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See also

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Rhode Island county map

References

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  1. ^ "Home". Cape Verdean Museum Exhibit.
  2. ^ "Home". Culinary Arts Museum.
  3. ^ "Home". David Winton Bell Gallery.
  4. ^ "Firemen's Museum". Visit Rhode Island. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  5. ^ "Fire Museum". Jamestown Fire Department. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  6. ^ "Seabee Museum & Memorial Park". Seabee Museum and Memorial Park.
  7. ^ "Jamestown and Newport, Rhode Island Interesting and Useful Information". Jamestown Information. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  8. ^ "Astors Beechwood mansion in Newport may be sold for $10.5 million". The Providence Journal. 2010-01-01. Retrieved 2010-12-27.
  9. ^ http://dollmuseum.com/aboutus.htm The Museum Doll Shop Web site