13 of the Best Things to Do in Rhode Island if You’re into Art and History

What to Do in Rhode Island

Rhode Island may be America’s smallest state, but it holds over 400 years of rich history within its 1,545 square miles. You’ll find everything from grand mansions to world-class museums that rival those in bigger cities like Boston and New York.

Whether you love art or simply looking for fun things to do, it’s hard to go wrong with the following.

Newport’s Largest Mansion

Cornelius Vanderbilt II built this massive Italian-style mansion in 1895 for $12 million (worth $400 million today). Inside the 70-room house, you’ll see rare marble from Africa and Italy, along with beautiful ceiling paintings by European artists.

A team of 40 servants once kept this 125,339-square-foot home running year-round. While walking the 13-acre grounds, you can enjoy ocean views from the cliff walk, 70 feet above the waves. The children’s cottage is a special treat, featuring tiny furniture built at one-third the normal size.

Rhode Island School of Design’s Art Collection

The RISD Museum holds 100,000 artworks spanning 5,000 years of history. Its collection includes everything from ancient Egyptian artifacts to modern art installations by Jenny Holzer and Dale Chihuly.

The museum is especially known for its textile collection, which has 26,000 pieces ranging from pre-Columbian weavings to modern fiber art. You can see famous paintings by Monet, Manet, and Picasso.

If you’re looking to save money, visit on Sundays or Thursday evenings (5-8 PM) when entry is free. The museum shop sells unique items made by RISD students and graduates.

The Marble House

William K. Vanderbilt spent $11 million ($332 million today) building this house between 1888 and 1892. The mansion used 500,000 cubic feet of marble from Italy, Algeria, and Vermont, and was designed to look like a palace at Versailles.

The home’s former owner, Alva Vanderbilt, hosted important women’s rights meetings here, including the 1914 Conference of Great Women. You can visit the Chinese Tea House, which sits on cliffs 70 feet above the ocean. From here, you’ll learn how Newport became an important social center during America’s Gilded Age.

Providence’s Historic Library

This library, which opened in 1836, holds over 180,000 books. Famous writers have spent time here – Edgar Allan Poe courted his love interest Sarah Helen Whitman among the shelves in 1848, while H.P. Lovecraft found inspiration for his horror stories in these rooms.

The building itself is beautiful, with 40-foot ceilings and a large skylight that fills the space with natural light. Among its treasures is a first edition of John James Audubon’s Birds of America. The Greek-style architecture creates the perfect setting for exploring rare books and historical documents.

Block Island’s Historic Southeast Lighthouse

Since 1875, this brick and granite lighthouse has helped guide ships from 22 miles out at sea. It stands on Mohegan Bluffs, named after 40 Mohegan warriors who, according to legend, were forced over the 200-foot cliffs by the Manissean tribe.

In 1993, engineers moved the entire 2,000-ton lighthouse back 300 feet to protect it from falling into the ocean. Today, you can climb 67 steps to the top for panoramic views. The keeper’s house now holds a museum where you can see original items and learn about lighthouse history through hands-on displays.

The John Brown House

John Brown, who helped establish Brown University, built this elegant house in 1788 for $16,000 (about $450,000 today). It was the first mansion in Providence’s College Hill neighborhood.

The house still has its original French wallpaper and furniture made in Providence. Tours tell the complex story of early American history, including how the Brown family built their wealth partly through the slave trade and partly through trade with China.

Newport’s Art Museum in a Historic Mansion

The Newport Art Museum operates from the Griswold House, a beautiful building designed by Richard Morris Hunt in 1864. It shows mainly American art, with special attention to Rhode Island artists from 1850 onwards.

The museum owns 3,000 pieces, including paintings by William Trost Richards and Fitz Henry Lane. New exhibits rotate every three to four months in the 6,500-square-foot gallery space. The museum also runs an art school that’s been teaching students since 1912.

Smith’s Castle

Built in 1678, Smith’s Castle is among Rhode Island’s oldest houses. Roger Williams first used this spot as a trading post in 1637, and it later witnessed a major battle of King Philip’s War in 1675.

Four acres of gardens surround the house, showing how plants were grown from colonial to Victorian times. Staff members dress in period clothing to show visitors how colonists lived, cooking on open hearths and demonstrating crafts like spinning and blacksmithing.

The Arcade

Built in 1828 for $145,000, The Arcade Providence features huge granite columns weighing 13 tons each. A recent $7 million renovation has brought this historic building back to life.

The three-story building now combines shops and restaurants with 48 small apartments upstairs, ranging from 225 to 800 square feet. The glass-covered walkways and original architecture make shopping here a unique experience.

Slater Mill

Slater Mill in Pawtucket started the American Industrial Revolution in 1793. The 4.5-acre site includes three historic buildings: the 1793 mill, the 1810 Wilkinson Mill, and a house from 1758.

You can see original machines in action and learn how workers, some as young as seven, worked 12-hour days. A 12-foot waterfall, which once powered the mill’s machinery, adds beauty to the site along the Blackstone River.

Fort Adams

This fort, built between 1824 and 1857, is North America’s largest coastal fort. Its walls reach 42 feet high and 7 feet thick, enclosing 6.5 acres with a 1,700-foot perimeter.

You can walk through underground tunnels stretching 3/4 of a mile and climb walls offering 30-mile views on clear days. The officers’ quarters show how military life changed from 1870 to 1945.

Rhode Island’s Oldest Church

Built in 1699 for £150, this wooden church is Newport’s oldest surviving place of worship. It represents a time when Quakers made up 60% of Newport’s population.

The building remains largely unchanged, keeping its original wooden benches and unique 18th-century sliding shutters. The garden grows plants that colonial Newport residents would have used for medicine and making dyes.

Providence’s WaterFire Arts Center

This 1929 factory building became an arts center after a $13.7 million renovation. The 37,000-square-foot space keeps its industrial look while providing modern gallery areas. The main hall has 40-foot ceilings and 14-foot windows.

A 27-foot ceramic wall installation stands among multimedia exhibits and artist workshops. While best known for the WaterFire festival, the center now hosts various art shows and events.