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Newport museums and galleries offer a rich cultural history of RI

Rhode Island > Newport > Indoor Activities > Museums and Galleries
View from the Cliff - Rough Point Mansion - Newport, RI
Rough Point

680 Bellevue Avenue Newport, RI, 02840 Phone: 401-847-8344

From couture fashion to fine and decorative arts, this museum a treat for those who admire history and art

Featuring fashion and decorative fine arts from around the world collected by heiress and preservationist Doris Duke, the Rough Point Museum is a must see. From room to room, from the grand Music Room to state-of-the-art Kitchen to the cozy Pine Room, you will encounter objects from a Tiffany swan centerpiece, portraits by Anthony Van Dyck, gilded Rococo screens, and a Yuan dynasty jar. Yearly special exhibitions highlight the variety of Doris Duke’s interests, from her philanthropy, to preservation, to collecting art and fashion. The mansion’s grounds, designed by the firm of F.L. Olmsted & Co., offer stunning views of the Atlantic Ocean.
Open seasonally March-early January - For information about operating hours please check the Rough Point website.
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Fire Museum

Baker Street Warren, RI, 02885 Phone: 401-245-7600

This former fire barn on Baker Street once housed the Narragansett Steam Fire Co. Station #3 in the 1800s. Faithfully restored, it now houses the volunteer fire department’s museum and The Little Hero, the first fire engine purchased by the town in 1802. Open by appointment. Call the fire chief.
Visitors at Naval War College Museum Newport Rhode Island
Naval War College Museum

686 Cushing Road Newport, RI, 02841 Phone: 401-841-4052

Want to learn about naval activities in the Narragansett Bay area in colonial times? Or how the science of naval warfare has changed from the time of the Greeks and Romans through the Civil War, both World Wars to today? Then head to the Naval War College Museum, free and open to the public, where naval battles and strategies come to life via changing art collections, exhibits and documents. Starting Dec. 14, learn about the Navy’s role in World War I from the new exhibit, “To Win or Lose All: William S. Sims and the U.S. Navy in the First World War.”
NMAI interior-credit-National-Museum-of-American-Illustration
National Museum of American Illustration and Frederick Law Olmsted Park

Vernon Court at 492 Bellevue Avenue Newport, RI, 02840 Phone: 401-851-8949

This essential American art form is on display at this largest collection original artworks from the Golden Age of American Illustration anywhere in the world. The museum includes artworks by N.C. Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, Norman Rockwell, and more than 100 other artists. Vernon Court is a furnished 1898 mansion, a unique union of art and architecture, and a national treasure.
Hours: Memorial Day to Labor Day; see website for hours. Open year-round by advance reservation for groups or private tours.
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Coggeshall Farm Museum

Off Route 114 Bristol, RI, 02809 Phone: 401-253-9062

A 35-acre colonial farm, established in 1750. The museum features rare breeds of livestock, a barn, cooling house, blacksmith and springhouse. Open March-September, 10 am-6 pm; October-February, 10 am-5 pm.

Charles W. Greene Museum

Main Street Warren, RI, 02885 Phone: 401-245-7686

This museum houses the Charles R. Carr collection of pre-Columbian, Peruvian, and North American Indian artifacts including wampum and glass beads. Colonial fishing and farm also are featured. Open Wednesday from 2 pm to 4 pm and by appointment.
Museum of Newport History - Newport, RI
Museum of Newport History

127 Thames Street Newport, RI, 02840 Phone: 401-846-0813

The museum offers a overview of Newport, Rhode Island, history with exhibits of decorative arts, artifacts of everyday life, graphics, historic photographs, audio-visual programs, ship models, paintings, Colonial silver, the printing press used by James Franklin, a ball gown worn from the Summer Colony, the figurehead from the yacht Aloha, and more. The museum is a great place to visit and thing to do on your next vacation with children when you are looking for a family activity.
Hours: Open daily 10am - 4pm. A $5 donation is recommended in lieu of admission.
Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology

Tower Street, off Route 136 Bristol, RI, 02809 Phone: 401-863-2065

A part of Brown University, this Rhode Island museum focuses on the arts and culture of Native American, African, Southeast Asian, and Oceanic societies throughout history.
Hours: Year-round, Tuesday-Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Mondays and Brown University holidays.
Admission: Free
Information: www.brown.edu/Facilities/Haffenreffer/
Herreshoff Marine Museum and America's Cup Hall of Fame

1 Burnside Street Bristol, RI, 02809 Phone: 401-253-5000

The museum and hall of fame present the story of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and the America's Cup competition. From 1863 to 1945, the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company produced the world's finest yachts on the cutting edge of design and engineering. This Rhode Island museum's collection includes 60 original Herreshoff boats, steam engines, artifacts, and photographs from the Golden Age of Yachting.
Hours: April 26-November 2, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; other times of year by appointment.
Admission: Adults, $10; seniors over age 65, $8; military, $8, youth over age 10, $5.
Information: www.herreshoff.org/