This is another one of those places I've passed by probably a thousand times and never gave a…read moresecond thought to. But, on this nice holiday I finally stopped by. Tours end in October, which was nice as had the place to myself and could freely roam about. It's a nice place. Couple walking trails, nice waterfront view, and obviously the historical grounds. Would probably be nicer to visit in the summer, but then you have to deal with the crowds. Well worth a trip if for nothing else than the walking trails and the historical aspects.

A fantastic little getaway. I only did the trails but they were a nice time. The boardwalk has…read moresome nice views, and even the pathways are nice little escape.

This is a great learning place for kids and adults. We happen to come here often with the…read moregrandkids. You can experience all the nature in the surrounding area. We had the pleasure over the summer to watch as the osprey babies were born . The whole experience was so cool. There are trails , butterfly gardens . The different species of fish and shellfish in the bay. That are in different tanks the kids can learn from. They also have a summer camp and host birthday parties.

I live in South County and do not visit this museum enough. Even though it's small, you can really…read morelinger at the displays and other things the museum has to offer on their grounds. You can spend a good morning or afternoon here. I recently went to the quilt show and loved it, especially the lecture by the museum curator. It was fantastic. Recommendation: Round out this this experience with a lovely coffee from the Queen of Cups and a walk at the beach.

Great museum. We stop in almost every visit to Narragansett. Kids loved the scavenger hunt. Worth a…read morevisit each Summer to see what is on exhibit.

The National Museum of American Illustration is amazing, from the mansion that holds it, the…read moreoutdoor water effects and gardens and the great staff. The art inside is something you may never see again. You must stop if you are in Newport. The hours were confusing to me, so give a call or look at their web site to see when they are open. The art, all of it, on display is wonderful. Each piece is set perfectly, the lighting perfect and the story behind each piece is fascinating. If you are a Rockwell fan at all, you have to go here. You may think you know Rockwell's but I saw illustrations I had no idea existed, from the cute to the serious to the beauty of telling of a time in US history. The John Rogers sculptures are really something to see. This was my first time noticing his work and I just stood there in awe. Enjoy.

This is an art gallery pure and simple and is located in one of the more modest Newport "cottages"…read moreon Bellevue Ave. It just happens to feature art by "commercial" artists--specifically by Norman Rockwell, his predecessors, his protégés, and his contemporaries. You will not find any works that make you wonder about meaning or whether you are being kidded. No abstraction, no bold geometric designs, no blobs of paint, no pure blacks or reds. You are never in doubt about whether these artists possess real talent. These are all artists who made good money while they were alive! I liked it a lot and I'm glad we just happened upon it. In addition to finding a couple of dozen works by Rockwell, you will see landscapes, beautiful women, handsome men, a few portraits, some excellent caricatures, and a lot of art that became the covers of books and magazines. The gift shop has some impressive quality copies of the art that you can take home for a price. The only negatives I should mention is that no photography is allowed (copyright issues) and sometimes it is hard to read the captions in the darkened rooms. Treat yourself to a different genre of high quality art--this is worth a one to two hour visit.

The staff here was so friendly and welcoming. We stopped by here before checking into out VRBO…read more They had a place to leave our bags which was delightful. We went on a Sunday and there was a DJ there spinning Prince tunes. It was awesome. He shared that he is only there on Sundays but it was a really solid addition to the overall vibe. Although it is not a particulary big museum it was well done and informative with some great exhibits. I loved the Tom Maley exhibit and learning more about this artist as well as the Jaws exhibit. The museum itself was set in a beautiful setting high up on a hill. It was worth the visit for sure.

I'm a museum person and this one definitely didn't disappoint. I appreciated the grounds which were…read moreabsolutely stunning and opened up directly to the water. All of the staff there were amazing as well. The museum had a small but serviceable section on Jaws and I appreciated the movie clips that they had. As a history teacher I appreciated the sections on the history of the island and the shipwrecks around the area. Overall we spend about a little over an hour there. It was a nice time but for $21 for adults I did find it to be on the higher end of museums I've been to. But if you're in the area and have the time I do recommend stopping by.

Step back in…read more time The Jamestown Historical Society and Museum is located in a small but very cool 19th century schoolhouse that displays a variety of old maps, artifacts, photos and memorabilia from the old ferry system. Certainly not a large museum but themes and ideas are changed throughout the summer to keep things interesting. The island of Jamestown is very history conscious and the Historical Society is extremely active in giving lectures, demonstrations and special events. Even though the artifacts, photos and maps are fascinating, the main attraction are the people that work there. Most of them have lived on the island all their lives and have ancestors that farmed the fields and sailed the waters. They are a wealth of information and can answer of will find the answer to any possible question about the history of the island. Full of great stories of the past and humorous personal antidotes. Many people pass through Jamestown on the way to Newport or Boston but unfortunately not many take the time to stop on the island and even fewer take the time to visit the small and unassuming museum. That's too bad because on the island history is still alive and well and the past, present and future are inseparable. Step back in time

From the owner: Maintain the Museum, the Windmill, the Meetinghouse, and the Conanicut Battery. Preserve the…read moreSociety's collection of documents, photographs, and artifacts.

A great spot. $2 for general admission, $5 if you want to see the planetarium show too. Even with…read moreits small size you can't go wrong with those prices. As I said it is on the small side, in a hurry you could do the musuem in 15 minutes, and even taking your time it could be done in half an hour. There are plenty of displays, but not much in terms of factual information compared to other musuems. Check this place out, even if its not your thing for the price you can't go wrong.

Only 2 handicap parking spots and the entrance had steps where the door opens towards you are you…read moreare trying to come in. $2 admission is not bad and staff are friendly. So if you need an ADA parking spot, show up early and there's one in each of the parking lots adjacent to the building.

The Marble House is another must-see in Newport. This is my number 2 among the three mansions I…read morevisited here (#1 is The Breakers and #3 is Rosecliff). I got the Breakers Plus 2 package. You'll see the grandeur and opulence in all the rooms. Some scenes from The Gilded Age were shot here (or were taken inspiration from here). Really beautiful and stunning. Again, bring your earphones or earbuds to enjoy the self-guided audio tour which you download on your mobile device.

21st September 2026 Bellevue…read moreNewport RI Cloudy 65°F Marble House was gifted to Alva Vanderbilt by her husband, William on her 39th birthday. Tremendous amount of imported marble, gold, carved mahogany wood paneled fixtures, walls. The construction took a few years. The HBO series GILDED AGE was filmed here, and if not, some of the mansion features were of influence. Definitely worth a tour of the cottages in Newport.

My boyfriend and I are on a quest to visit every library in Rhode Island, and even after years and…read moreyears of living in the surrounding area and performing with a theatre company in town, I have actually never been to the Jamestown Philomenian Library up until yesterday! And what a mistake it was to stay away for so long! This library is smaller than some of the other ones we have visited around the state, but does not lack in charm or comfort at all. Step inside, and you'll find an ample selection of literature, lots of DVDs, and tons of community meeting space, from private conference rooms to a larger room that's used for everything from guest speakers to movie screenings (they're free! We'll be back for one soon!) There are also lots of cozy chairs to sit in and read, which is a perfect refuge for a cold island night. I could have stayed here all day! Pro tip! If you have the Ocean State Library Card, you can take out books from any of the libraries in the network, not just the one you got the card from. I learned this way too late after getting mine, and I'm glad the kind librarian here set the record straight! I ended up leaving with a stack of novels, and the greatest foodie movie of all time, Chef, on DVD. Hey, I'm a Yelper at heart, what can I say?

What exactly is a…read more Philomenian? The library on the island of Jamestown is officially called the Jamestown Philomenian Library. Everyone knows what a library is but what the hell is a Philomenian? Don't bother looking it up in a dictionary because you won't find it. That's because the word doesn't mean anything. Philomenian is a word that doesn't really exist. It seems in times past people in eccentric places like islands use to enjoy making up words to describe their organizations to distinguish themselves from other equally bizarre organizations. They wanted to sound unique and you can't get any more unique than making up your own words. In the early 1800's a group of fellows on Jamestown wanted to start a debating club. So I suppose they had a debate and decided to called themselves the Jamestown Philomenian Debating Society. A few decades later they decided the island needed a library so they each donated one dollar and started what was called the Jamestown Philomenian Library. The fact that philomenian wasn't a word didn't seem to bother anyone. At first the library was just some books kept in people's houses. Very casual and unorganized. Finally in 1971 a building was built to house the books and in 1993 it was enlarged and modernized but still kept the name Jamestown Philomenian Library. Once again no one seem to mind the library has a word in it's name that doesn't really exist. The library today is actually quite large and modern considering the small amount of people it serves. However it never lost it's friendly, idiosyncratic and eccentric island charm. It not only serves as storage for tomes but also contains the Sydney Wright Museum with some cool artifacts and several meeting rooms that have various art exhibitions, story times for kids and some very cool concerts with local talent. A friendly place not just for books, but it also serves the purpose for interacting and socializing with neighbors. Certainly not the largest or technologically advance library in the state but then that's part of the charm. The fact that the library has a word in it's name that doesn't really exist suits it quite well.

If only there were 10 stars. This tiny place is the hub of the community. Its library service is a…read moresliver of what goes on here: concerts, cooking classes, a kids' postcard club, Italian lessons, yoga, art exhibits, adventure lectures, live streaming, movies, guitar lessons, crafts, story hour for tots. A cozy, comfy setting with working fireplace and native plant garden in the back. Private library open to the public, OLIS member, meets all RI state standards, including handicapped access. WiFi available. Open 1:00-6:00 M-F; 9:00-12:00 Sat. Closed Sun. All state library cardholders welcome, but do join the Willett anyway ... your support is vital.

There isn't too much in Saunderstown that's the same as it was in the 1960s. The road I grew up on…read moreis still dirt, but the pasture next to my childhood home, once filled with gentle music from the bells on Mr. Newcomb's sheep, is now occupied by a mini-mansion. My childhood home expanded and looks like a Cape Cod on steroids. The once mostly abandoned summer homes on Narragansett Bay are winterized and occupied. It is unlikely that quite so many families harvest quite so much from the bay as we did....quahogs and mussels and steamers and flounder, or that doors are left unlocked for days, weeks, years, or that mothers don't worry much if, on a summer's night, a 9 year old is so busy capturing fire flies that it is a long time after dark before they come home. I am hopeful that children still get to have a childhood in Saunderstown, that they are encouraged to go barefoot all summer, to be outside all day with few in and out privileges, to climb on the rocky shore, to learn to swim and sail in the cold bay waters, to play tennis and climb trees and ride bikes with wild abandon, to cross neighbors yards in noisy tribes, declaring an ancient right of way gives them the right. I am even more hopeful that the Willett Free Library, my childhood sanctuary, remains a welcoming and treasured place for every kid in Saunderstown - a remarkable village comprised of a post office, a yacht club, a church and a library. Reading and learning and self teaching are earnest New England occupations, and the kind librarians of the 1960s thought very carefully of all of their patrons as they added each volume to inventory. I can still see Mrs. Taylor, one of my favorites, lovingly caressing a book, thinking of the homes in the village it would visit, knowing who should be sure to get it next. I can taste the excitement and anticipation on each dash to the library, trying so hard to remember to slow my pace to respectable library standards before going up the front stairs, not flinging the door open or letting it slam, to gently place the returning books on the counter, and to politely greet the librarian and fellow readers before diving into stacks. I am pretty sure the spirit is alive, as the website for the library says "Our flag depicts a sailing ferry built by Stillman Saunders. At his home, a "Circle for Mutual Improvement" was formed in 1885; the beginnings of this library. When the flag is flying, the WFL is open". I didn't know that the library started in somebody's house, but it is not surprising, as story hour and reading never began and ended at the library in my childhood; it was alive in the home of Anna and Winslow Ames, with Anna's loving story circles for carefully selected, well behaved children, at bedtime every night in almost every home, ...in books traded from one house to another....words have always been woven through the village, spoken and written, the Willett Free Library being just one of the many places where books were honored.