The RISD Museum in Providence is one of those places that catches you off guard with how much it…read morehas to offer, especially if you are not already familiar with it going in. I found the building spanning six floors, and the spaces were well organized throughout, giving each piece enough room to be appreciated properly without the galleries ever feeling sparse or rushed. It is the kind of museum where I could spend a couple of hours moving through it and still feel like I left things unexplored. The collection is the main reason to visit, and it covers a genuinely impressive range, from ancient artifacts and historical portraits all the way through to modern and contemporary works. The curation does a good job of making those transitions between periods feel intentional rather than disjointed, and the rotating exhibits add a reason to come back beyond what is already on permanent display. The Liz Collins exhibit drew a lot of attention during its run and was a strong example of how well the museum handles contemporary work alongside its more classical holdings. Staff were present and approachable throughout the floors, and coat lockers near the entrance were available, a small but appreciated detail on a longer visit. The building was easy to navigate even on a first trip, and the overall experience felt well managed without being overly structured. One thing worth knowing before planning a trip is that Sundays offer free admission to all visitors, which makes it an easy addition to a Providence weekend without having to think twice. Weekday visits run quieter if you prefer more space and a slower pace through the galleries. For a museum connected to an art school, it holds up as one of the stronger art museums in the region and is well worth the time.

The RISD Museum is worth a visit. I'm sharing photos of the pieces that stood out to me most. I…read morestarted in the RISD student galleries, which were full of impressive work. my favorite was a floor installation that looks like a woven rug but is actually made entirely of salt. So many pieces made you stop and think, "How did they do that?!" I visited the whole museum, but my favorites were the Costume & Textile galleries, the exhibit on kingfishers in art and poetry, the European Grand Gallery with its oil paintings and the 18th/19th‑century American rooms in Pendleton House. I also loved how the museum's architecture fits together like a puzzle across several older buildings and street entrances. That was a surprising add-on to the visit. Extra tip: street parking is nearly impossible. Check their website for the free weekend parking lots (within walking distance) they make the visit much easier.

I have been trying to get back to the Botanical Garden for a while now! So happy I finally took a…read moretrip! Meg M and I did a fun Providence day and obviously this had to be included! We got lucky because it was fairy week! They had activities for kids too. The garden itself is stunning but the fairies were an amazing addition. There were probably 200 fairy houses... possibly even more! This is an amazing spot, I can't wait to visit again soon!

I wanted to pay a visit to the goats they have outside the botanical gardens so we ended up going…read morein to check out the holiday displays. The botanical gardens are much more spacious than I remember there are 4 different greenhouses with a wide variety of tropical plants, trees, a kid's play space, and an herb and vegetable garden. They even have a mini koi pond with some huge koi. Everything was decorated for the holidays with multiple christmas trees, several different train sets and poinsettias everywhere. One of the train sets has a model city that is supposed to look like Providence. I love model trains so this was fun to see. I do wish they had made the settings a little bit more detailed and realistic. Overall a very cool place and a nice retreat from the coldness of winter. It's very warm and humid in there so it really does feel like you're somewhere tropical. They have some truly gigantic monsteras, jade trees and elephant ear plants. Definitely inspiring for my home plant collection! I had no idea how huge some of these plants could get under the right conditions. I do wish there were more labels on the plants - we found some interesting trees (a fruit tree that was maybe papaya) but there was no sign to indicate what it was. Check it out - a fun, family friendly spot to go on a winter weekend. And don't forget to visit the goats on the way in!

I'm a preservation society member so I wanted to take full advantage and pop in here yesterday…read more It's been a decade since I last went, so it was so nice to just walk around the gardens and take everything in. The flowers are beautiful and so are the topiaries. It doesn't take you long to walk through, especially if you're like me and by yourself, but definitely worth the trip outside of downtown Newport to visit.

Beautiful place ruined by rude staff members specially by the woman with white hair and patch on…read moreher face. We felt unwelcomed. What a shame.

Great food and they have a good pour!…read more Steak and cheese was fantastic, tender steak, melted cheese, and mushrooms cooked to perfection. The roll was really good as well and the fries were excellent. $12

Only open on the 1st & 3rd Saturday of month May-September. Old fire-fighting apparatus is…read moreshowcased. A great location to take the kids and learn some history.

Came here for the bloom event and it was wonderful! It seems like they do a lot of great event here…read morenow. Not sure if they have for years and I'm just learning about them or if they are new, but no matter what---they're using this giant space well. I look forward to attending future events at the center!

I love how diverse and unique they can make this space. I've come here for shopping expos, for food…read moreexpos and recently a private event for my school which it was a very upscale gala event it was magnificent, I had no clue they could turn that space into what they did, I was just used to it being for shopping. This place is huge, and very clean. They have a good amount of clean restrooms and the workers are always very genuine and nice. I must say again- this is a huge space. It can be rented out for a number of different things and I love that. They also have an attached gallery on the side- which is pretty cool to look at - always features something new and unique. I love some art! There's a massive parking lot, and it's very easy to find. I'm not sure if they still have art upstairs but I know at one point I seen art upstairs as well. This place is just massive I know I keep saying that. I really enjoy every event I come to here.

We went for the 250th university of the redaction, the event was free and open for 4 hours. The…read moremuseum was small but very informational. The displays prompted deep thinking about our past, both good and bad. The staff were dressed in period clothing and everyone there was friendly. The museum has stairs to get to the second floor, the building is beautiful and it holds just enough artifacts to be interesting without overwhelming.​

This site does a great job showcasing John Brown's house and his historical ties to the slave…read moretrade. The house is from the 18th century, but there are elements from later homeowners that were kept up and add a nice aesthetic touch, but it is important to know more about the Brown benefactor, both good and bad. They have his original carriage which is impressive. There is a beautiful mural in one room with George Washington, added in the 1930s but so impressive it had to stay up. The tour was self-guided, but there were staff members around to ask questions too. Gift shop was small but some good options. The hours are limited, but it's worth a stop as a historically significant site. There is also a parking lot to make your visit easier.

I went for the first time this past year and when I tell you, I was amazed, I mean it like I had a…read morelow expectations because it was Roger Williams zoo. I got there and I started walking, and I truly was mesmerized by all the pumpkins and the lighting and just the detail that was put into this. A great place to visit during the Halloween season!

Great fall/Halloween time experience if you're in the area. I happened to be walking through Roger…read moreWilliams when I remembered it was happening and decided to check it out. So glad I did, so many different themes. Posting more pictures would do it a disservice.

If you love pinball, you will love this arcade Best deal in…read moretown,UNLIMITED pinball for 10,00.. So much fun for all aged

Well that was super fun…read more When we arrived no one was on the desk so we began to wander the first floor. If you just want to walk around, and check out the machines that is free. I saw someone who works there and he gave us a quick 'tour'. Pinball machines are set up here by year beginning in the 1930's! There a many from the 70's, a big collection of 80's and then further back it's a mix. The tour took up upstairs. There is a wheelchair lift here, however, you have to step over a barrier at the bottom of the doorway leading to the stairs so not really handicap accessible? Call if you need info on that. Keep that door at the bottom of the staircase open so you can get back! At the top of the steps is a private event room. (sorry no photo, a meeting was going on). Turn right after the event room and follow the hallway to the 'Blue Room' on the left at the end. Here you'll find a small, open space for a party with shelves of board games, a table and comfy couches. The Blue Room includes several racing games (seated style), shooter games, skeeball, basketball throw and other arcade games. There were a couple dozen pinball machines without an outlet to play them stored in this space. Our tour guide tells us for events up to 150 people, these games are moved out and tables moved into that space. The second floor hosts many other businesses so be respectful when in the halls. Our visit lasted about two hours playing all the games. Some of the pinball machines include information on who designed them and other info. The Star Trek machine is signed by some of the actors. Scoobydoo, Addams family, Aerosmith, Rick & Morty, Dolly Parton, on and on. Some games have hepatic feedback - like when the dinosaur eats your ball in the Jurasic Park pinball game the entire machine shakes. I love how the machines are all set to 'free play'. You just hit the start button (usually a round button on the front) and you get your three balls. When that game ends, hit start again and you get another three balls. Also, if you loose a ball quickly, you get an extra ball. Really makes for a fun experience. Admission is ten dollars per person (all ages), cash or credit, and covers playing all the available games for the whole day - come and go as you please. Parking is available next to the building in two lots. No food or drink are available for sale here. When hosting an event here, bring your own catering. Contact them/visit their website for details on hosting events. Public restrooms are on the upper level off the hallway. The museum space is more or less warehouse space. It was cold in there when we visited and we left our coats and hats on (February). When there are a lot of games being played, it gets loud, so be prepared. There are a few step stools for the smaller kids. Check next to or under the machines for those or if you have a collapsable one at home maybe bring it along just in case they are all in use. During our week day visit there were a fair amount of adults in there enjoying pinball and all the other games. Staff are knowledgeable and very easy to chat with. Definitely plan an outting to visit this fun museum diguised as an arcade. Alone, or with the kids. You might become the 'fun uncle' after a day here with the nibblings.