Historic House Museums in Rhode Island

We try to keep this list of historic house museums for Rhode Island current, but it is best to check directly with the museums for their hours and other information. If you know of a historic house museum in Rhode Island that should be listed here, please use our submission form to let us know about it.

Bristol

Blithewold Mansion, Gardens & Arboretum

Blithewold is a beautifully landscaped historic public garden situated on Bristol Harbor with sweeping views overlooking Narragansett Bay. A forty-five room mansion, trees, lawns, flowers, gardens, and the sea combine to produce an aesthetic experience that is exciting and refreshing.

Open Wed-Sun 10-4 Apr 16 to Columbus Day • 101 Ferry Road (Rt. 114) • (401) 253-2707

Coventry

The Paine House Museum

This house seperates you into 2 era's The Colonial and the Victorian.

Open Sat 1-4 • 7 Station Street • (401) 826-0021

Cranston

Sprague Mansion

The Sprague Mansion was built in 1790 by William Sprague 1st, son of Peter and Hannah Sprague. The family produced two governors, who became States senators as well.

Call for hours • 1351 Cranston St. • (401) 944-9226

Greenwich

The James Mitchell Varnum House

A fine example of late 18th century Rhode Island architecture, the Varnum house is on the National Register of Historic Places, and has been furnished throughout with notable pieces from the Revolutionary period. Several of the rooms were restored and furnished by individual Rhode Island familes.

Call for Hours • 7 Pierce St., East • (401) 884-1776

Lincoln

Hearthside Homestead

Listed on the National Registry of Historic Places. Call or visit website for up-to-date schedule of special events and openings of this 1810 landmark. Tours provided by guides in period costume.

Open 2nd Sat. each month 1-4: • 677 Great Road • (401) 726-0597

Newport

Astors' Beechwood Mansion

Astors' Beechwood Mansion, in Newport, Rhode Island, offers the best Newport Mansion experience, offering living history tours by the Beechwood Theatre Company. The mansion offers Victorian Living History Tours, Roarin' Twenties Tours, weddings, conferences, corporate events and special events.

See their web site for tour information • 580 Bellevue Avenue • (401) 846-3772

Belcourt Castle

Belcourt Castle is the only Newport Mansion where the owners still live in residence and open their home for the public to enjoy the beauty of a Richard Morris Hunt masterpiece. The tour is one of the best guided tours that Newport has to offer today.

See their website for hours • 657 Bellevue Avenue • (401) 846-0669

Newport Mansions

The Preservation Society of Newport County presents 10 of the best homes in America.

• The Breakers
• The Elms
• Marble House
• Rosecliff
• Green Animals
• Chateau-sur-Mer
• Chepstow
• Isaac Bell House
• Kingscote
• Hunter House

See their web site for complete details on all of these houses

Providence

The Governor Henry Lippitt House

The house is a blend of traditional architectural forms and has an interior decorative scheme that is quintessentially high-style Victorian. Interior craftsmanship includes richly carved woodwork, colorful stenciling, faux marble painted walls, and dazzling stained glass windows. Not only is the house worthy of accolades for its impressive architecture and period decoration, it is also a living history museum to a Rhode Island family whose members over the years have included State governors, US Senators, and a myriad of distinguished public servants and businessmen.

Tours by appt. • Hope and Angell Streets • (401) 453-0688

Warwick

Clouds Hill Victorian House Museum

The house is an important part of the history of the City of Warwick and the State of Rhode Island. It was built in 1872 by William Smith Slater for his daughter, Elizabeth Ives Slater, on her marriage to Alfred Augustus Reed, Jr. It has remained in the family since it was built, passing from female to female until reaching the current owner.

Open by appointment • 4157 Post Road • (401) 884-4550

Westerly

Babcock-Smith House

This early Georgian-styled mansion was built circa 1734 for Ý Dr. Ý Joshua Ý Babcock, whoÝ wasÝ Westerly'sÝ first physicianÝ andÝ aÝ ChiefÝ JusticeÝ of ÝRhodeÝ Island.Ý ItÝÝ was ÝWesterly'sÝ first PostÝ Office,Ý andÝ laterÝ becameÝ theÝ homeÝ of ÝOrlando ÝSmith,Ý discovererÝ of Westerly GraniteÝ in 1846.

See their web site for hours • 124 Granite St. • (401) 596-5704