Rhode Island School of Design Museum, Art museum in Providence, United States.
The RISD Museum is an art museum in Providence, Rhode Island, housing a broad collection of works spanning different artistic traditions and time periods. The galleries display ancient objects, paintings, sculptures, prints, and decorative arts arranged across multiple exhibition spaces.
The museum was founded in 1877 and began with a collection of etchings and plaster casts. Over time, the institution expanded into a major repository for artworks from around the world.
The museum displays artworks from many cultures and time periods, ranging from ancient objects to contemporary works. Visitors encounter French paintings alongside Asian sculptures and American craftsmanship traditions, showing how artistic expression varies across regions and generations.
The museum is located in downtown Providence and is easily reached by public transportation. Visitors can explore permanent galleries, temporary exhibitions, and browse a large portion of the collection online at their own pace.
The museum preserves the Charles L. Pendleton Collection, which holds exceptional furniture pieces from the 18th century crafted by Newport artisans. This collection demonstrates the skill and design traditions that defined a particular region's artistic heritage.
Location: Providence
Website: https://risdmuseum.org
GPS coordinates: 41.82652,-71.40770
Latest update: December 6, 2025 16:04
Providence sits in the northeastern United States and presents itself as a city that has developed over several centuries. The area around Benefit Street preserves colonial wooden houses with narrow windows and steep roofs. The Rhode Island State House stands on a hill with its white marble cladding and a dome visible from several neighborhoods. Brown University spreads across the East Side with brick buildings and open lawns, while the Rhode Island School of Design displays its collections in nearby gallery spaces. Downtown is crossed by two waterways that join shortly before reaching Narragansett Bay. Water Place Park lies along the waterfront with wide walkways and stone bridges. On summer evenings, WaterFire events take place here, with fire basins lit on the water and music echoing across the banks. A gondola service takes visitors across the water between the bridges. The Federal Hill neighborhood rises west of downtown and shows Italian grocery stores, bakeries and restaurants along the main avenue. Roger Williams Park extends to the south with ponds, a zoo and a botanical greenhouse. Thayer Street draws students with cafés, bookshops and small stores.
Providence Athenaeum
135 m
Textron Tower
205 m
Turk's Head Building
281 m
Fleur-de-lys Studios
186 m
Market House
131 m
Providence County Courthouse
99 m
Market Square
62 m
Governor Stephen Hopkins House
180 m
Rhode Island Hospital Trust Building
193 m
Slavery Memorial (Brown University)
292 m
Federal Building
293 m
RISD Museum
48 m
Crawford Street Bridge
258 m
State Arsenal
225 m
Dr. George W. Carr House
78 m
Corliss-Brackett House
249 m
Woods-Gerry House
255 m
Brick Schoolhouse
275 m
Merchants Bank Building
276 m
Joseph Brown House
207 m
Elizabeth Building
293 m
Hope Block and Cheapside
123 m
The Providence Athenaeum
136 m
One Financial Plaza
234 m
World War I Monument
152 m
One Citizens Plaza
268 m
John O. Pastore Federal Building
253 m
RISD Design Center
75 mReviews
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