AN ODE TO ROGER WILLIAMS PARK ZOO
GRAPHICS: GETTY IMAGES; PHOTOGRAPHY( PREVIOUS PAGE): COURTESY OF THE AUDRAIN AUTO MUSEUM.
Museum of Work & Culture Here’ s a museum where you’ re not just allowed, but encouraged, to touch things. With a unique location on the Blackstone River in historic Woonsocket, the museum gives a glimpse into immigrant life in Rhode Island’ s industrial era. Woonsocket, rihs. org
Herreshoff Marine Museum From picture-perfect dinghies to daring America’ s Cup contenders, the museum pays tribute to the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and Rhode Island’ s prestigious boatbuilding legacy. Bristol, herreshoff. org
Tomaquag Museum Rhode Island’ s only Indigenous museum was founded in 1958. The Tomaquag Museum is dedicated to sharing Native( with a focus on southern New England tribal communities) culture, arts and history from a first-person perspective. Exeter, tomaquagmuseum. org
Audrain Auto Museum The Audrain Auto Museum is a motorhead’ s dream. With access to more than 350 cars and motorcycles ranging from brass-era, pre-war cars to the supercars of the 2000s, the museum hosts three to four fresh and thematic exhibits a year to entertain all generations. Newport, audrainautomuseum. org
Living Sharks Museum America’ s first shark history museum, the Living Sharks Museum provides guests with an intimate look into the world of— you guessed it— sharks. The museum features founder Keith Cowley’ s personal collection of prehistoric shark fossils,
Almost every Rhode Islander, no matter their age, holds dear a cherished Roger Williams Park Zoo memory, whether it involves seeing a towering giraffe for the first time, hopping up on the Sentinel dog statue for a photo or taking home a stuffed cheetah from the gift shop. As they should: It’ s a local treasure. One of the oldest zoos in the nation, RWPZ is set on forty acres of beautiful woodlands and is home to more than 130 species, including red pandas( the zoo’ s mascot), sloths, snow leopards, penguins, bears, a Komodo shark film memorabilia and exhibits that show the human impact on these often-misunderstood creatures. Westerly, livingsharks. org
Coggeshall Farm Museum Set on forty-eight acres of coastal farmland, Coggeshall Farm Museum recreates the daily experience of eighteenth-century tenant farmers through live interpretation, historic structures, heirloom plants and heritage-breed animals. Bristol, coggeshallfarm. org
International Tennis Hall of Fame As a small part of the global tennis community, the International Tennis Hall of Fame celebrates legends of the sport in the historic Newport Casino. The museum is home to a rare collection of artifacts, art, videos, publications and more. Newport, tennisfame. com
Westerly Museum of American Impressionism Explore works by Childe Hassam and John Singer Sargent, as well as lesser-known artists, who capture the charm of New England and the East Coast through colors, light and movement of everyday life. Westerly, wmairi. org
HANDS-ON LEARNING: Get creative and participate in a fun and enriching art class offered by the Artists’ Exchange. For those looking to expand their art and design skills, RISD Continuing Education hosts online and in-person courses and programs. Cranston, artists-exchange. org; Providence, ce. risd. edu
AN ODE TO ROGER WILLIAMS PARK ZOO
dragon and more. In addition to traversing different parts of the world( via themed sections modeled after different continents), guests can pet a barnyard animal and soar through the sky on a zip line. Guests can also feel good about supporting RWPZ as it actively participates in many conservation initiatives. These include the
New England cottontail rabbit repopulation project, the timber rattlesnake and American burying beetle species survival plans and a number of global conservation efforts. Providence, rwpzoo. org
ILLUMINATE THE NIGHT
Created by artist Barnaby Evans, WaterFire highlights the beauty of Providence’ s three rivers at night, illuminated by giant cauldrons of fire. Here are a few insider tips for first-time spectators.
WHERE TO PARK: Though WaterFire starts at dusk, arrive earlier to get nearby parking. There are nonmetered spots on Benefit Street and prime spots on North Main Street.
WHAT TO BRING: Water. Trust us, the fires get hot. A light jacket or sweater. Once the event ends, the nights get chilly and the trek back to the car will take you away from the warmth. A blanket. Unless the idea of sitting directly on cold blocks of granite or stone appeals to you. Cash. It will come in handy for the food truck-lined streets. Or you can pack a picnic with your fave meal. If neither a food truck nor picnic suits, consider making reservations at Jacky’ s Waterplace & Sushi Bar or Cafe Nuovo; both have prime views of the river.
BEST PLACES FOR VIEWING: Near the bridges at RISD. Along the Canal Walk are a few bridges that offer great views of the gondolas gliding down the water. If you get there early, you can snag a seat on the side of the canal where large granite blocks( and your blanket) will provide the perfect impromptu bench. Waterplace Park. With an outdoor theater-like setup, it’ s a great place to catch the initial lightings and see the river basin aglow. For more information, visit waterfire. org
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