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GRAPHICS : GETTY IMAGES ; PHOTOGRAPHY ( PREVIOUS PAGE ): COURTESY OF THE MUSEUM OF WORK AND CULTURE / DEB BOUCHER .
Museum of Work and Culture You have to love a museum where you ’ re not just allowed , but encouraged , to touch things . With a unique location on the Blackstone River in the historic mill village of Woonsocket , the museum gives a glimpse into immigrant life in Rhode Island ’ s preindustrial era . Woonsocket , rihs . org
Herreshoff Marine Museum From picture-perfect little dinghies to daring America ’ s Cup contenders , the museum pays tribute to the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and Rhode Island ’ s prestigious boat-building legacy . Board antique cabin cruisers , view historic memorabilia and brush up on your nautical knowledge . Visit by land or sea , as Herreshoff has dockage and moorings available for visitors . Bristol , herreshoff . org
Tomaquag Museum Rhode Island ’ s only Indigenous museum founded in 1958 , the 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 , tomaquag museum . 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
Almost every Rhode Islander , no matter their age , holds dear a cherished Roger Williams Park Zoo ( RWPZ ) memory , whether it involves witnessing the immensity of an elephant for the first time , hopping up on the Sentinel dog statue for a photo or taking home a stuffed monkey 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 160 species , including red pandas ( the zoo ’ s mascot ), sloths , snow leopards , bears , a Komodo dragon and more .
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 . Exhibits feature everything from their history to sharksploitation to modern conservation . The museum houses and features founder Keith Cowley ’ s personal collection of prehistoric shark fossils , 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 . Guests can even meet Roger Federer ( via hologram ) and learn about his passion for tennis . Newport , tennisfame . com
HANDS-ON LEARNING : Get creative and participate in a fun and enriching art class offered by the Artists ’ Exchange . Children , teens and adults can try their hands at a new skill and learn something unique . Cranston , artists-exchange . org
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In addition to traversing different parts of the world ( each section of the grounds is themed and modeled after different continents ), guests can also feed a giraffe , pet a barnyard animal and soar through the sky on a zip line . Furthermore , they can feel good about supporting RWPZ as it actively participates in many conservation initiatives .
These include the New England cottontail breeding program , 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 the Providence River 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 close-by parking . There are nonmetered spots on Benefit Street and parking is free after 6 p . m . elsewhere in the city , with 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 . Cash . It will come in handy for the food truck-lined streets . Or you can pack a picnic with your fave meal and a bottle of wine . If neither a food truck nor picnic suits , consider grabbing dinner at Jacky ’ s Waterplace and 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 aglow . For more information , visit waterfire . org
RHODE ISLAND MONTHLY ’ S NEWCOMERS ’ GUIDE l 2024 29