10 Historic Sites in Rhode Island That You Shouldn't Miss

An 1895 carousel featuring 66 hand-carved figures.

TEMPORARILY CLOSED DUE TO CORONAVIRUS Take a tour of the 1707 home of Declaration-signer Stephen Hopkins, his family and their slaves, eight rooms full of antiques, Hopkins heirlooms and 18th century atmosphere. Learn about Rhode Island's own Founding Father and his house, the city's oldest, moved twice but virtually unmodernized, where George Washington was a guest in 1776 & 1781. Relax in our parterre garden designed by Alden Hopkins of Williamsburg. We're on Benefit Street between the John Brown House and First Baptist Church, a block from the RISD Museum, the Providence Athenaeum, the Brown campus and spectacular WaterFire. Open all year, Wednesdays 11AM to 2PM, April though November, Saturdays 10 AM to 4 PM, and year-round by appointment *** til 10 PM when it falls on FULL lightings of WaterFire (last tour at 9:30)*** Not 12/26th Tour highlights available in Chinese, Spanish, Italian, and soon French!

Whitehall was the home of the eminent early modern philosopher George Berkeley, who hoped to found a college in the colonies, between 1729 and 1731. Whitehall is open to the public July 1 - August 31. Resident scholars who are members of the International Berkeley Society give tours Wednesday through Sunday. The house is open at other times by appointment.

Saint Columba's is home to a spiritually engaged and socially diverse group of people, as well as an open house for all those who seek a closer relationship with God. It is also a wonderfully historic Chapel with gorgeous grounds and remarkable stained glass windows.

Dedicated in 1763, this is the oldest synagogue in the United States.

Managed by the Fort Adams Trust, a 501(c)3 Non Profit Organization, in partnership with the RI Department of Environmental Management, this National Historic Landmark is now open to the public. The Fort Adams Trust provides public and private guided tours and youth group overnights. Additionally the Trust hosts weddings, lobster bakes, private site rentals and a variety of special events throughout the year. Most notably Historic Fort Adams is the home of the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals each summer.

Marble House was built between 1888 and 1892 for Mr. and Mrs. William K. Vanderbilt. It was a summer house, or "cottage", as Newporters called them in remembrance of the modest houses of the early 19th century. But Marble House was much more; it was a social and architectural landmark that set the pace for Newport's subsequent transformation from a quiet summer colony of wooden houses to the legendary resort of opulent stone palaces. Mr. Vanderbilt was the grandson of Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt, who established the family's fortune in steamships and the New York Central Railroad. His older brother was Cornelius II, who built The Breakers. Alva Vanderbilt was a leading hostess in Newport society, and envisioned Marble House as her "temple to the arts" in America. The house was designed by the architect Richard Morris Hunt, inspired by the Petit Trianon at Versailles. The cost of the house was reported in contemporary press accounts to be $11 million, of which $7 million was spent on 500,000 cubic feet of marble. Upon its completion, Mr. Vanderbilt gave the house to his wife as a 39th birthday present.

The Providence Athenæum is an independent, member-supported library and cultural center located on Providence’s historic Benefit Street. Over its nearly 200 years of existence, the library has welcomed illustrious writers, spirited thinkers, and energetic community members through its doors to engage in reading, conversation, and debate. At its heart, the Athenæum encourages a love of reading and learning to all. Free & open to the public.