At the Herreshoff Marine Museum, explore the history of sailings most prolific boat designers. In the second segment, discover the treasures inside the Gilbert Stuart Birthplace & Museum.
At the Museum of Work & Culture, learn why families left their farms in Quebec for a better life in Rhode Island. Discover our colonial history inside the Rhode Island State Archives.
At the Tomaquag Museum, the history of the region’s indigenous people comes alive, then reach back in time at the Rhode Island Historical Society.
The New Bedford Whaling Museum is full of exhibits chronicling the history of whaling in the region. In segment two, discover the stories behind a private car collection at the Newport Car Museum.
The Redwood Library & Athenaeum collection includes rare books and timeless exhibits, while the World War II Education Center preserves the stories of the Greatest Generation.
Learn why Hearthside House is called the "House that Love Built," then visit the Babcock-Smith House Museum, home of Rhode Island's first Yale graduate, Dr. Joshua Babcock.
The RISD Museum shares some of its finest collections from around the world. In segment two, experience life in the 18th century at Coggeshall Farm.
This show features the Fort Rodman/Fort Taber Military Museum in New Bedford, Massachusetts, where they honor and celebrate military history through the eyes of local veterans. The program also visits the Beavertail Lighthouse Museum in Jamestown, Rhode Island.
The New England Wireless and Steam Museum in East Greenwich, RI, has numerous working steam engines that powered local industries, including a generator that once powered University of Rhode Island. There is also a complete and working wireless communications collection, including the Massie Station, once used by the Providence Journal to send news back and forth from Point Judith to Block Island.
This program takes viewers through the South County Museum in Narragansett, RI, a living museum that chronicles life in rural Rhode Island. It includes a working print shop and blacksmith shop. There is a collection of horse-drawn carriages, textile samples from different eras, and living examples of the Rhode Island state bird, the Rhode Island Red, an American breed of domestic chicken.
The Varnum Military Museum in East Greenwich is home to an extensive collection of rare military pieces dating back to the earliest days of the American Revolution. There is also a look at delicate textile conservation. A visit to the Carpenter Museum in Rehoboth, MA, includes cooking period food on an open hearth and celebrating the Rehoboth Milkmaids, an all-women’s soft women’s softball team.
This is an extensive look inside Rough Point, one of Newport’s grand mansions and home of heiress Doris Duke. From the finely manicured grounds to a collection of Asian pottery and paintings, each treasure from the family collection tells a story of how life was lived on the other side of the garden walls.
Explore several treasures that are part of Mystic Seaport’s regular exhibits, and take a deep dive behind-the-scenes to see how their exhibits come together. Plus, tour the working shipyard that is part of the museum, and learn how their expertise serves ships old and new from around the world.
Explore the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, RI, where they chronicle more than 100 years of history, and the contributions of individual players are recognized. Then, tour the Electromagnetic Pinball Museum in Pawtucket, RI, to see over 70 years of pinball machines.
Go behind the gates of The Elms, one of Newport’s grand mansions, and explore every corner inside and out. Later, take a tour of the Westerly Armory Museum, where the history of the town is preserved, and the great hall hosts organizations like a local quilters group.
At the American Heritage Museum in Hudson, MA, our military history comes to life. Exhibits include American, German, Japanese, and Soviet tanks and other military vehicles, a collection of early American classic cars, and a hanger full of storied historic aircraft. Look behind the scenes at the restoration of a WWII tank, and witness visitors as they ride in restored tanks from that war.
Blithewold in Bristol, RI, is known for its magnificent grounds and gardens, but the treasures inside also tell stories. Learn how so much of what you see today was rescued from the original house when it was on fire. Later, visit the Seabee Museum to learn the story behind the design of their iconic logo and see a flag that was present at the D-Day invasion in France.
Slater Mill in Pawtucket, RI, is recognized as the birthplace of the industrial revolution. In this episode, learn more about the people who made the area what it was and how the machines changed the face of manufacturing everywhere. Plus, discover what makes some of the machines on exhibit so rare, and examine some of the artifacts from the 1890 Cotton Centennial.
At Battleship Cove in Fall River, MA, there are a lot of treasures beyond just the ships themselves. Below the decks are museum exhibits that honor those who served, a battle-scarred flag that flew during a ship's first action, and more. Then, at Linden Place in Bristol, RI, examine magnificent architecture and several treasures, including a spectacular early 19th-century coach.
Travel to nearby New London, CT, to the Lyman Allyn Art Museum, where treasures include a Tiffany Glass collection and collections with ties to the region. Then, watch the restoration of an old fire truck that has returned to East Greenwich and see their collection of artifacts from the fire service.
The Old Colony Museum in Taunton, MA, chronicles the long history of Southeastern Massachusetts, including a military collection, paintings and textiles. Clouds Hill House Museum in Warwick shows off some of its Egyptian furniture and a “Gypsy” wagon you have to see to believe.
The Providence Art Club has long been a repository for local art and artists, and their collections reflect the best of classic and modern art. Discover the story behind the “Friday Knight’s” table. The Watch Hill Lighthouse Museum may be small, but the collection is important, including a spectacular Fresnel Lens.
The John Brown House in Providence is updating its interpretation of its own history, highlighting the “sugar” collection and a coach once reportedly used by George Washington. In Woonsocket, the St Ann Arts and Cultural Center invites visitors to look up at what has been called the “Sistine Chapel of North America.”
The Wayside Inn Museum in Sudbury, MA, celebrates local history dating back to the Revolutionary War and has deep archives that include “Hostess Diaries” that chronicle topics of daily interest. The Nathanael Greene Homestead in Coventry sits in an idyllic setting and tells the story of one of the Colony’s great generals during the War for Independence.
One of Newport’s under-appreciated mansions, Chateau-sur-Mer, opens its doors to show off a painting that is three stories tall, furniture that is original to the house, and gives us a behind-the-scenes look at restoration projects.
From the World Series trophy to a kit once included in every new car made by Henry Ford, the Attleboro Industrial Museum celebrates the region's manufacturing history, including jewelry and tool making. At the Paine House Museum in Coventry, the collection is as eclectic as the floor plan. Pieces from around the state give insight into over 200 years of local history.
Get an exclusive look behind the scenes at The Preservation Society of Newport County to see how exhibits at the Newport Mansions are developed. Follow museum staff as they move pieces from their collections and create an updated narrative for visitors.
Discover history from Smith's Castle that goes back almost 400 years. A small book from 1737 believed to once been used to educate enslaved people is just one of the treasures uncovered here. Then, take a boat ride to Rose Island for a private tour of the lighthouse that was an important aid to navigation on Narragansett Bay.
The Providence Library is a repository for so much more than books. Go inside the special collections and discover what researchers are learning here. Then, at Casey Farm in North Kingstown, step inside a small museum with exhibits curated by Historic New England that reflect the long history of this land.
The Sailing Museum & National Sailing Hall of Fame is one of Newport’s newest attractions. It’s an interactive museum with pieces that will be of interest to both sailors and non-sailors alike. Then, visit the Washington Lodge No. 3 to see some of the rare items preserved from one of the oldest Masonic Temples in the country.
Newport is home to The National Museum of American Illustration where hundreds of one-of-a-kind original works of art from the likes of JC Leyendecker and Norman Rockwell can be seen. Then, make a visit to the Lippitt House in Providence where generations of one family’s history is preserved.
The Portsmouth Historical Society has assembled a large collection covering the town's history, filling 3 buildings, including a one-room schoolhouse and the original Town Hall. Later, The Artillery Company of Newport opens its doors. Collections include some rare flags and a cannon from Paul Revere.
There is so much more to Fort Adams than a State Park and music festivals. Delve into the military history that lives here, take a peek into the preservation efforts and discover the underground “listening tunnels”.