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The Rhode Island School of Design (locally known as RISD, or "Riz-dee") was founded way back in 1877 and remains one of the top art academies in the country. The school is also home to an important art museum with exhibits spanning an exceptionally broad range of time periods and cultures. Here you can explore the history of art from ancient times to the present all under one roof.

The RISD Museum's permanent collection of some 80,000 objects ranges from ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman art to contemporary works in all media, plus extensive collections of clothing and textiles, European and American decorative arts from medieval times to the present, and 5,000 photographs. The museum also hosts a variety of temporary exhibitions, lectures, concerts and other special events.

Admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, $3 for students, $2 for ages 5 to 18. Entrance is free on Sundays from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Fridays from noon to 1:30 p.m., all day on the last Saturday of each month, and from 5 to 9 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. The location on Benefit Street makes it easy to combine a trip to the museum with a walking tour of historic homes along Providence's "Mile of History."

Rhode Island School of Design Museum
224 Benefit St.
Providence, R.I.
401-454-6500
www.risd.edu/museum.cfm