Take a Historical Tour of the Providence Public Library

Recently admitted to the National Register of Historical Places, the Providence Public Library has been the city’s center of reading, learning and discovery for more than one hundred years. If you’ve taken advantage of its family film series and reading performances this summer, now take some time to honor and explore the beautiful building itself through its guided historical and architectural tours, which will take place in the library’s spectacular grand entrance every first and third Tuesday of each month.

Established in March 1900, the Library was built in the lavish style that would later name the American Gilded Age, and yet its architectural roots can be traced back further still to the Italian Renaissance of the sixteenth century. Along with a vivid description of the library’s founding history, highlights of the tour include a visit to the quirky Ship Room, which hosts a dozen antique ship models; the Dubuque Mural, which was completed at the height of the Great Depression; and even a peak at its eclectic special collections department. It's ideal historical and cultural immersion for the library fans; custom-made tours are also available for larger groups of explorers. Inaugural tour on August 6, 10:30 am. 225 Washington Street, Providence.