Upcoming Events at The John Brown House Museum

MEMBER EXCLUSIVE: Life at Fort Adams Tour

Tuesday, August 18 @ 11:30 AM

Join the Rhode Island Historical Society on Tuesday, August 18th, at 11:30am for “Life at the Fort,” a member-exclusive tour of Fort Adams in Newport. Fort Adams, which is more than granite walls and artillery placements — it is a place shaped by people. On this immersive tour, you’ll discover the human stories behind the stone: the engineers who designed its defenses, the laborers who constructed its massive walls, and the soldiers who stood watch over Newport Harbor. Life at the Fort meant more than military drills. It meant routines, responsibilities, and relationships. You’ll learn what daily life looked like inside a 19th-century coastal fort — from living quarters and rations to discipline and downtime. This tour also highlights the often-overlooked contributions of workers and families connected to the Fort. Behind every cannon and casemate were individuals whose labor and service sustained the operation of this strategic stronghold. Set against sweeping harbor views and historic architecture, Life at the Fort offers a deeply personal perspective on one of Rhode Island’s most significant landmarks.

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Goff Lecture: Culture of, by, and for the People: Rhode Island Festivals & Folklife

Thursday, August 20 @ 6:00 PM

The Rhode Island Historical Society will host its second Goff Lecture of 2026, Culture of, by, and for the People: Rhode Island Festivals & Folklife, on Thursday, August 20th at 6pm. The panel will feature a discussion between representatives from Rhode Island organizations Providence Arts, Culture, and Tourism (ACT), Pawtucket Arts Festival, SoupyFest, Newport Festivals Foundation, and more, and will be moderated by Halle Butvin, Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage. Guests will enjoy a light reception prior to the talk. The reception begins at 5:30 p.m., with the talk starting at 6 p.m. This talk is the first of two Goff Lectures that will be presented in collaboration with Smithsonian Affiliations in 2026. Both presentations will explore a different aspect of the RIHS’s year-long commemoration of the 250th anniversary of America’s founding. Halle Butvin is Director of Strategic Initiatives and External Affairs at the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage, where she leads the Center’s communications, media relations, digital storytelling, and strategic initiatives. She oversees national outreach and content production that connects audiences with the Center’s work, amplifying the stories of communities, artists, and tradition bearers through public programming and multimedia platforms. Over the past two decades, Halle has developed and managed complex cultural heritage and cultural exchange initiatives across the United States and internationally, building cross-sector partnerships and leading projects that strengthen communities through arts, culture, and public engagement. She is passionate about the role festivals play in sustaining living traditions, fostering dialogue, and bringing people together. Guests can register for free here.

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Liberty at Lunchtime: New Hampshire Historical Society

Monday, August 24 @ 12:30 PM

Join the Rhode Island Historical Society on Monday, August 24th at 12:30pm for the eighth installment of Liberty at Lunchtime, a monthly virtual series highlighting partners in the other 13 original colonies. The series continues with a presentation from Mary Adams, Museum Educator at the New Hampshire Historical Society. The New Hampshire Historical Society owns two Revolutionary War flags, both from the Second NH Regiment of the Continental Army. Less than three dozen flags dating from the American Revolution survive in the world today, and the Society’s pair is the only known “stand,” or set, of national and regimental Revolutionary War flags in existence. Hear the story behind these flags—the tale of how they were made, their capture by the British, and the twisting adventure of how they eventually made their way back to New Hampshire. Founded in 1823, the New Hampshire Historical Society is an independent, nonprofit organization dedicated to saving, preserving, and sharing New Hampshire history. Nowhere will you find a more extensive collection of objects and archives related to New Hampshire’s history. The Society shares these vast collections through its research library, museum, website, publications, exhibitions, and youth and adult educational programs. The Society is not a state-funded agency. All of its programs and services are made possible by membership dues and contributions. Mary Adams is a Museum Educator and the Homeschool Program Developer at the New Hampshire Historical Society. She has developed a number of programs for the Society, including the popular 603 History Hunts (statewide scavenger hunts) in 2023 and 2026, as well as programming for adults and children. In the past, her passion for storytelling led her to become a tour guide at various locations, including San Francisco, Boston, and her favorite, Glacier National Park. Her work as an interpreter for the National Park Service further honed her skills. In addition to her contributions at the New Hampshire Historical Society, Mary is a presenter for New Hampshire Humanities’ Humanities to Go program and serves as operations manager for the Pursuit of History Weekends, where she coordinates specially curated, one-of-a-kind experiences aimed at inspiring broader public engagement with history. Guests can register here.

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Epic Yellowstone: Down the River Wild Documentary Screening

Wednesday, August 26 @ 7:30 PM

Join the Rhode Island Historical Society and the National Park Service on Wednesday, August 26th at 7:30 pm for a screening of the Smithsonian Channel documentary Epic Yellowstone: Down the River Wild at Old Slater Mill in Pawtucket. This screening is presented in collaboration with Smithsonian Affiliations. Explore the Yellowstone River and the many creatures that call it home. Hosted by Bill Pullman, Yellowstone River is the longest undammed river in the contiguous 48 states, flowing with a wildness that is both violent and vital to the creatures that are drawn to its banks. From Yellowstone Lake, North America’s largest high-elevation body of water, to the Missouri River, follow its nearly 700-mile journey over falls and through canyons into America’s heartland. See how Yellowstone’s bison, otters, coyotes, and thrill-seekers adapt to–and thrive in–these wild, untamed waters. This program will be hosted on the lawn of the Old Slater Mill National Historic Landmark (OSM), weather permitting. Guests are encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs. Food and drink are welcome, but alcohol is not allowed. In the event of inclement weather, the program will be moved inside of the OSM site. This event is presented as a part of National Park Week. Guests can register for free here.

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Revolutionary Traces Panel Conversation

Friday, August 28 @ 4:00 PM

Join RI Humanities at the RI Historical Society’s Aldrich House on Friday, August 28, at 4pm for a panel conversation with community partners who are collaborating on the new “Revolutionary Traces” Rhode Tour focused on the ways traces of the Revolution show up in our landscape and built environments, how those commemorations shape our understanding of the period, and what they mean to us today. Free and open to the public. Guests can register here.

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Roots of Revolution Walking Tour with Scott Alexander

Saturday, August 29 @ 10:30 AM

Join the Rhode Island Historical Society for “Part One” of our Revolutionary War walking tour series in Providence! Roots of Revolution examines the roots of the American Revolution in Rhode Island with guide Scott Alexander. Beginning with the Gaspee Affair through to the Act of Renunciation, discover how locals reacted to the “shot heard ’round the world” and how rebel actions led to our small state being the first to declare independence. Comfortable shoes are a must during this 90-minute walk through the historic College Hill neighborhood—tricorn hats, though optional, are always encouraged! This tour covers approximately one mile and includes hilly terrain. Our Revolutionary War walking tour series features the Roots of Revolution and Providence during the Revolution walking tours. Participating in both tours will offer the full historical experience of “The Revolution in Rhode Island”. The tours are not required to be seen in order. Guests can register here.

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MEMBER EXCLUSIVE: Gilbert Stuart Birthplace & Museum

Wednesday, September 9 @ 11:00 AM

Join the Rhode Island Historical Society on Wednesday, September 9th at 11am for a Member-Exclusive tour of the Gilbert Stuart Birthplace & Museum. On this tour, guests will discover the story of the Stuart family through the immaculately restored birthplace and snuff mill, the first in the New England colonies. Learn about Gilbert Stuart’s upbringing and the environment he grew up in before moving to Newport and showing early signs of his future illustrious career as a portraitist. Guests will also have the opportunity to see reproductions of Gilbert Stuart’s work on display at the museum, visit a working grist mill, and explore the property’s gardens and trails.

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Mary Williams’ Providence: A Walking Tour with Dr. Charlotte Carrington-Farmer

Saturday, September 12 @ 11:00 AM

Roger Williams is the most written-about 17th-century colonist. Mary, however, was the head of the Williams household. Throughout almost half a century of marriage, Mary alone made many of the decisions for her family and the wider community, as her husband traveled far and wide. Join Professor Charlotte Carrington-Farmer and National Park Service Ranger Andrew Schnetzer on Saturday, September 12 at 11am for a two-hour tour of the Providence that Mary Williams knew. This walking tour begins at the Rhode Island Historical Society’s John Brown House to view the Mary Williams & 17th Century Rhode Island exhibit, followed by stops at Roger Williams National Memorial and Prospect Terrace. Advance registration is highly recommended as this tour, which covers hilly terrain, will sell out. Comfortable shoes recommended for this approx. 1.3-mile tour. Tickets cost $15 for general admission and $10 for RIHS members. Guests can register here.

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The American Revolution and the Fate of the World: A Book Talk with Author Richard Bell

Wednesday, September 23 @ 5:30 PM

The American Revolution was not only the colonies’ triumphant liberation from the rule of an overbearing England; it was also a cataclysm that pulled in participants from around the globe and threw the entire world order into chaos. On Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at 5:30 pm, Richard Bell, author of the new book The American Revolution and the Fate of the World, will discuss the breadth and depth of America’s founding event. Repositioning the Revolution at the center of an international web, Bell’s narrative ranges as far afield as India, Africa, Central America, and Australia. As his lens widens, the “War of Independence” manifests itself as a sprawling struggle that upended the lives of millions of people on every continent and fundamentally transformed the way the world works, disrupting trade, restructuring penal systems, stirring famine, and creating the first global refugee crisis. Bell conveys the impact of these developments at home and abroad by grounding the narrative in the gripping stories of individuals—including women, minorities, and other disenfranchised people. The result is an unforgettable and unexpected work of American history that shifts everything we thought we knew about our creation story. Richard Bell is a British-born, American-trained historian of the early United States. A professor of history at the University of Maryland, he has been an NEH Public Scholar and an Andrew Carnegie Fellow, among other honors. His previous book, Stolen, was a finalist for the George Washington Prize and the Harriet Tubman Prize. Advance tickets are recommended as space is limited. Individuals can register for this talk by clicking here.

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“Liberty is Sweet”: Reconstructing the World of Black Loyalists through Archival and Literary Detective Work with Jane Lancaster

Thursday, October 1 @ 5:30 PM

During the American Revolution, hundreds of enslaved Black Rhode Islanders navigated high-stakes choices in their pursuit of freedom. Reconstructing these lives requires rigorous historical detective work and some imagination to bridge the gaps left by sparse primary sources. On Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 5:30pm, the Rhode Island Historical Society’s Museum at the John Brown House will host scholar Jane Lancaster for Liberty is Sweet: Reconstructing the World of Black Loyalists through Archival and Literary Detective Work. This engaging lecture will highlight figures such as Arthur Bowler, whose trail spans records from Newport and Portsmouth to Nova Scotia and Sierra Leone, as Dr. Lancaster shares how deep archival research informs historical storytelling. She will also discuss how her decade-long investigation across archives in three nations demonstrates how historical fiction, firmly grounded in non-fiction scholarship, can illuminate the hidden agency and lived experiences of Revolutionary-era Black Loyalists. Dr. Jane Lancaster is an independent scholar based in Providence, Rhode Island. She holds a Ph.D. in history from Brown University and has taught history at Brown, RISD, and the Lincoln School. Dr. Lancaster is the author of four non-fiction books—several focusing on Rhode Island history—and has published multiple articles on Rhode Island history ranging from 18th-century diaries to the Dorr War. Her latest book, Liberty is Sweet, is a historical novel directly informed by her extensive academic research on the Black Loyalist experience. Doors open at 4:30pm for a book signing and reception; the talk starts promptly at 5:30pm. Tickets cost $5 for RIHS members, and $10 for general admission. The book Liberty is Sweet will be available for purchase at the event. Guests can register here.

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