Groups looking for a multidimensional arts and cultural experience will find a wealth of options in Providence and Warwick. Following are a few venues and events that planners can utilize to spice up agendas.
Gallery Night Providence 2007
401.490.2042; www.gallerynight.info
- Showcasing its impressive arts scene, Gallery Night Providence 2007 is the city’s 11th annual artist appreciation event that runs during the third Thursday of every month from March through November. At that time, galleries on all corners of the city are open for viewing and some even offer lectures to visitors. The Art Bus is a free transportation option for visitors, driving around the city from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and stopping at every gallery along the way.
The RISD Museum
401.454.6500; www.risd.edu.museum.cfm
- Situated next to Providence’s world-renowned Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), the RISD Museum showcases an art collection on par with major cosmopolitan city museums. The 80,000-square-foot museum features 45 galleries highlighting art that spans the centuries, with favorites ranging from ancient Egyptian artifacts and Greek and Roman sculptures to French Impressionist paintings and contemporary pieces from the 1990s. The museum, divided into four seamlessly connected facilities, is renovating one of its buildings and plans to open a new structure to expand its offerings in 2008. Groups are welcome to utilize the venue’s 72,000 square feet of function space for events.
Culinary Archives & Museum
401.598.2805; www.culinary.org
- Located on the culinary campus of Providence’s Johnson & Whales University, the Culinary Archives & Museum is a one-of-a-kind venue showcasing the history of food, culinary equipment and chefs. The venue celebrates the history of American dining, ranging from the food of the 19th century to the beginnings of the all-American diner to modern-day celebrity chefs. Visitors can also view antique cooking equipment and memorabilia from famous chefs. Groups are welcome to use the venue’s theater space for meetings or rent out the entire museum for larger gatherings.
The Gaspee Days Celebration 2007
401.781.1772; www.gaspee.com
- In June 1772, residents of Pawtuxet, one of the 30 villages located in the city of Warwick, banded together and burned down the British schooner HMS Gaspee. They did so in revolt of British rule over their land, and the event, along with the subsequent Boston Tea Party about a year later, led to the Revolutionary War. Nowadays, the past has been anything but lost, and Pawtuxet celebrates the historic moment from Memorial Day until the end of June each year with ceremonies commemorating the nation’s independence. The month-long event ends with a reenactment of the burning of a remake of the HMS Gaspee.
