The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of activity as we finalize our Coming to Rhode Island exhibit. Here are some final peeks at the installation process.
Exhibit designer Chris and muralist Harley Bartlett hanging Harley’s incredibly beautiful murals in the Fort Adams gallery – more on the mural process later.
Crew member Mark grinding the cannon created for the Fort gallery in partnership with Cumberland Foundry – more on that later, too!
Chris installing the railing for the Fort’s second level. It’s very fun to climb the ladders and onto the deck!
RISD student Lisa working on the wheelbarrows for kids to cart foam bricks and stones around the Fort.
Chris installing “story cubes,” one of several activities exploring culture and diversity in the exhibit’s Story Center. The cubes are particularly important because they share a dozen stories of a variety of real Rhode Islanders who have come to and settled in our state, expanding on the four stories told in the galleries.
Crew member Zach putting the finishing touches on the exhibit’s vibrant entryway.
Graphic designer Valerie mounting photos and labels in the Story Center.
We’re very nearly ready for you, thanks to the months of hard work of the exhibits team and the critical contributions of our many partners. Come see for yourselves all weekend long, beginning Friday, November 18 at 9:00 AM!
Coming
to Rhode Island is supported by The Champlin Foundations; The Children's
Workshop Foundation; CollegeBound Saver; June Rockwell Levy Foundation;
Murray Family Charitable Foundation; The Providence Journal Charitable
Legacy Fund; Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and the National
Endowment for the Humanities; The Ryan Family Foundation; and Nancy
Smith Worthen, in memory of Margaret L. Worthen (as of November 14). The
Irish gallery was developed in collaboration with The Museum of Newport
Irish History and the Fort Adams Trust.
Thursday, November 17, 2016
Monday, November 14, 2016
Encouraging Empathy
Our reinvented Coming to Rhode Island exhibit is about exploring history, immigration and culture through stories. But even more than that, it’s about fostering EMPATHY – about developing respect for the diversity of individuals that make up our world, about understanding that diversity makes our communities richer and stronger, and about finding compassion for others by making connections to their stories. It’s a particularly relevant message at this moment in our world – at a time of divisiveness, dissension and discord, empathy is more important than ever.
Research shows that pretend play is closely related to developing empathy and other social-emotional skills. As children pretend and play in Coming to Rhode Island, they learn to relate to and communicate with one another and to take others’ perspectives. They also explore a wealth of different stories – stories of Rhode Islanders past and present, stories of people of different cultures and backgrounds, stories that encourage them to think about and appreciate what’s unique about themselves and others.
Here are a few curated lists of children’s books that include some excellent stories for encouraging empathy and cultivating compassion, recommended for reading and discussing together:
Do you have other favorite books that foster empathy, kindness and inclusion? Please share in the comments.
Research shows that pretend play is closely related to developing empathy and other social-emotional skills. As children pretend and play in Coming to Rhode Island, they learn to relate to and communicate with one another and to take others’ perspectives. They also explore a wealth of different stories – stories of Rhode Islanders past and present, stories of people of different cultures and backgrounds, stories that encourage them to think about and appreciate what’s unique about themselves and others.
Here are a few curated lists of children’s books that include some excellent stories for encouraging empathy and cultivating compassion, recommended for reading and discussing together:
- Top 10 Books to Encourage Discussions Around Social Justice (Nerdy Book Club)
Do you have other favorite books that foster empathy, kindness and inclusion? Please share in the comments.
Monday, October 31, 2016
Coming to RI: Bits and Pieces
Making an exhibit involves a TON of work over many months, both big projects and smaller supporting elements. Here’s a look at some of the Coming to Rhode Island details and “loose parts” the exhibit team has worked on along the way.
Crew member Mark and exhibit designer Chris cutting bricks from giant sheets of foam, which kids will use to add to the walls and arches in our replica of Fort Adams.
RISD student Julianna making an array of adorable tools – mallets and trowels – for kids to use in their brickwork.
Exhibit technician Ian painting a pig! Our porcine pal will overlook a small garden plot adjacent to the Fort, where visitors will be able to plant and harvest veggies like carrots and turnips.
Crew member Zach creating frames for an assortment of striking photos that will adorn the walls of the “Story Center.”
Chris building one of several pieces of furniture he has crafted for the exhibit – a field desk for the Fort Adams gallery that will house examples of documents and tools of the trade from the 1800s.
Newly installed flooring in the “Story Center,” in a vibrant palette that complements the freshly painted walls.
And not a small detail by any means, but the finished brick and stonework on our Fort looks absolutely amazing!
With just under two weeks to go until the opening weekend, the exhibit is moving along fast and furiously – check back for finishing touches and background stories.
Coming to Rhode Island is supported by The Children's Workshop Foundation; CollegeBound Saver; June Rockwell Levy Foundation; Murray Family Charitable Foundation; The Providence Journal Charitable Legacy Fund; Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities; The Ryan Family Foundation; and Nancy Smith Worthen, in memory of Margaret L. Worthen (as of October 11). The Irish gallery was developed in collaboration with The Museum of Newport Irish History and the Fort Adams Trust.
Crew member Mark and exhibit designer Chris cutting bricks from giant sheets of foam, which kids will use to add to the walls and arches in our replica of Fort Adams.
RISD student Julianna making an array of adorable tools – mallets and trowels – for kids to use in their brickwork.
Exhibit technician Ian painting a pig! Our porcine pal will overlook a small garden plot adjacent to the Fort, where visitors will be able to plant and harvest veggies like carrots and turnips.
Crew member Zach creating frames for an assortment of striking photos that will adorn the walls of the “Story Center.”
Chris building one of several pieces of furniture he has crafted for the exhibit – a field desk for the Fort Adams gallery that will house examples of documents and tools of the trade from the 1800s.
Newly installed flooring in the “Story Center,” in a vibrant palette that complements the freshly painted walls.
And not a small detail by any means, but the finished brick and stonework on our Fort looks absolutely amazing!
With just under two weeks to go until the opening weekend, the exhibit is moving along fast and furiously – check back for finishing touches and background stories.
Coming to Rhode Island is supported by The Children's Workshop Foundation; CollegeBound Saver; June Rockwell Levy Foundation; Murray Family Charitable Foundation; The Providence Journal Charitable Legacy Fund; Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities; The Ryan Family Foundation; and Nancy Smith Worthen, in memory of Margaret L. Worthen (as of October 11). The Irish gallery was developed in collaboration with The Museum of Newport Irish History and the Fort Adams Trust.
Friday, October 21, 2016
Coming to RI: Building Fort Adams
As we mentioned previously, our replica of Fort Adams for the updated Coming to Rhode Island began long before the exhibit installation started, with a cardboard mockup constructed in the exhibit workshop.
The exhibits team then assembled the entire cardboard version of the fort, to help figure out layout and floor plan.
From there, the fort was constructed in wood and the pieces were stored until it was time to start installation.
After the demolition work was finished, fort installation began!
The crew installed the first and second levels of the fort, then built surrounding walls and second level decking.
After the fort was fully in place, work began on a brick façade, which is being completed as a community project by the apprentice program of the Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Union Local 3 MA, ME, NH, RI.
Apprentices in the program learn through practical experience under skilled workers and receive both on the job and in-class training, and the Museum’s project counts toward their training hours. We’re grateful to benefit from their skills to give the fort a more authentic feel, and to be able to provide a valuable training opportunity.
Check back for more stories and photos of reinventing Coming to Rhode Island!
Coming to Rhode Island is supported by The Children's Workshop Foundation; CollegeBound Saver; June Rockwell Levy Foundation; Murray Family Charitable Foundation; The Providence Journal Charitable Legacy Fund; Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities; The Ryan Family Foundation; and Nancy Smith Worthen, in memory of Margaret L. Worthen (as of October 11). The Irish gallery was developed in collaboration with The Museum of Newport Irish History and the Fort Adams Trust.
The exhibits team then assembled the entire cardboard version of the fort, to help figure out layout and floor plan.
From there, the fort was constructed in wood and the pieces were stored until it was time to start installation.
After the demolition work was finished, fort installation began!
The crew installed the first and second levels of the fort, then built surrounding walls and second level decking.
After the fort was fully in place, work began on a brick façade, which is being completed as a community project by the apprentice program of the Bricklayers and Allied Craftsmen Union Local 3 MA, ME, NH, RI.
Apprentices in the program learn through practical experience under skilled workers and receive both on the job and in-class training, and the Museum’s project counts toward their training hours. We’re grateful to benefit from their skills to give the fort a more authentic feel, and to be able to provide a valuable training opportunity.
Check back for more stories and photos of reinventing Coming to Rhode Island!
Coming to Rhode Island is supported by The Children's Workshop Foundation; CollegeBound Saver; June Rockwell Levy Foundation; Murray Family Charitable Foundation; The Providence Journal Charitable Legacy Fund; Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities; The Ryan Family Foundation; and Nancy Smith Worthen, in memory of Margaret L. Worthen (as of October 11). The Irish gallery was developed in collaboration with The Museum of Newport Irish History and the Fort Adams Trust.
Thursday, October 20, 2016
A New Year of AmeriCorps Service
In September, the Museum welcomed its 21st AmeriCorps team – 12 enthusiastic members committed to a year of transformative service to kids and families from under-resourced communities. Collectively, the team will reach 1,000 Head Start preschoolers and hundreds of elementary school-age kids with playful interactive lessons during and after school, extend a warm welcome to children’s caregivers and siblings during free Museum family nights, and engage with thousands of other families both within and beyond the Museum’s walls.
The members hail from across the country and bring a wealth of different experiences. Three have previously served with other AmeriCorps programs. Others have studied and traveled around the United States, and the world. They share an eagerness to serve and learn this year.
Meet our 2016-17 AmeriCorps team:
Alexis is from Riverside, CA and studied Earth Systems-Oceans at Stanford University. She drove 3,650 miles through 16 states and Canada by herself to arrive for AmeriCorps. She is excited to help kids discover how fun it is to be a nerd – and to experience winter!
Amelia is from Reading, MA and studied Early Childhood Development at North Shore Community College. She is a certified preschool teacher in Massachusetts. She looks forward to working with young children again after working with middle schoolers while she served with City Year last year.
Anna is from Hogansburg, NY and studied American Studies at Middlebury College. She grew up on the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation in northern NY and is a member of that tribe. She is excited to be working with a team to make learning and play more accessible to the surrounding community.
Ashley is from Hummelstown, PA and studied Anthropology & History of Art and Architecture at the University of Pittsburgh. She is most excited to facilitate learning and encourage creativity through play during her year of service.
Casey is from Concord, MA and studied History at Mount Holyoke College. She is excited to bring fun, enriching Museum experiences to the kids of Providence and to develop her skills in museum education.
Hannah is from Cambridge, MA and studied Studio Art and Politics at University of Virginia. She is most excited about finding creative ways to integrate art projects into the Museum’s STEM programming.
James is from Gary, IN and studied Biology at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. He is most excited to educate children about the world around them.
Jordan is from Great Barrington, MA and studied Community Arts Education and Theater at Lesley University and Cultural Studies and Arts Education at Bard College. She looks forward to charting her course to becoming a culturally responsive educator.
Lilia is from North Kingstown, RI and studied Biology at Wheaton College. She recently spent 16 days living in the rainforest tracking monkey trips in Belize. She is excited to take time to serve her community.
Olivia is from Stillwater, OK but has been in the Providence area for the last several years studying Visual Art and Modern Culture at Brown University. She is excited to develop creative approaches to education and learning and to build relationships in the Providence community.
Trinere is from Worcester, MA and studied Architectural Design at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She is most excited about working with a new age group and growing her skills in youth development.
Tristan is from Baltimore, MD and studied English at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He looks forward to getting to know Providence as deeply as possible.

To learn more about the Museum’s AmeriCorps program, please click here.
The Museum’s AmeriCorps program is made possible by the Corporation for National and Community Service and Serve Rhode Island, with support from additional sponsors for the Head Start and Learning Club programs.
The members hail from across the country and bring a wealth of different experiences. Three have previously served with other AmeriCorps programs. Others have studied and traveled around the United States, and the world. They share an eagerness to serve and learn this year.
| Front row: Olivia, Ashley, Hannah, Lilia, Trinere, Casey / Back row: Jordan, Alexis, Anna, Amelia, Tristan, James |
Meet our 2016-17 AmeriCorps team:
Alexis is from Riverside, CA and studied Earth Systems-Oceans at Stanford University. She drove 3,650 miles through 16 states and Canada by herself to arrive for AmeriCorps. She is excited to help kids discover how fun it is to be a nerd – and to experience winter!
Amelia is from Reading, MA and studied Early Childhood Development at North Shore Community College. She is a certified preschool teacher in Massachusetts. She looks forward to working with young children again after working with middle schoolers while she served with City Year last year.
Anna is from Hogansburg, NY and studied American Studies at Middlebury College. She grew up on the St. Regis Mohawk Reservation in northern NY and is a member of that tribe. She is excited to be working with a team to make learning and play more accessible to the surrounding community.
Ashley is from Hummelstown, PA and studied Anthropology & History of Art and Architecture at the University of Pittsburgh. She is most excited to facilitate learning and encourage creativity through play during her year of service.
Casey is from Concord, MA and studied History at Mount Holyoke College. She is excited to bring fun, enriching Museum experiences to the kids of Providence and to develop her skills in museum education.
Hannah is from Cambridge, MA and studied Studio Art and Politics at University of Virginia. She is most excited about finding creative ways to integrate art projects into the Museum’s STEM programming.
James is from Gary, IN and studied Biology at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. He is most excited to educate children about the world around them.
Jordan is from Great Barrington, MA and studied Community Arts Education and Theater at Lesley University and Cultural Studies and Arts Education at Bard College. She looks forward to charting her course to becoming a culturally responsive educator.
Lilia is from North Kingstown, RI and studied Biology at Wheaton College. She recently spent 16 days living in the rainforest tracking monkey trips in Belize. She is excited to take time to serve her community.
Olivia is from Stillwater, OK but has been in the Providence area for the last several years studying Visual Art and Modern Culture at Brown University. She is excited to develop creative approaches to education and learning and to build relationships in the Providence community.
Trinere is from Worcester, MA and studied Architectural Design at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She is most excited about working with a new age group and growing her skills in youth development.
Tristan is from Baltimore, MD and studied English at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. He looks forward to getting to know Providence as deeply as possible.

To learn more about the Museum’s AmeriCorps program, please click here.
The Museum’s AmeriCorps program is made possible by the Corporation for National and Community Service and Serve Rhode Island, with support from additional sponsors for the Head Start and Learning Club programs.
Friday, September 30, 2016
Prototyping Coming to Rhode Island
This post was contributed by Museum Exhibits Director Robin Meisner and Research & Evaluation Specialist Suzy Letourneau.
This spring and summer – well before renovations even started – the exhibits team created and tested a range of prototypes to try out some ideas and get feedback on activities, labels and components for the new Coming to Rhode Island spaces. Such mockups – which are often made of scraps of wood, cardboard and tape – help the Museum’s design process by providing insight into how something might be used or interpreted by visitors, how it might look and feel, and how it might ultimately be made.
By prototyping, both in the Museum’s workshop and with visitors in the exhibits, the team is able to create a more thoughtfully developed experience for children and families. Some of the prototypes tested include:
A full-scale cardboard mockup of a section of the replica of Fort Adams!
Through this process, the team explored the layout of the new space, made adjustments for visitor flow and children’s play, and discovered tricks for fabrication of the final wooden fort structure.
A self-portrait drawing activity with prompts to help visitors reflect on what’s important about themselves that can’t be seen.
From this prototype, the team learned that visitors valued both sharing about themselves and reading others’ responses, so they added a portrait gallery to the exhibit. Most visitors wanted to leave their portraits behind for others to see, and one group said that looking at all the portraits was “like seeing the whole community.” Both children and adults thought carefully about what to write about themselves. One parent said, “It took me a minute to think of what was really important about myself, and that was surprising to me.”
A series of labels to help caregivers connect children’s pretend play with their developing social-emotional skills.
Initial prototypes drew on interviews with caregivers about the role of pretend play in children’s ability to empathize and take others’ perspectives. By testing multiple versions of the labels, the team was able to adjust the language and add concrete examples, ultimately helping caregivers find personal connections within the messages. Many caregivers said the labels made them think about how their own children like to pretend in the Museum (and at home), and how children learn to relate to other people, even those who live in a different time or place. One caregiver described the benefits of pretending by saying, “When kids put on those costumes, they really feel how people felt when they wore those clothes and did those jobs.”
Coming to Rhode Island is supported by The Children's Workshop Foundation; CollegeBound Saver; June Rockwell Levy Foundation; Murray Family Charitable Foundation; Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities; The Ryan Family Foundation; and Nancy Smith Worthen, in memory of Margaret L. Worthen (as of September 30). The Irish gallery was developed in collaboration with The Museum of Newport Irish History and the Fort Adams Trust.
This spring and summer – well before renovations even started – the exhibits team created and tested a range of prototypes to try out some ideas and get feedback on activities, labels and components for the new Coming to Rhode Island spaces. Such mockups – which are often made of scraps of wood, cardboard and tape – help the Museum’s design process by providing insight into how something might be used or interpreted by visitors, how it might look and feel, and how it might ultimately be made.
By prototyping, both in the Museum’s workshop and with visitors in the exhibits, the team is able to create a more thoughtfully developed experience for children and families. Some of the prototypes tested include:
A full-scale cardboard mockup of a section of the replica of Fort Adams!
Through this process, the team explored the layout of the new space, made adjustments for visitor flow and children’s play, and discovered tricks for fabrication of the final wooden fort structure.
A self-portrait drawing activity with prompts to help visitors reflect on what’s important about themselves that can’t be seen.
From this prototype, the team learned that visitors valued both sharing about themselves and reading others’ responses, so they added a portrait gallery to the exhibit. Most visitors wanted to leave their portraits behind for others to see, and one group said that looking at all the portraits was “like seeing the whole community.” Both children and adults thought carefully about what to write about themselves. One parent said, “It took me a minute to think of what was really important about myself, and that was surprising to me.”
A series of labels to help caregivers connect children’s pretend play with their developing social-emotional skills.
Initial prototypes drew on interviews with caregivers about the role of pretend play in children’s ability to empathize and take others’ perspectives. By testing multiple versions of the labels, the team was able to adjust the language and add concrete examples, ultimately helping caregivers find personal connections within the messages. Many caregivers said the labels made them think about how their own children like to pretend in the Museum (and at home), and how children learn to relate to other people, even those who live in a different time or place. One caregiver described the benefits of pretending by saying, “When kids put on those costumes, they really feel how people felt when they wore those clothes and did those jobs.”
Coming to Rhode Island is supported by The Children's Workshop Foundation; CollegeBound Saver; June Rockwell Levy Foundation; Murray Family Charitable Foundation; Rhode Island Council for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities; The Ryan Family Foundation; and Nancy Smith Worthen, in memory of Margaret L. Worthen (as of September 30). The Irish gallery was developed in collaboration with The Museum of Newport Irish History and the Fort Adams Trust.
Thursday, September 15, 2016
Coming to RI: Renovations are Underway!
Last week we began long-awaited renovations to our time-traveling Coming to Rhode Island exhibit, which will reopen in November. The updates will include:
While there are a lot of changes in store, the new Irish gallery will replace only the French Canadian mill gallery – so no worries, the beloved English farmhouse, Cape Verdean packet ship and Dominican bodega will return in their current forms!
Before we could begin to install the new exhibit elements, the first step was demolition of the departing time tunnel, Story Center and gallery. Take a look at some scenes from the process!
BEFORE: Members of the exhibits team (Exhibit Developer Jessica Neuwirth, Exhibit Designer & Fabricator Chris Sancomb, Director of Exhibits Robin Meisner) looking like they mean business at the beginning of demo.
Taking apart the Story Center and time tunnel.
Crew members James and Mark disassemble the mill...
...and then the mill house.
The time tunnel and mill, almost fully dismantled.
AFTER: The entryway, nearing the end of demolition. It looks quite different, doesn’t it?!
Stay tuned for more stories and photos of reinventing Coming to Rhode Island.
- A totally transformed “time tunnel” to guide visitors’ adventure through the story galleries.
- A new interactive gallery that shares the story of an Irish immigrant who worked on the construction of Fort Adams.
- And a completely reinvented “Story Center” with an array of intriguing new hands-on activities that explore culture and diversity.
While there are a lot of changes in store, the new Irish gallery will replace only the French Canadian mill gallery – so no worries, the beloved English farmhouse, Cape Verdean packet ship and Dominican bodega will return in their current forms!
Before we could begin to install the new exhibit elements, the first step was demolition of the departing time tunnel, Story Center and gallery. Take a look at some scenes from the process!
BEFORE: Members of the exhibits team (Exhibit Developer Jessica Neuwirth, Exhibit Designer & Fabricator Chris Sancomb, Director of Exhibits Robin Meisner) looking like they mean business at the beginning of demo.
Taking apart the Story Center and time tunnel.
Crew members James and Mark disassemble the mill...
...and then the mill house.
The time tunnel and mill, almost fully dismantled.
AFTER: The entryway, nearing the end of demolition. It looks quite different, doesn’t it?!
Stay tuned for more stories and photos of reinventing Coming to Rhode Island.
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