Lippitt House Museum

12/05/2023

A gift to Lippitt House Museum reaches far beyond 199 Hope Street.

In 2023, the museum continued its ELL (English Language Learner) support efforts, bringing in students studying for citizenship tests and interested in American history. Support for Lippitt House Museum is support for our community.

Donate today on our website: https://www.preserveri.org/support-lippitt-house-museum.

12/03/2023

Seasonal greenery is up at Lippitt House Museum! Wishing everyone a joyous holiday season.

11/29/2023

GivingTuesday is a great opportunity to look back and reflect on a 2023 well spent. Lippitt House Museum strives each year to provide programming that promotes the arts, shares important lessons from history, and helps bring the community together.

A GivingTuesday gift to Lippitt House Museum goes a lot further than Hope Street.
Donate today at https://www.preserveri.org/support-lippitt-house-museum.

11/28/2023

https://www.rhodeislandredfoodtours.com/2023/07/17/historic-house-museums-in-rhode-island/

Rhode Island boasts varied, fascinating, and beautifully preserved historic house museums. Why not see them all? If you'd like to work from this excellent list, you can check off Lippitt House Museum first by reaching out to schedule a private tour.
Visit https://www.preserveri.org/visit-lippitt-house-museum to book!

Rhode Island holds a treasure trove of history within its borders including many historic house museums you can visit.

11/23/2023

Thankful for fall colors at Lippitt House Museum, and to all those who attend, support, and spread the word about the museum's programs and special events all year long!
Happy Thanksgiving!

11/20/2023

We are thankful for our community partners. Lippitt House Museum has partnered with Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative - RIFLI since 2017. It was wonderful to host RIFLI students studying for the U.S. citizenship exam to Lippitt House Museum this month. One student commented that the best part of the visit was, "to be in personal contact with part of the Rhode Island history." We are grateful that we can share this civic history with community members.

11/17/2023

Thank you to all who attended "Lippitt After Dark" this week!
What a joy to share this exceptional site in a whole new light.

Participants learned about evening leisure activities for the members of the Lippitt family, popular music of the time, typical 1875 dinner courses, and most importantly, all the work live-in servants had to complete to make life so luxurious for the Governor and his family.

To keep up with the museum's in-person and virtual events, join the eNews email list at https://www.preserveri.org/enewsletters.

11/12/2023

Thinking of all those who have and continue to serve this Veterans’ Day Weekend.

📷: Uniformed servicemen and women of the Lippitt family, pictured in the drawing room.

Lippitt House Museum collection.

11/09/2023

Lippitt House Museum was abuzz recently with students from Genesis Center. These classes for English Speakers of Other Languages and Citizen Preparation were here to learn more about the history of peoples who have lived in Rhode Island and to enjoy this beautiful landmark. Thanks to instructors Arlene and David for collaborating with museum staff to create a warm and supportive environment for students to learn more about immigration history and civic participation.

11/06/2023

If you live in Congressional District 1, North Kingstown, East Greenwich, or State Senate District 1 and you have not voted yet, there still are a few more hours this afternoon and then Election Day is tomorrow.

Early in-person voting ends TODAY at 4 PM ET! Find your in-person early voting location at vote.sos.ri.gov 🗳

11/06/2023

Tickets are on sale now for "Lippitt After Dark", a rare chance to see Lippitt House Museum in an entirely new light! Join one of the evening tours at 5:00PM and 6:30PM on Wednesday, November 15 or Thursday, November 16 and take a step back to 1875.
Tickets are available at https://www.preserveri.org/calendar

11/03/2023

The Decorative Arts Trust were especially observant visitors at Lippitt House Museum last week. They noticed every ornamental detail and asked wonderful questions. It was a pleasure to share Lippitt House with their group, as it is with all visitors to the museum.

As the 2023 tour season comes to a close, a big thank you is owed to all those who took the time to come visit this historic site; a jewel right in the heart of Providence.

If you're curious about seeing this exceptionally well-preserved Golden Age home, private tours are still available. Visit https://www.preserveri.org/visit-lippitt-house-museum to learn more and to schedule a booking.

10/31/2023

Halloween marks the birthday of Abby Frances Lippitt, born in 1861.
A spirited and sporty girl, family journals mention her unexpectedly running in church to her family's chagrin. She was an accomplished golfer and impressed spectators with her "unusually good game" and "very long drives", according to a newspaper covering the Agawam Hunt Club's ladies golf tournament.
A devoted friend, she kept lifelong relationships with her peers from boarding school in New York.
She and her husband Duncan Hunter raised four daughters: Mary, Frances, Janet and Marion.
Abby Frances Lippitt Hunter passed in December of 1946 and is buried in her family's plot at Swan Point Cemetery.
To learn more about the Lippitt family, visit https://www.preserveri.org/history-lippitt-house-museum.

10/26/2023

Don't miss a special weekend of tours at Lippitt House Museum!
Tickets are still available for guided tours on Friday, October 26 at 10:30AM, and Saturday, October 27 at 12:00PM and 1:30PM.
Come see the extraordinary Lippitt House before the end of 2023's tour season. Visit https://www.preserveri.org/visit-lippitt-house-museum to book.

10/24/2023

A big thank you to all the attendees of Saturday's historical tour of Swan Point Cemetery, led by Lippitt House Museum Director Carrie Taylor and architectural historian Ronald J. Onorato. Despite uncooperative weather, the group saw exceptional monuments and learned about their materials, symbolism, and important design elements. To catch great programs like this one, be sure to sign up for Lippitt House Museum's ENews, sent once monthly.
To sign up, visit: https://www.preserveri.org/enewsletter

10/19/2023

Tickets are now available for "Lippitt After Dark" on Wednesday, November 15 and Thursday, November 16. Come see Lippitt House Museum aglow in evening splendor!
Join a guided tour, see the house by candlelight, and learn about evening activities in Victorian Providence, for both the Lippitt family and the servants they employed.
Tours begin at 5:00PM and 6:30PM. Tickets are $15/person, available at https://www.preserveri.org/calendar.

10/17/2023

The RI Special Election Early Voting period is October 18 through November 6 at 4 pm.
Any registered voter who is unable to vote at their polling place on Election Day has the option to Vote Early at their local board of canvassers or designated location. Voting early is a way to cast your vote at a time that is convenient for you.
Find location and hours information at https://vote.sos.ri.gov/forms/elections/VoteHours/HoursEng.html

10/13/2023

Lippitt House Museum is a destination for many reasons. For Girl Scouts of Central Maryland staff, a recent visit to the museum was a way to better understand the friendship between Abby Lippitt Hunter (1861-1946) and Juliette Gordon Lowe (1860-1927), the founder of the Girl Scouts of the USA. Abby and Juliette met at boarding school in New York. The two and another friend, Mary Carter Clarke (1862-1929), remained life-long friends. Abby and Juliette had visits here at Lippitt House as well as in Europe (as both were well traveled). When Abby's husband, Duncan, died in 1902, Juliette wrote Abby, "when grief comes, one turns to the friends of ones youth & it is good to remember days that were happy."

📸 Abby portrait from the Lippitt House Museum archives; Juliette portrait courtesy of the Juliette Gordon Lowe Birthplace; Girl Scouts of Central MD photo taken 9/29/23 at Lippitt House Museum

10/10/2023

Tickets are on sale for Preserve Rhode Island's annual Rhody Awards! Held at the beautiful United Theater in Westerly, this year's event will honor some truly inspired efforts made in historical preservation in 2023. Come join!

Sunday, October 15th from 4:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Tickets are available at:
https://www.preserveri.org/rhody-awards-tickets

10/07/2023

Happy 200th Birthday to Mrs. Mary Ann Balch Lippitt, born October 7th, 1823. She passed at the age of 65, in August of 1889. Wife of Governor Henry Lippitt, and mother to Charles, Henry, Joseph, Jeanie, George, Frederick, Henry (again), Mary, Robert, Abby and Alfred. Tragically, she outlived five of her eleven children. She is buried in Swan Point Cemetery, here in Providence, the city of her birth.

10/03/2023

This Saturday, October 7th, pay a visit to our friends from African Alliance of Rhode Island at their Pop-Up Farmers' Market.
A perfect autumn weekend activity!

10/01/2023

Welcome October! Fall is the perfect time to explore New England's historic sites, and Lippitt House Museum is open for tours every Friday this month.
Step inside to see a piece of Victorian Providence, beautifully preserved since its construction in 1865. Tickets for guided tours are available at https://www.preserveri.org/visit-lippitt-house-museum.

09/30/2023

When is the last time you played Hoop and Stick? Or Game of Graces? Celebrate by getting outside and playing some time-tested games in your backyard. Check out this Lippitt House Museum Spotlight for a quick refresher to these two popular 19th century games: https://tinyurl.com/HoopandGraces.

Worldwide Day of Play is a day dedicated to experiencing joyful learning through play, this global event focuses on getting children and their families active. We think adults like to be active and play, too!

09/28/2023

Are You Making Holiday Party Plans? Well, Lippitt House Museum is the perfect setting for elegant and festive events! Whether you are planning an intimate gathering or a lavish soiree, this architectural gem offers an extraordinary backdrop for weddings, corporate gatherings, private parties, and other significant celebrations. For an extra festive atmosphere in December, the house is ornately decorated for the Christmas holiday season.

By hosting your special event at Lippitt House Museum, you contribute to the preservation of this historic landmark and support ongoing efforts to share its rich heritage with the community. Your celebration becomes a part of our storied history, adding to the legacy of Lippitt House for generations to come.
For more information about hosting your event at Lippitt House Museum, visit preserveri.org/rent-lippitt-house-museum.

09/25/2023

Tours are available at Lippitt House Museum through the end of October. Come see the splendor up close with a guided house tour.
Tickets are available at https://www.preserveri.org/visit-lippitt-house-museum.

09/19/2023

Happy ! Celebrate American democracy by making sure you, your friends, family, & community are for the next trip to the ballot box in 2023 AND 2024!

Go to vote.ri.gov to register or to update your registration.

09/15/2023

The next time you come on a guided tour, you will notice that May Lippitt Steedman's bedchamber looks more lustrous, more personal. That is due to the painstaking research this summer by RISD student Anik Levcovici alongside the Museum's director, Carrie Taylor. In the latest installment on the Silver and Spindles Blog, Anik shares how she used inventory lists, photos, paintings, and books to discover the pieces that adorned May's life in 1893, and many of those items have now been reinstalled. Anik aptly points that, "Whether it be a strategically placed doily underneath a vase or a grand painting above a mantle, each item gives hints into the life of the space we are observing."

Read the blogpost here: https://www.preserveri.org/post/rehanging-the-bedchamber

09/13/2023

Don't miss out on a guided tour of Lippitt House Museum in September! Book your tour today and unlock the hidden stories of this architectural gem. September tour dates are still available:
***Fridays, September 15, 22, & 29
***Saturdays, September 16 & 23

To reserve your tour spot, visit https://www.preserveri.org/visit-lippitt-house-museum.
ADMISSION is $10 for Adults, $5 for Students, FREE for Children 12 & under, and FREE for EBT Cardholders (SNAP benefits recipients).

09/07/2023

As so many students head back to school at this time of year, we take our hats off to the students that are studying to take the U.S. citizenship test. Lippitt House Museum presented a program about U.S. & R.I. history to help them with the test. This was a great group of interested, engaged students who were eager to learn.

09/06/2023

09/05/2023

If you are a registered voter in Congressional District 1, it's not too late to vote in the Primary Election. Go to https://vote.sos.ri.gov/ for information about where and when to vote today.

08/31/2023

Students from Dorcas International Institute of Rhode Island citizenship prep class visited Lippitt House Museum. The tour was the culmination of a series of civics lessons presented by museum staff. The students loved seeing the house and hearing the stories of the people who lived in the house in the 19th century. This was an extra special tour because one of the students passed her citizenship exam that afternoon!

We are grateful for our partnership with the staff, instructors, and students at Dorcas.