John Brown House Museum

Described by John Quincy Adams as "the most magnificent and elegant private mansions that I have ever seen on this continent", the John Brown Museum is the first mansion built in Providence, located on College Hill and bordering the campus of elite institution Brown University. This three story brick structure was built between 1786 and 1788, a notable guests during this time was George Washington who is reported to have visited for tea.. Built by his brother Joseph Brown an amateur architect, the building housed the Brown family, one of the most influential and wealthy families in the colonies and later in the United States, until 1942 when the family donated it to the Rhode Island Historical Society for preservation.

The building now serves as a museum containing many original furniture pieces, 18th-century wall maps, artwork, and a fully restored 18th century carriage to educate the public on the Brown family, the special role Rhode Island played in the Revolution, and helping you step back in time and see what life was like in the 18th century.