No organization embodies Providence’s moniker, “The Creative Capital,” more than AS220. Founded in 1985, AS220 began in one room above the Providence Performing Arts Center at 220 Weybosset Street and has since purchased, renovated, and now operates three mixed-used buildings. AS220 has been a major catalyst in reviving downtown Providence, founded on the
belief in providing an “unjuried, uncensored” space for artistic expression.

Today AS220 houses gallery spaces, a performance stage, a print shop, a darkroom, affordable live/work studios for artists, a bar and restaurant, and draws more than 51,000 people each year.

While you're here:
Visit Res American Bistro for a meal that combines a casual atmosphere with elegant dining.

One of the oldest churches in Rhode Island, Beneficent Church was originally known as the Church of the West Side, established as a separatist group from the First Congregational Church. The church was built in 1810 but was altered in the 1830s to James Bucklin's design, still evident today. Bucklin's addition of the Greek portico and gold dome makes it an architectural gem. In the 1980s the gold leaf dome needed repair, and the congregation chose to replace it with the less opulent, more durable, copper sheeting visible today. Choosing copper meant the church could focus their finances on their mission of service.

Adjacent to the 19th-century transportation hub of Providence, Burnside Park was dedicated in 1892. The park provided a space to showcase two major artworks, the Bajnotti Fountain and the statue of General Ambrose Burnside. Dedicated in 1902, the Bajnotti Fountain was a gift from Paul Bajnotti to the city to honor his late wife, Carrie Mathilde Brown, whose family was prominent in town. The Burnside statue, dedicated in 1887, commemorates former Rhode Island governor and Civil War General Ambrose Burnside. The park is not Burnside's only namesake, however – the term "sideburns" comes from his infamous facial hair.

A historic symbol of industry and the role of the river in shaping the economy, the Custom House was completed in 1857. It was home to the Federal District Court, Post Office, IRS, Steamboat Inspection and U.S. Customs. The building, occupied by the Federal Government through 1989, was converted to office space for the State Court Systems in 1992 as the John E. Fogarty Judicial Complex. This building is the centerpiece of the Custom House Historic District, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including eight additional buildings associated with the growth of Providence as a business center in the mid-to-late 19th century.

While you're here:
Splurge on an elegant meal at Pot au Feu.

Johnson & Wales University is a world-renowned leader in experiential education, with degree programs in arts and sciences, business, culinary arts, education, hospitality, engineering and design and more. In 1914, Gertrude Johnson and Mary Wales had careers in banking and dreamed of opening their own business college. The University has exceeded their dreams, evolving into an internationally recognized educator with several campuses in the United States.

While you're here:
Savor a great Italian meal at Sarto.

Among the banks and businesses of bustling Westminster Street, Grace Episcopal Church is a constant for the evolving neighborhood, with the bells ringing every day on the half hour, a tradition that began in 1861. Founded to serve parishioners who left the East Side in favor of the newly fashionable Westminster Street, the church sits on the site of the old Providence Theater. In 1846, Richard Upjohn, one of the most notable architects of the time, completed the new building design for the parish as the first asymmetrical Gothic Revival Church in America.

While you're here:
Don't miss Malted Barley's signature pretzels and craft beer.

It is said that every Rhode Islander visits the Biltmore Hotel at least once. Now called the Graduate Providence, the Biltmore opened in 1922 and became a hub for social activity in downtown Providence, a legacy that continues today. In its early days, the Biltmore sought creative ways to bring fresh produce to its tables in the middle of a bustling city; as a result, the building featured a rooftop garden where vegetables were grown. Sadly, the Biltmore experienced a financial slump and closed its doors in 1974. After undergoing a million-dollar renovation and restoring its 1922 charm, the hotel was reopened in 1979, ensuring an elegant experience for native Rhode Islanders and visitors alike.

While you're here:
Take a walk around the corner and get a sandwich and a Guinness at Murphy's.

Union Station was the central location for the powerful railroad station complex in the late 19th century, becoming the hub of southeastern New England's transportation network. Goods came and went through this terminal, supporting the machinery, textile and jewelry industries that fueled the growth of Providence. With the decline of rail travel in the 1980s, Union Station was closed and a smaller station opened closer to the State House. Modern structures built in the block of Union Station mirror the Italian Renaissance style architecture of the original building. The Roman triumphal arch, featured as the principal portal to the passenger station, is still evident today. This building is now home to the Rhode Island Foundation.

While you're here:
Grab a burger and sample some locally brewed beer at Union Station Brewery.

Kennedy Plaza is modern Providence's main hub for transportation – as many as 69,000 people move through this site daily. Created as Exchange Place in the 19th century, this plaza has always served transportation needs. Thousands of people stood here to see President Theodore Roosevelt, Harry Houdini and presidential candidate John F. Kennedy. Today Kennedy Plaza remains a gathering place for the community, anchored by three city parks, including the BankNewport City Center & The Providence Rink, which features ice skating, recreation, music and arts.

Completed in 1775, the Market House served as a market and town hall for Colonial Providence. Over the years, the Market House witnessed two of the largest natural disasters to hit Providence; the Great Gale of 1815 and the Hurricane of 1938. The Great Gale brought an 11-foot storm surge, which is memorialized at the Market House, as it was one of the only buildings to remain standing. The Hurricane of 1938 was the largest modern disaster to affect downtown Providence, remembered through hurricane markers located downtown today. John Hutchins Cady rehabilitated the building in the late 1930s to house classrooms for the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD).

While you're here:
Explore the RISD Museum's collection of more than 100,000 works of art, from ancient artifacts to modern design.

This sculpture-filled park pays homage to people who gave their lives during wars and conflicts around the world.

RI Holocaust Memorial - Created in 2015, the Rhode Island Holocaust Memorial pays tribute to "all that we have lost and all that we have learned" from the atrocities of World War II. The memorial was designed by RISD-based sculptor Jonathan Bonner and is composed of four parts: the Entrance Gate, the Path, the Life Stone and Memorial Columns. The memorial serves as a tribute for, and on behalf of, Rhode Island's remaining Holocaust survivors.

Korean War Memorial - The bronze statue speaks to the price of war and honors its veterans, depicting a kneeling soldier fighting off the rain and cold.

World War I & II Memorials - Standing 150 feet high, the World War I Memorial honors those who served in the First World War. The memorial was designed by architect Paul Cret and created in 1929. The memorial names specific battles Rhode Islanders fought in, with the word "Peace" at the top of the tower. The World War II memorial was dedicated in 2007 and honors the generation of Rhode Islanders who fought in the Second World War.

While you're here:
Enjoy a riverside dinner at Hemenway's or Parkside Rotisserie & Bar.

The intersection of Westminster and Weybosset streets serves as an entryway to the commercial district of downtown. Walk to the intersection and look up at the landmark Turk's Head Building. In the early 19th century, shopkeeper Jacob Whitman mounted a ship's figurehead of an Ottoman above his business giving the building its name. The original was later replaced by a stone effigy.

Though the area around it has changed over the years, Providence City Hall remains a constant in downtown Providence. Constructed in the 1870s, the cast iron and masonry structure witnessed the evolution of modern downtown. Initially Providence's government was located in the Market House, across the river. Needing more space, aldermen were split on where to put a new city hall. After a 30-year struggle over where to put the new building, the cornerstone was laid on the west side of the river in 1875. In the 1950s, the city considered demolishing City Hall, but it was saved, reflecting Providence's pride in its historical roots.

While you're here:
Try a slice of wood fired pizza at Figidini.

Weybosset Street was alive with excitement as nearly 14,000 people attended the opening of the Loew's State Movie Palace to see the movie "Excess Baggage" in 1928. The venue prospered for decades but encountered declining attendance and fell into disrepair. The aging structure faced demolition, but was saved in 1978 by seven local corporations and became a private, nonprofit organization, known as the Ocean State Theatre. In 1982, it became the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC). Hundreds of thousands of people visit each year to experience the magic of live performance at "the jewel of Weybosset Street."

Founded in 1875, the Providence Public Library (PPL) opened at its present Washington Street location in 1900, adding the Empire Street building in 1954. The first librarian, William Foster, stressed the library's important role in community service. This tradition continues as PPL remains dedicated to making the library and its resources accessible to all. PPL's services are still relevant today, from traditional lending, research and learning, to training programs in the latest technologies. PPL is focused on its role as a cultural and educational center, highlighting its unique and historical Rhode Island and Special Collections.



While you're here:
Venture into CHOP, the new restaurant inside the library that serves as a training ground for aspiring chefs. Try the cookies – you won't regret it!

VSA Arts Rhode Island and the Rhode Island School for the Deaf worked together to orchestrate the RiverWalk Registers project. Students from the area created bands or "registers" of self-portraits, portraits of well-known Rhode Islanders, and images from the art collection at RISD. The artwork tiles cover the columns of the pavilion. A panel on the pavilion invokes the memory of Roger Williams, who founded a settlement here in Providence as a "shelter for persons distressed for conscience." Tiles in 26 languages remind the viewer of Williams' intention.

The Shepard Company department store was a fixture of the 19th and 20th century Providence shopping experience. Built in the 1870s, Shepard's was one of the largest stores in Providence, occupying an entire city block. Inside, there was a restaurant and a variety of retail offerings. A true meeting place, locals often met "at the clock" to socialize downtown. The Shepard Company went bankrupt in 1974, but the exterior of the building and its iconic clock still remain largely unchanged. Today the Shepard Building is home to the downtown campuses of the University of RI and the Community College of RI.

Popularly known as the "Superman Building" because of its resemblance to the iconic Daily Planet building in the television series, the Industrial Trust Co. Building is the tallest – at 428 feet tall – and the most iconic in the Providence skyline. Completed in 1927, it is a reminder of downtown's interwar building boom. The financial industry took off in Providence and several banks were born during this period. The Industrial Trust Co. Building was one of the most architecturally progressive buildings of the time. The Art Deco exterior features frieze work depicting labor and culture, with Gorham bronze doors on both the Kennedy Plaza and Westminster Street sides.

While you're here:
Head next door to Hope & Main's Downtown Marketplace for coffee and some locally made treats.

Built in 1828, The Arcade is the nation’s oldest existing indoor shopping mall and a National Historic Landmark. Designed by Russell Warren and James Bucklin, the architecture is notable due to two slightly different facades. Travel to the Weybosset Street side and you’ll find Warren’s design; six granite ionic columns rooted underneath a parapet. Venture to the Westminster side, and you’ll discover six ionic columns connected to a pediment, designed by Bucklin. Today the skylight-lit interior is home to shops, restaurants and residential housing in the form of micro-lofts.

While you're here:
Venture across Weybosset St. to Circe for dinner and a signature cocktail.

The Tony Award-winning Trinity Repertory Company is one of the last resident acting companies in the U.S., performing in one of Providence's most historic venues. The former Emery Majestic Theater was opened by local vaudevillians in 1917. When movies became America's favorite form of entertainment, the Majestic became the premier theater downtown. However business slowed and its doors closed in the mid-20th century. The Majestic's history of live performance meant the building was a natural fit to house Providence's newly formed Trinity Repertory Company. Trinity Rep was founded in 1963 and is considered "one of the most respected regional theatres in the country."

While you're here:
Grab a seat at Clementine Cocktail Bar and people watch while sipping an elegant, handcrafted cocktail.

This area represents a vital part of early Providence history, serving as reminder of the water that covered the area once known as Great Salt Cove. Over time, the water was drained, land filled, and by 1898 railroad tracks ran through the area to support the many industries in the city. As times changed and business waned, the downtown area languished. However, the River Relocation Project of the 1980s and 1990s brought life back to the Providence city center along with a reimagining of the water that once ran through it. Today, Waterplace Park and the surrounding areas are home to walking paths, restaurants, concerts and WaterFire.

WaterFire
Tens of thousands of people gather around the Woonasquatucket and Providence Rivers several times a year to witness the city's signature attraction, WaterFire. This waterfront sculpture installation and performance art piece began with 11 braziers on New Year's in 1994. Nearly 100 wood-burning fires, music and street performers lure visitors and residents alike to Waterplace Park and the Providence RiverWalk on WaterFire evenings. Former Mayor Buddy Cianci once said, "There is nothing like it anywhere in the world, even in Florence or Venice."

While you're here:
Enjoy a meal with a WaterFire view at The Capital Grille, Jacky's Waterplace or Cafe Nuovo.