Everything OddWay knows about. Narrow it down by what you're after, or where you're going.
Small, specific collections run by people who care far too much.
Providence, RI
RISD Museum preserves the coffin and mummified remains of Nesmin, an Egyptian priest who lived during the Ptolemaic period. The elaborately decorated coffin and surviving mummy make this one of Rhode Island's most unusual museum objects. The museum currently lists the object as on view, but gallery rotations and hours should be checked before visiting.
Little Compton, RI
Among Little Compton's stranger preserved artifacts is a rope-like mass traditionally described as having been vomited up by a cow. The object has survived as part of the local historical collection precisely because generations found it too bizarre to discard. Museum access is seasonal, so confirm current hours before traveling.
Providence, RI
RISD's Nature Lab holds tens of thousands of natural-history specimens used for art and design study, including bones, shells, insects, preserved animals and other biological material. Dense cabinets of specimens make the collection feel somewhere between an art studio and an old cabinet of curiosities. Public access varies with RISD programming, so check ahead.
Pawtucket, RI
This hands-on museum packs a large rotating collection of vintage and modern pinball machines, electromechanical games and classic arcade cabinets into a former industrial building. Admission currently covers unlimited free play rather than individual tokens or quarters. It is both a museum and a functioning preservation workshop for old amusement technology.
Providence, RI
Brown University's John Hay Library preserves major H.P. Lovecraft collections along with unusual rare books and artifacts. The library has also become known for books in Brown's collections that were historically bound in human skin. Public access is possible during designated service hours, but identification and current visitor rules should be checked before arrival.
Westerly, RI
Living Sharks Museum calls itself America's first shark-history museum and uses fossils, biological material, historic artifacts and pop-culture objects to tell the story of sharks and their conservation. Its collection also includes substantial material connected to "Jaws." Admission is free, and the museum currently lists a Memorial Day through Labor Day public season.
Bristol, RI
Musée Patamécanique is an intentionally strange cabinet of curiosities inspired by pataphysics, automata and absurdist invention. Its objects and installations blur the line between museum, mechanical theater and conceptual art. Access has historically been appointment-based and irregular, so availability should be confirmed before routing a trip around it.
East Greenwich, RI
This specialized museum preserves early radio equipment, wireless technology and working steam engines in several historic buildings. Its collections connect the development of communications with the machinery that powered nineteenth-century industry. Public openings and demonstrations are scheduled rather than daily, so check the museum calendar before routing here.
Woonsocket, RI
The Rose Ferron Foundation preserves personal objects, devotional material and portions of an elaborate handmade Domestic Chapel connected to Marie "Little Rose" Ferron. The organization occupies a castle-like former commercial building at 339 Arnold Street and continues restoring the museum complex. Check ahead because renovation can affect what is open to visitors.
Glendale, RI
Inside Spring Lake Beach is a remarkable collection of vintage coin-operated amusement machines, including mechanical games dating back generations. The arcade is often described as one of the country's oldest penny arcades still in operation. It follows the seasonal schedule of the town beach, so verify the current season before traveling.
