Linden Place

The blinding-white facade of Linden Place (400 Hope St., 401/253-0390, www.lindenplace.org, tours by appointment, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Thu.–Sat., and occasionally Sun., May–early Oct., $5 adults, $2.50 children under 12) wows even the most jaded of historical-home aficionados. The Federal-style mansion was once owned by US Rubber president Samuel Colt, and was featured in the film version of The Great Gatsby. Tours take in the opulent ballroom, bedrooms, and sculpture-filled gardens.

Blithewold Mansion, Garden & Arboretum

A grand mansion in the English Country style, Blithewold Mansion, Garden & Arboretum (101 Ferry Road/Rte. 114, 401/253-2707, www.blithewold.org, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Wed.–Sat.; 10 a.m.–3 p.m. Sun. mid-Apr.–mid-Oct; gardens only 10 a.m.–5 p.m. mid-Oct.–mid-Apr., $10 adults, $8 seniors and students, $2 children 6–17, free children 5 and under) is filled with original furniture dating from the 17th century, as well as fine china and Baccarat crystal. Just as impressive are the 33 acres of sculpted oceanside grounds.

Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology

One of the country’s best museums of indigenous cultures, Brown University’s Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology (300 Tower St., 401/253-8388, www.brown.edu, 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Tue.–Sun.; free) is located on the grounds of Metacomet/King Philip’s camp at Mt. Hope Farm. Begun by beer magnate Rudolph Haffenreffer, who had a hobby of collecting local Native American artifacts, the museum’s collection goes way beyond New England’s natives to encompass the entire range of the world’s indigenous cultures, from Thai paintings to Aleut canoes. Exhibits are meticulously researched and presented in a sensitive style that is a refreshing change from many “natural history” museums.