Voyages: Mapping the World
October 18 – December 23, 2018
The Providence Athenæum has a long history of collecting travel and exploration books with magnificent maps and colorful charts. The Voyages: Mapping the World exhibition will display an atlas produced from the earliest days of printing in 1482, highlights of cartography by the 17th century Dutch masters, as well as military maps of the American Revolution, treaties on globe making, imaginary maps from children’s literature, and modern tourist maps. A highlight of the exhibition will be a selection of antique globes and navigational instruments on loan from the John Carter Brown Library and the Rhode Island Historical Society.
The Travel and Explorations Collection was one the first subject specialties identified for the special collections at the Athenæum.
The exhibition is sponsored by M&S Rare Books.
Gallery Hours
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 12-6pm
Weekends & other times, by appointment or if staffing allows
Related Programs
Friday, October 19, 6-8pm | Family Movie Night: Time Bandits
Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin of Monty Python have created a raucous dash through history and fantasy in one of the best treasure map movies of all time. Not exactly for the faint of heart, Time Bandits is darkly funny and full of surprises. To get in the mood for a treasure map film adventure, come early and visit our wonderful maps exhibit in the Rare Book Room!
Sunday, October 21, 1:30-2:30pm | Sharks Come Cruisin’
Yo ho ho! It’s fun for all ages as you don your bandannas and eyepatches, grab your parrots,and climb aboard the good ship Athenæum for a rollicking afternoon of sea shanties with Rhode Island’s favorite salty dogs, Sharks Come Cruisin’!
Friday, October 26, 5-7pm | SALON: The Politics of Maps
The most well-known projection in the world was developed in the 16th century, but its intended use as a more efficient tool for plotting long distance routes across the oceans would be perfected much later. Ian Fowler, recently appointed Map Curator of The Lionel Pincus and Princess Firyal Map Division at the New York Public Library and former director of the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education and Library Digitial Initiatives at the University of Southern Maine, will explore how that evolution occurred using charts from three eminent cartographers.
Saturday, November 3, 2:30-3:30pm | Mapping Your Family Tree
This is a work shop for the family explorer! Where in the world do our relatives come from? Renowned genealogist Maureen Taylor will be on hand to help us explore the world of our families and create a decorative map of your family tree. Please plan ahead and come with a list of family members and where they hail from, and we will provide the art supplies needed to make a very special map.
Saturday, November 17, 2:30-3:30pm | Cartographic Creations
Trying to find your way to Grandma’s house for Thanksgiving? Well put away your GPS! Rhode Island’s favorite cartographer Jason Newton is here to present a super fun one-hour mapmaking session focusing on illuminating a map of the world. Simple mapmaking techniques will be used to create a colorful, illustrated, and useful ‘sketch’ map. Basic concepts of geography and cartography will be discussed. All materials will be provided.
251 Benefit Street
July 16 – September 23, 2018
The Providence Athenæum has occupied its stately home on Benefit Street since 1838, a proud neighbor to the surrounding homes and businesses for nearly two centuries.
Take a walk down Benefit Street to the Athenæum this summer: look up at the remarkable architecture as you go, stop and see (and maybe sip from) the newly-flowing Richmond Fountain on the sidewalk outside of the Athenæum, then head inside to the Philbrick Rare Book Room to learn a bit about the history behind your journey. On display are a variety of items from the Athenæum’s collections highlighting the history of this unique street and the institution that found its home here.
Gallery Hours
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 12-6pm
Weekends & other times, by appointment or if staffing allows
Observing Nature: Edna Lawrence & Cabinets of Curiosities
April 6 – June 17
Selections from the Athenæum’s Natural History Collection will be on display, showcasing illustrated works of the natural world from the Rare Book Room alongside specimens of insects, birds and other wonders collected by the RISD Nature Lab, as well as drawings by RISD alumna and Nature Lab founder Edna Lawrence and her students. This year marks the 80th anniversary of the founding of the Nature Lab.
Gallery Hours
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 12-6pm
Weekends & other times, by appointment or if staffing allows
Related Programs
Friday, April 6, 5-7pm | Edna’s Nature Lab
Celebrating 80 years, RISD’s Nature Lab continues to fulfill the mission of founder Edna W. Lawrence to “open students’ eyes to the marvels of beauty in nature.” Three panelists from different disciplines discuss the value and relevance of Edna’s vision, which is still at the core of many science, design, and fine arts practices.
Collecting the Classics
January 30 – March 18
This exhibition celebrates the classically inspired collections housed within our Greek Revival building. It features sculptures, prints, paintings, and books from the 17-19th centuries which have influenced our members for generations. Highlights include a seven-foot plaster statue of Athena Lemnia, a 2nd-century Greek amphora, 18th-century prints by Giovanni Battista Piranesi, and 19th-century replicas from the Roman Forum.
Gallery Hours
Tuesdays & Thursdays, 12-5pm
Weekends & other times, by appointment or if staffing allows
