PPS’s Guide to Providence Architecture is a great resource to explore, and is organized by geographical self-guided tours. I have selected a few Providence sites that we couldn’t fit into our official itinerary, but which I highly recommend seeing before you leave town:
The Providence Arcade (1828), 130 Westminster St . Modeled after Paris’ arcades, but a freestanding building. This is considered the U.S.’s first “indoor shopping mall.” It is still retail on the ground floor, but the upper floors were converted into micro-apartments about ten years ago.
The RISD Museum, 20 North Main Street.
Providence City Hall, 25 Dorrance Street. It’s French, it’s right next door to your hotel, and it’s got a great central staircase.
The Providence Athenæum, 251 Benefit Street. In case we can’t stop by on our Thursday walk, don’t miss it! Tell them you are with the Richard Morris Hunt Prize group, and you won’t be pressured to pay (a voluntary) admission. A complement to the Boston Athenæum, but in an older (and smaller) building.
The (new) pedestrian bridge. Most of us will walk over it on the way to the ferry on Friday, but it’s worth a visit to look north onto downtown, and south onto the hurricane barrier.
And if there is a funkier neighborhood, a bar, or other Providence suggestions you’d like, just ask me!