Temple to Music

The carousel is a popular attraction at the park for children. It’s a Victorian carousel that consists of all different animals like camels, lions, rabbits and other magical creatures. The cost for riding the carousel is $1. There are also arcade games available as well for the children’s entertainment.

The largest park in Providence, constructed during the 1880s. It is named after Roger Williams, the founder of Rhode Island, and was the family farm until being donated to the city in 1871. It represented the last of the original land grant to Roger Williams in 1638 from Canonicus, chief of the Narragansett tribe. The park covers 427 elaborately decorated acres and contains seven lakes. It houses many live musical events including the Dominican Pride Festival, every August. Located within the park are the Roger Williams Park Zoo, the Roger Williams Park Museum of Natural History and Planetarium, the Roger Williams Park Botanical Center, the Japanese Gardens, the Victorian Rose Gardens, the Providence Police Department's Mounted Command center, the Dalrymple Boathouse and boat rentals, historical tours, a Carousel Village for children that includes the "Hasbro Boundless Playground," and the Roger Williams Park Casino. There are picnic areas, a concession stand, and often face painting too.

Located at Queen Anne-style Dalrymple Boathouse. 30-minute historical boat tours of the Park's unique waterways, statues and landmarks are available on an electric boat. One boat holds 6 people and the cost is $5 per person.

The largest public indoor display gardens in New England, covering approximately 12,000 square feet of indoor gardens. There is a great diversity of unique and exotic flowers and plants. A nice place to be surrounded by color and nature.

Founded in 1896, the Museum of Natural History is Rhode Island’s only natural history museum and houses the state’s sole public planetarium. The museum is modest in size, yet houses a wide array of local selections: birds, marine animals, insects, floral and faunal species, minerals, and fossils. About 85% of the collection is natural history, while the other 15% is cultural materials, such as the tools and textiles of New England’s Native American populations. The building's colonial style of architecture is history lesson in itself. See the museum for a quiet and intimate learning experience. This museum is highly recommended for children, as it hosts tons of interactive activities and workshops. The Cormack Planetarium offers shows such as Cosmic Collisions, Field Trip to the Moon, Our Place In Space, and Sky Views, typically lasting approximately 35 minutes. Shows rotate often and are offered to both general and family audiences. The planetarium shows run usually for a half hour, and are available Saturday and Sunday at 2PM, and daily during RI Spring and Winter breaks cityof.providenceri.com/museum/planetarium. The planetarium features a state-of-the-art Zeiss star projector and an enlarged domed ceiling, which is able to show the starry sky and the motions of the planets at unprecedented detail.

A Halloween event that is held every year at the Roger Williams Park Zoo. Thousands of beautifully, bizarrely, and creatively carved pumpkins are put on a dazzling display. It is an awe-inspiring attraction with Jack-O-Lanterns “depicting people, places, scenes from popular culture, old-time favorites,” such as the seven wonders of the world, and many other eccentricities, all with amazingly intricate detail. This is an event that can be enjoyed by friends, couples, and the entire family. For those running on empty stomachs, there is a specially offered Harvest Buffet. This local event has been featured on the Early Show, CNN, Associated Press, and USA Today (called, “extraordinary”). The proceeds will help support the Roger Williams Park Zoo education and conservation efforts, as well as zoo improvements.The event begins October 6 and runs through October 31st, from 6PM – 10PM (last ticket sold at 10PM, those on the trail can enjoy until 11PM when it closes).