The John Brown House Museum

When I first visited the John Brown house it was like walking into the past. The rooms were all furnished with authentic furniture from the Brown family. You got a sense who significant historical figure and how he live. Perhaps at that time they failed to talk about slavery and his part of enslaving many thousand of Africans and other indigenous peoples. Overtime the house had important exhibitions highlighting the evil of slavery while still maintaining the fully furnished rooms of the era. Instead it’s just become a museum of Rhode Island history which could be done in other venues or in conjunction with maintains the house as it once was. My three star rating underscores my disappointment.

Quiet on a weekday. Fascinating to learn about. Well preserved and clean. The staff was very knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend if you're curious about history

An old mansion museum dedicated to the history of Providence, RI, and the original owner, John Brown and family.

It was a nice place! People who come here can learn more about the history of John Brown and his family, how they lived, and their journey for Rhode Island.

I unexpectedly enjoyed the John Brown House Museum. As a Black female, I ignorantly believed that I would feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. So far from the truth. It was fun reading the plaques under each exhibit and analyzing how those times connnected to the present or my own life. My favorite part was the section on John Brown's involvement in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. I also thoroughly enjoyed the conversations the staff and I engaged in. They were able to answer any question I asked and extremely open to feedback on how they could continue to make the museum culturally appropriate for all. I recommend everyone visit this site.

It is free today! There are 3 floors in the house and big garden! Nice visit!

The house isn’t simply a monument to an old white man and his family (and his class, gender, race, lifestyle) like I feared it would be. You can see that if you choose to. The home is objectively beautiful aside from its context, but as curated the museum was so much richer than that! Brown was placed within his larger cultural context, making for a deeply meaningful experience. I learned about his role in the triangle trade, the people who built the home and worked in it, about its subsequent ownership, and its role within the larger RI historic preservation community. The museum helped me to examine my role in the building of luxury homes and the cultural implications of it. I’m grateful for the experience.

Visiting Providence, we were at a loss for what to do on a Monday afternoon. I found this place whilst trying to find a museum or something, and what a stroke of luck!! Touring the John Brown House turned out to be a very good time. It was educational, but also interesting (this is coming from a fun-loving, 30-something). We elected to walk around with a tour guide (no extra cost), and he was wonderful! Never boring. He gave the tour like he was telling a story. The house is beautiful and they let you wander about and take photos too. It was not busy when we went, and we spent about 2 hours there total.

This site does a great job showcasing John Brown's house and his historical ties to the slave trade. The house is from the 18th century, but there are elements from later homeowners that were kept up and add a nice aesthetic touch, but it is important to know more about the Brown benefactor, both good and bad. They have his original carriage which is impressive. There is a beautiful mural in one room with George Washington, added in the 1930s but so impressive it had to stay up. The tour was self-guided, but there were staff members around to ask questions too. Gift shop was small but some good options. The hours are limited, but it's worth a stop as a historically significant site. There is also a parking lot to make your visit easier.

The John Brown House was a large expansive mansion when built in the late 1700s. The John Brown House currently borders the campus of Brown University. The house is named after the original owner, one of the early benefactors of the university, merchant, statesman, and slave trader John Brown. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1968. John Quincy Adams considered it "the most magnificent and elegant private mansion that I have ever seen on this continent." The house remained in family hands until the beginning of the twentieth century, when it became the home of Marsden J. Perry (1850-1935), banker and electricity and streetcar magnate (a convenient monopoly when electric companies controlled the streetcar fares). Shortly after Perry's death John Nicholas Brown bought his great-great-great uncle's house and donated it in 1941 to the Rhode Island Historical Society, which manages it as a house museum, open to the public. The interior is organized around a central stair hall with two rooms to each side. Interior detailing shows the elaborate, gutsy detail that lingered here for so long. Much of what we see is original. I have been through this museum many times and the amount of things you can learn from the tour guides and the plaques are really amazing. Currently, the museum is only open on Saturdays from 10a-4pm. They periodically have concerts under their Elm trees and public events inside the house.

Touchy subject here. The Brown House is another/one more old house, with old furniture, darkened rooms, weird vibe, and some relics. The fact that it withstands is not remarkable, but visiting this house made me uneasy, as the Brown family profited from the slave trade. And that may be of no consequence, but the link that exists between Brown University and the Brown family causes me to raise questions, such as "I don't care where your contribution comes from and what is your business". For myself, for example, I would prefer not to take money from human traffickers, drug dealers, thieves, not because of my own judgement but because I do not want to promote such activities. I don't know if Brown University agrees with that point... but this is clearly the case of "tainted money". And I will stop there. The house is OK, just an old furnished New England house, it is part of the history of RI and worth to visit, but at the same time not a must see. A very good exhibit on the slave trade, ironically well documented, is what I rescue from this place.

This is a review for Concerts under the Elms in particular. I love the John Brown museum and I really appreciate being a member of the Rhode Island historical society. These concerts in the summer are so nice and relaxing and beautiful. This time we went to see Whiskey Rhode and they were very good, playing music that I remembered from my youth. So that means it's old music. I loved bringing my own chair and finding my own spot. My sister and I sat back on the hill and had a beautiful view of the band and the street and the beautiful houses along it. We also ordered a snack package to be picked up there. We brought our own drinks and relax and had a great time.

If you are in Providence this is a must see if you want to get an understanding of local history and the movers and shakers during colonial times and the early years of the republic. The Brown family has obvious ties to Brown University. A tour of the Historic home will last about 1-2 hours; it makes sense to take the guided tour to get a better appreciation for the home and history of the Brown family. One of the interesting things which the tour guides do not shy away from is the fact that the Brown family did have ties to the Atlantic Slave Trade. They cover the complexities of this very controversial time in history. If in Providence I really believe this should be a stop you make. Well worth the price of admission.

This is a beautiful home to tour if you're visiting Providence. The audio tour allows you to learn about the family that lived in the home (including their relationship to the slave trade in Providence - some of the family members were traders of people and some became abolitionists making this a very interesting bit of history to experience) and about the house itself. I happen to like tours of historic homes, so I loved seeing the wallpaper and ceiling details. My friend who I was visiting Providence with wasn't so into it (I think it may have been the first historic home she's toured), but it's a quick tour. I enjoyed it and would recommend to first-time visitors to Providence. Also, a shout out to the nice staff, who were kind enough to give us some recommendations of things to do in Providence after we finished our tour!

This is a nice museum to visit, although the upper floors are not open at this time, which is limiting. The house highlights not only the family but the family's history in the slave trade, and has documentation of the ships sent to Africa. There is an audio guide available by scanning a QR code as you enter the museum. The young man who was serving as the host or docent was very nice and thorough. Unfortunately I failed to get his name. The grounds are maintained very simply, and the courtyard where the museum entry is located needs a gardener's attention.

Largely limited by time and disinterest from members in my group, I could only manage to walk on Brown U's campus for less than an hour, and also along Benefit street to see the outside of this historic leader's house. Once waitlisted at this Ivy League school of 6,OOO students a few decades ago, I finally was able to visit yesterday and compare its campus to others I've seen (like Yale, UVA, or U Penn). John Brown was instrumental in doing trade with China in history. His business acumen helped garner financial funding that would later go towards bulding and making Brown university a reality! His architect brother, Joseph, designed his house, as well as the historic white First Baptist Church on Main. Pretty canary yellow and white estate set far back on its lot.

Amazing house (though not to compare to the mansions of Newport). Information gave a lot of good history, especially the Sally room.

This place is just precious and breathtaking inside. So much great art and furniture inside. There is a beautiful carriage and stunning china. The piano is also amazing! If you want to see the precious history hiding just around there corner from where you live this is your kinda place.

This tour is awesome, and the home is beautiful. I had no clue of the role providence played in slave trading and slave ships, until we took this tour. We got there a little early and walked around reading in the first couple of rooms. Jam packed with history- well worth the price.

Long time Providence resident, yet (as is usually the case) don't indulge in the 'local' tourism. The J.B. House is very cool with a lot of interesting history and artifacts. We did the audio tour which walks you through the house room by room, describing every necessary detail. A nice feature of the audio tour is that each person can fast forward through any section they deem uninteresting. (one note - the tour could benefit with some improved 'orienteering') The story of the Sally slave venture is worth the price of admission alone - who knew?! A water-buffalo soup dispenser????? yep, they've got it!

SUMMER "CONCERTS UNDER THE ELMS" Wish I thought to review this before. Series of six concerts, tonight being number three, each Thursday at 6:30, usually ending about 8:00ish. Venue is shaded lawn. Music is eclectic, from July 4 Souza Marches to folk, jazz, country, Irish. Each week is different. Also, each week a different food truck is present. Soft drinks available. Bring a chair or blanket, and cooler with your favorite beverage. Cheese and white wine are in mine. Members of RI Historical Society get in for free. Non members have a small fee, $6.00 or so. Senior Family membership is only $45.00 a year, a deal for the other RIHS venues you can use. See their web site, or Face Book page for schedule and call if you fear a rain cancellation.

My mom and I took a tour of the house and Providence on foot with the docents at this museum and it was fantastic. Our tour began with an overview of the house, the family, and all of the heirlooms inside. I was impressed with the condition of the house and the care that has been taken to preserve the house in its first form. From the house, we went on a walking tour of the city of Providence and I was really impressed with the knowledge of the docents. Not only did they know about everything inside of the museum, the history of the Brown family and his descendants, but they also had a lot to share about the history and architecture of Providence herself. I was thoroughly impressed with the knowledge of the docents at this museum and their ability to share information in relative laymen's terms so as to not alienate people who weren't history majors. It was clear that the docents loved their jobs, loved history, and loved sharing all of this information with all of the people who tour the museum and the town. Definitely worth a visit (since it's Brown University's namesake, after all) and spring extra for the walking tour of the city so you can really see what Providence proper is all about.

It was just okay. I had just been at another house museum the day before (The Lizzie Borden house in Fall River, MA), and that had been amazing, so my expectations were high. Unfortunately, it just wasn't as good. First of all, the gift shop was out of commission (being renovated), which always makes me sad. Then I realized that this is NOT the John Brown you were probably thinking of-- the abolitionist-- nope. This John Brown was a slave trader in fact. I tried to switch my expectations, but even that wasn't enough. I thought we'd get good history about the slave trade and NE, but the tour guide only mentioned that briefly once. The tour was primarily about the decorative dimensions of the house-- the furniture, the molding, etc. So if you are really into decorative arts of early American and England, this is the tour for you. If not, skip it.

No, this house didn't belong to John Brown the abolitionist, but to another John Brown, the wealthy slave-trader, who also happened to be obsessed with squirrels. The Rhode Island Historical Society painstakingly researched and restored the rooms to their original glory. Like an episode of MTV's Cribs, our tour guide pointed out all of Mr. Brown's luxuries: the treasures imported from China, the million-dollar secretary desk, the custom-designed squirrel-themed wallpaper... Don't miss the small exhibit at the end about the slave trade, all the more chilling and tragic after having toured such a swanky mansion.

Visited on the day after Thanksgiving with free admission. Enjoyed seeing the architecture and furniture in each room. The volunteer today (Deborah?) shares some interesting facts about George Washington and how his face was sculpted into the ceiling decor in one of the rooms.

What an amazing experience! I visited the John Brown House Museum on Providence's Gallery Night "Traditional" art tour. It occurs on the third Thursday of every month (excluding some winter dates) and is truly worth the trip. It's free (amazingly)! The tour of the Brown house was guided by knowledgeable and passionate volunteers. They answered all of our questions and were more than eager to point out little details around the house, including the first refrigerator and ice box, static electricity machine and the six unique seasonal busts. I'm no art expert and hardly an enthusiast but would strongly anyone passionate about history, Providence or interior design to visit the Brown House, if not, Gallery Night. It's free, people!!

After walking by this historic site numerous times, I came by on a recent Saturday with my mom to take a tour of this Providence landmark. We were both excited to learn about the history of the home and the artifacts it contained. To begin with the home itself has been very well kept and maintained over the years. The rooms have a great amount of detail and have been arranged in a way to give a sense of what life might have been like back when the Brown family lived there. Along with the house itself our tour guide was very informative. She went into great detail not only about the house, but the family who lived there and the history of the area itself. It definitely helped paint a picture of what life was like back then as we walked from room to room. If you are a history buff, a Rhode Island resident or just an out of town visitor, this tour is something interesting and different to check out when you are in the city. The guided tour lasts about an hour & like I said was very informative. With Providence being such a historic city containing many different landmarks, the John Brown house is one to come visit and learn more about.

Great historicAl home to tour especially considering history tied to Brown university. There is a lot to learn and see here. The docents were so informative and really nice. Ours was D and she was awesome. Cool place that is well worth the visit!

We had the great pleasure of visiting this year. Our docent, Marj Gates, was, without a doubt, the most knowledgable,intlelligent, and personable person that we have ever come in contact with. Her energetic personna and magnificant style is a huge credit to the this great hisroical complex. Paul & Mary Jane Zito

An eighteenth-century mansion that was home to Providence businessman, trader, slave owner, and all-around bigshot John Brown. Worth seeing for the interior (decorated in a mix of styles from different periods), the gorgeous furniture, and a bit of local history. Tours are available. The guides have done their homework and have some pretty good stories to tell; ask about son James' parties and subsequent hangovers. They also have my respect for facing Brown's checkered past without flinching. Check their web site or call ahead for operating hours, which change throughout the year.

An excellent tour that gives you the history of this famous family and how they influenced Rhode Island. They even have many of the original pieces of furniture, paintings, maps, wallpaper, and other things that make this tour very informing. Our tour guide was very pleasant and knew her history. The tour is approximately 60 minutes. Due to the age of this home and the relics that are lying around, I don't think its kid friendly. There is a nice little gift shop to begin or end your visit.

The John Brown House was built in 1786 in the Georgian style and is designated as a national historic landmark. This is a great museum to see in College Hill if you are interested in the unique architecture that has been painstakingly preserved.

Did the 90 minute walking tour then toured the house. The docents were very knowledgeable and shared many interesting stories of the history of Providence with us. Highly recommend this to anyone who loves history and enjoys an easy walk through a beautiful part of Providence.

I had a few hours to get some local flavor in Providence so I found a guided tour of the John Brown House Museum. I was not disappointed. The docent was a historian who filled us with interesting stories about the Gaspee affair, the slave ship Sally, the Brown brothers, interesting facts about the decorative elements and furniture of the house and it's history. The gift shop had two of his books and he even autographed it for me. I highly recommend a visit!