Join the Rhode Island Historical Society on Friday, February 20th at 11am for a member-exclusive tour of the Varnum Armory led by President and Executive Director Patrick Donovan.
The Armory houses the largest and most carefully preserved collection of Rhode Island military history, spanning from the Colonial era through the present day. Nearly every artifact you will see is directly connected to Rhode Island—tied to a specific unit, individual, or moment in the state’s past—allowing us to tell richer, more personal, and more compelling stories. Donovan will lead an engaging private tour of the collection, sharing powerful and often emotional accounts of sacrifice, selflessness, and heroism. These stories bring historic objects to life while also underscoring the profound human cost, devastation, and reality of war.
In addition to the museum galleries, visitors will also learn about our textile conservation lab, where historic flags, uniforms, and other fragile artifacts are professionally conserved and restored, ensuring Rhode Island’s military heritage is preserved for future generations.