CURRENT EXHIBIT

"Lost Main Street: Mom & Pop Businesses of Bristol's Past"

Our current exhibit is a collection of historic photographs and objects from Bristol's past, focusing on the Mom and Pop businesses that lined Hope, Thames, and State Streets, among others.

Open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays,

1 to 5 pm

EVENTS

Click on the EVENTS CALENDAR tab above to learn more about our programs including exhibits, fund raisers, lectures, educational programs, walking tours, other tours, or tours of our collections.

REGULAR OPEN HOURS

for Tours and Research

Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays:      

1 to 5 pm

Summer Saturdays: 12 to 3 pm

Stop by and take a tour of our collections with one of our tour guides.

Open Also by Special Appointment 

Due to limited staff, please make an appointment for research in the Library or Document Room at least two weeks in advance. Research is free to members and $10 per day for non-members. 

You may also request research to be done for you at the rate of $25 per hour. 

The mission of the Society is to stimulate interest in the history of Bristol, Rhode Island, through education, research, and the collection and preservation of historic objects.

Our COLLECTIONS include Manuscripts, Books and Pamplets, Photographs, Textiles, Artwork, Artifacts and Ephemera, Furniture, Newspapers, Ledgers, Account Books, Genealogy Files, and Correspondence. The Society holds extraordinary collections that provide an unparalleled record of Bristol history and are enjoyed by locals, scholars, and visitors from around the world.

We are located in an 1828 jail built of granite blocks. Together with the rear 1858 jail block addition, the Society houses a library, exhibit rooms, and a meeting room.