Rhode Island School of Design. Museum of Art. Office of the Director Exhibition files (23.1.6)

Historical note

Rhode Island School of Design opened in 1878 renting one room on the top floor of the Hoppin Homestead Building at 283 Westminster Street, Providence, RI. The school held annual exhibitions of student work. The school's facilities expanded within the building until 1893 when RISD moved to a new building at 11 Waterman Street. The first floor provide three rooms for a museum of art. The Waterman Galleries opened in 1897, the first building dedicated solely to the exhibition of works of art and casts. The Pendleton House and the connecting Japanese Gallery provided permanent exhibition galleries in 1906. The construction of the Eliza G. Radeke Museum Building in 1926 transformed the Museum's exhibition space. The Daphne Farago Wing opened in 1994. The 2008 dedication of the Chace Center and the renovation of the Radeke Building provided further expansion of the galleries.