Museum Profile
Governor Henry Lippitt House Museum
Heir to one of Rhode Island’s leading textile manufacturing families, Henry Lippitt (1818-1891) designed and supervised the construction in 1865 of a house at 199 Hope Street in Providence for his wife Mary Ann Balch (1823-1889) and their six children.
Occupied by generations of the Lippitt family for 114 years, the house is a three story, thirty room Renaissance Revival villa with Italian palazzo elements. Embellished with elaborate faux finishes, colorful stained glass windows, ornate woodwork details, and surviving original furnishings, the house is also significant for its pioneering mechanical systems. These features combine to create a time capsule of Victorian design worthy of preserving and sharing with the Providence community and beyond.
Following the Lippitt family’s example of public service, the Museum supports programs that promote civic engagement.
Guide tours are offered seasonally and may be scheduled year round.
