Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Museum

Even if you dont recognize the name Gilbert Stuart, virtually everyone can recognize his most famous painting: the portrait of George Washington replicated on the face of the one dollar bill. In addition to this iconic piece, Gilbert Stuart painted thousands more portraits, many of the most influential people in early American life, including all six of the first US Presidents.

The Gilbert Stuart Birthplace and Museum was founded to preserve and promote the legacy of Gilbert Stuart, as well as the history, nature, and art of Rhode Island. At the core of our museum is the 1751 building in which the young Stuart was born. We aare also home to two fully restored and operational 18th Century mills: the snuff mill operated by Gilbert Stuart Sr, and a grist mill that served the area for nearly a century.

The museum maintains the dam that services both of these mills, as well as the surrounding streams, mill pond and twenty-three acres of forest preserve traversed by over mile of trails. We work with the DEM to monitor and protect the local wildlife and aquatic ecosystems in Carr Pond.

Finally, we have a state-of-the art gallery in which portraits of Gilbert Stuart are on display, alongside a regular schedule of exhibitions highlighting Stuarts artistic legacy in Rhode Island.

Our volunteers are vital to the completion of our mission. They help us preserve and maintain the mills and Gilbert Stuarts birthplace, guiding tours and teaching visitors about Stuarts life and work. Volunteers also help us maintain our trails and grounds. They help tend our colonial kitchen garden, educating visitors on the medicinal and cultural uses of the herbs and plants.

We also offer programming throughout the season to further enrich our visitors experiences of history, nature and art.