Gilbert Stuart's Birthplace

Gilbert Stuart was one of the 18th century America's master portrait artists. Stuart is best known for his portrait of George Washington, which has been the identifiable image on the U.S. dollar bill for over a century. This image has also appeared on U.S. postage stamps. And best of all, Stuart was a Rhode Islander


The Gilbert Stuart Birthplace is a multifaceted attraction that takes one on a journey back in time. Not only is it a showplace for reproductions of the works of one of America’s foremost portrait painters, it is an authentically restored and furnished workingman’s home and the site of the first snuff mill in America. The lovely wooded homestead on the banks of the Mattatuxet Brook also features a partially restored grist mill and a fascinating fish ladder. In spring the ladder is packed with migrating herring, swimming furiously to reach the pond above the mill dam. The grist mill houses the original fine-grained granite stones used to grind corn for the famous Rhode Island Johnny Cakes.

Today, you can visit Gilbert Stuart’s Birthplace and museum from April Through October The museum is open Thursdays - Mondays 11:00 am to 4:00 pm (and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays) A small admission fee is charged. Call (401) 294-3001 for more information or visit the Museum online.