Blackstone Valley Tourism Council: Travel, heritage, visitors, visitor center, lodging, dining, tours, Blackstone River National Heritage Corridor, National Parks, Industrial Revolution, historic sites, economic development in Rhode Island

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Blackstone Valley Visitor Center
175 Main St., Pawtucket, RI 02860 401-724-2200 800-454-BVTC Email

Quick Facts

Hours: 7 days a week 9:00 - 5:00 pm, closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

Directions from I-95 northbound
Take exit 28 & turn left at the bottom of the ramp. Go straight through the 1st light, down the hill, cross the river & turn right at the 2nd light. The Visitor Center is on your left.

Directions from I-95 southbound
Take exit 29, go through the 1st stop sign, bear right at the 2nd stop sign, and turn right at the 1st light. At the 2nd light, turn left. After passing City Hall on your left, the Visitor Center is on your right.

The Blackstone Valley Visitor Center, opened in 1998, is attracting more than 100,000 visitors per year and is the first visitor center opened on the America's Heritage River System.

The Center, in addition to housing the offices of the Blackstone Valley Tourism Council, acts as a one-stop information resource for visitors and residents alike. More than 300 brochure holders allow visitors to quickly pick up information on local businesses and organizations.

Other informational and educational resources contained in the Center include:

A hands-on relief map of the Blackstone River Valley watershed which informs visitors about how the valley came to be and the implications of its tremendous waterpower. This exhibit was designed with an emphasis on the sight-impaired, and as an educational tool for school children

A kinetic sculpture with gears and symbols which will amuse and direct visitors to Valley sites highlighted thematically as heritage, nature, culture and recreation.

A 1,000 square foot art gallery is available to exhibit the works of Rhode Island artists.

A state-of-the-art theater, surrounded by a life size 360 degree photo mural of a mill interior, shows the award winning film, "Hidden in the Blackstone Valley," a film on the rise and fall of the American Industrial Revolution. The stunning light fixtures and 50 plush seats were rescued from the Leroy Theater and restored. There is additional seating for another 40 persons on carpeted terraced seating behind the theater chairs. The theater is available for use by local, state, and national organizations and businesses after 5 pm to hold meetings, lectures, and special musical performances.

A museum shop, operated by the Slater Mill Historic Site, offers crafts from local artisans, a unique collection of books, specialty foods, and heritage products.

A transportation center utilized by about 15,000 bus riders.

Blackstone Valley Visitor Center, On the banks of the Blackstone, 175 Main Street, Pawtucket, Rhode Island 02860
1-800-454-BVTC (2882) Local: 401-724-2200 Fax: 401-724-1342 info@tourblackstone.com