The South County Museum, which first opened its doors in 1933, is more like a historical town park that allows visitors to walk down memory lane and see how Rhode Islanders lived in the 19th century. Besides the Mertz Exhibition Building, where the museum’s major collections are featured, the 174-acre attraction also includes other exhibit buildings, historic sites like a carpentry and blacksmith shop, an 1800’s 1-room school house, a print shop – which is where the museum’s press is also located – a carriage barn and last but not the least, a historic estate that once served home to William Sprague, who served as both senator and governor for the state. The museum’s grounds also include several beautifully landscaped gardens as well as the Robinson Family Cemetery.

The original location of the museum was in a Wickford barn. In 1934, the museum changed location, transferring to North Kingstown’s Scrabbletown Road and where it stayed until 1984. It had been residing in its present location since then. The museum’s collection at present includes over 20,000 artifacts.