K’iche’ Maya, Huipil (blouse), collected 1917. Gift of Mrs. Barbara Deering Danielson. RISD Museum, Providence, RI

Located on North Main Street in Providence, the Rhode Island School of Design’s RISD Museum is a wonderful diversion for visitors to this capital city. The museum was established in 1877, housing a number of collections relating to art and design reflective of myriad cultures and eras. A Changing Reflection: Silver, Metalwork and Jewelry in the 19^th–21^st Centuries is a long-running exhibition, on view until Oct. 1, 2019. Whether combining form and function or simply serving as ornamentation, the objects in this glimmering exhibit include contemporary pieces of tableware, decorative arts and jewelry, illustrating how metals are designed, formed and embellished.

Opening Feb. 23 and running through Aug. 19, From the Loom of a Goddess: Reverberations of Guatemalan Maya Weaving celebrates the connection between Guatemalan Maya culture and the art and tradition of weaving. The women of this vibrant culture practiced weaving for more than 2,000 years, working on back-strap looms. Items in the museum collection include textiles and woven garments pre-dating 1917, along with new pieces created by Providence artist Sandra Lopez Naz. The exhibition also features videos commissioned by the RISD Museum, created with the assistance of performance and visual artist Benjamin Lundberg Torres Sanchez. Sanchez was the 2017 RISCA Merit Fellow.