Play / Pretend
May 7, 2026 - January 31, 2027
Join us for the Opening Reception:
May 7, 2026
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
From building blanket forts to inventing elaborate storylines for dolls and action figures, childhood play allows us to test roles and imagine new possibilities. As adults, that instinct evolves. We continue to construct narratives about who we are and how we are perceived. Play / Pretend traces this continuum between early imagination and adult self-construction, revealing play as a lifelong act of discovery.
Featuring historic dolls and automata, works from the Redwood Library & Athenaeum, and contemporary artists including Tom Deininger, Gerry Perrino, Entang Wiharso, Christina Pell, Saberah Malik, and Rick Lazes, the exhibition places 19th- and 20th-century toys in dialogue with artists working today.
Extending this exploration beyond the galleries and into the Museum Shop, Newport-based artist Sam Heydt will create a special pop-up environment that dissolves the boundary between observer and participant — inviting visitors to reconsider play not as something we outgrow, but as an enduring act of discovery.
To receive a discounted price, you have three options:
If you're not a member:
Purchase a membership along with a class or event registration, and the discount will be applied in your cart.
If you are a member, and you purchased your membership on this website:
log into your account and the discount will be applied in your cart. You can log in before your purchase, or during the checkout process.
If you are a member, and you did not purchase your membership on this website:
Log in with the email address we have on file for you. If you haven't logged into this website before, you'll need to reset your password first.
If you are a member, and you're having an issue logging in:
Purchase a registration for a class or event, and then call or email the museum, and we will be happy to apply the discount to your purchase.