RWU’s Visual Arts Building, ‘The Muffin,’ Gets a New Look

October 29, 2026By Grace Monteleone '26

"The Muffin" is getting a new look, with an exterior renovation introducing a colorful schematic and a redesigned main entrance.

BRISTOL, R.I. - Roger Williams University's Visual Arts Building, affectionately known across campus as "The Muffin," is getting a new look, with a colorful exterior renovation that includes redesigning the main entrance.

The project began taking shape following fall break and is expected to be completed this semester. The new design replaces the student artwork that had covered portions of the building's exterior with a palette featuring lavender, green, orange, and yellow accents.

Anne Tait, Chair and Professor of Visual Arts, said planning for the building's updated appearance began over the summer and included creative input from Visual Arts faculty and Facilities staff.

"We wanted colors that celebrate the building's use as an art building," Tait said. "Colors that are harmonious and meaningful to our mission."

Professor of Art Elizabeth Duffy said several concepts were explored before the group settled on a design centered on the idea of "embracing otherness."

"Lavender is associated with nonconformity, ambiguity, and otherness," Duffy said. "An art building should be a place where difference is welcomed, curiosity encouraged, and conventional thinking challenged."

The renovation extends beyond the building's new color palette. The main outdoor staircase was also rebuilt to improve visibility of the entrance beneath it, creating a more prominent and welcoming approach to the building.

The Muffin originally opened as RWU's dining commons in 1969, later transitioned into a dance space, and now houses the Visual Arts program.

The Muffin has served several purposes during its more than five decades on the Bristol campus. Originally opened in 1969 as RWU's dining commons, the building later became a space for dance and then fine arts. Today, it is home to the university's Visual Arts program.

Its latest transformation brings a fresh identity to a familiar campus landmark while reflecting the creativity, experimentation, and openness that define the work happening inside.