The Roger Williams National Memorial commemorates the life of the founder of Rhode Island. Banished from Massachusetts for his beliefs, Williams was the founder of Providence in 1636. The colony served as a refuge where all could come to worship without interference from the state. The Roger Williams Park is located on the original settlement of Providence and includes 4.5 acres of landscaped grounds, a visitor's center, carousel, paddle boats, the Children's Nature Center, the Museum of Natural History and Planetarium, and a zoo.