The new neutron‐rich radioactive ion beams available from the HRIBF allow an exciting variety of measurements around the132Sn region, including Coulomb excitation, fusion‐evaporation, and neutron transfer. Experiments using these beams also provide an excellent training ground for developing techniques to be used at the future RIA facility. TheB(E2;0+→ 2+) value for first 2+excited states of neutron‐rich132,134,136Te and126,128Sn have been measured by inverse‐kinematics Coulomb excitation. TheB(E2) values obtained for132,134Te are in excellent agreement with expectations based on the systematics of heavy stable Te isotopes, while that for136Te is unexpectedly small. These results are discussed in terms of the shell model and the quasiparticle random phase approximation. Neutron transfer onto a134Te beam, from9Be and13C targets to populate single‐particle states in135Te, has also been studied. Results, and plans for future experiments with these neutron‐rich beams, are presented. © 2003 American Institute of Physics