Operating Schedule
See which of the mansions are open and when. Search by date or month, or view the full year’s schedule.
Visitor Info
View our FAQs, map & parking, guidelines and more.
Tours, Groups, Exclusive Experiences
Explore our various tour types to find what’s best for you and your group.
History of Newport and the Mansions
Founded in 1639, Newport was an important port city, a center of the slave trade, a fashionable resort and the summer home of the Gilded Age rich.
What was the Gilded Age?
The Gilded Age was a period of unprecedented change in America. Fortunes were spent on luxuries such as the lavish "summer cottages" of Newport.
Deep Dive into the Show
Learn about the people, places and events depicted in Julian Fellowes' popular historical drama series.
“Inside the Newport Mansions” Gilded Age Conversations
Noted historians and authors share their insights into all aspects of Gilded Age America in this monthly series of interviews with the Preservation Society.
Current Members
Current members can see a full list of benefits and any information regarding Members Events.
Become a Member
We invite you to become a member of the Preservation Society today. In addition to joining an active community of preservation supporters and advocates, members are offered unlimited access to all open houses.
About Us
Our mission is to protect, preserve, and present the best of Newport County's architectural heritage. Learn more about us and our work.
Wind Farm Federal Appeal: FAQs
The Preservation Society of Newport County is appealing federal agency approval of two massive wind farms off the Rhode Island coast.
Personal Photography on the Grounds
Rent our museums for commercial photography & videography, TV production, and wedding photography.
Commercial Filming or Photography
Museum Rentals & Weddings
Host your wedding, rehearsal dinner, corporate event, or other celebration at our historic museums.
With Dr. Nicole Williams, Preservation Society Curator of Collections
The Preservation Society holds an extraordinary archive of Gilded Age photographs encompassing portraits of celebrities and families, transporting foreign views, and images of Newport landmarks. Rare pictures by Felice Beato, José María Mora, Matthew Brady, Marian Hooper Adams and others capture the glamour and tumult of the era. Dr. Williams will explore how these pioneers pushed the limits of the medium, often blurring the line between truth and artifice, to cultivate intimacy, critique injustice and convey knowledge and power. Her talk will also reveal how photographs shed new light on Newport’s iconic architecture and art collections.
Dr. Nicole Williams is Curator of Collections at The Preservation Society of Newport County. She earned her PhD from Yale University in the History of Art with a specialization in American art. Dr. Williams has taught American art history at Yale University and Washington University in St. Louis. Her work as a scholar and curator focuses on the global contexts for 19th-century American art, women’s histories, and practices and theories of craft in the age of industry.
Her research has been published in museum catalogues and scholarly journals including Woman’s Art Journal, The Journal of Modern Craft, Nineteenth-Century Art Worldwide, Photography and Culture, and Panorama: Journal of the Association of Historians of American Art. Dr. Williams recently curated the exhibitions Global Vistas: American Art and Internationalism in the Gilded Age (2020) at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum and The Celestial City: Newport and China (2023-2024) at the Preservation Society of Newport County, winner of the 2024 Award of Excellence from the American Association for State and Local History.
José María Mora, Alva Vanderbilt Costumed as a Venetian Princess, 1883 (detail). Gift of Harold Stirling Vanderbilt.
Felice Beato, The Bronze Statue of Dai Bouts, near Kamakura, 1860s. Bequest of Mrs. Gwendolen E. Rives.
C.G. Moller Jr., Portrait of Evelyn Nesbit, 1902 (detail)
Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time.
For the first time in the 129-year history of The Breakers, the private third-floor family space occupied by generations of Vanderbilts is open for public tours.
This series of programs, listed below, offers glimpses into the work that happens behind the scenes at the Newport Mansions, including curatorial, conservation, preservation, historical research and interpretation.
Get an exclusive close-up look at two of the costumes worn in the 1974 film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby," guided by our textile conservator and one of our research fellows. SOLD OUT for February 6. This program will also be offered on March 13 & April 10.
Learn about ongoing preservation work throughout our properties with Director of Museum Affairs and Chief Curator Leslie Jones. Live at Rosecliff and via Zoom.
Treat yourself to a memorable day of cultural enrichment and architectural wonders in the heart of Boston. The itinerary invites members to explore the city’s hidden gems and iconic landmarks while connecting with fellow enthusiasts.
SOLD OUT
Here's a special opportunity for Preservation Society members to learn from an expert guide about one of the Gilded Age's greatest houses.This tour will be given on January 25, 26, February 1, 2, 8 & 9.
Enjoy a rare behind-the-scenes look at our conservation studio and the important work that happens there.
Beginning February 15. See and hear how the other half lived. This tour will highlight the stories of some of the men and women who worked to service the social whirl of Newport during the Gilded Age.
WinterFest is a weeklong celebration of the season, where families can gather to listen to a winter-themed story and create a take-home craft.
Learn how several of the historic Newport Mansions embrace modern technology with the use of geothermal climate-control systems, an environmentally sustainable solution.
This illuminating tour examines select artworks of the ‘idealized’ portrayal and real-life expectations of Gilded Age women throughout The Elms. SOLD OUT for February 27. This program will also be offered on March 7.
Follow the history and conservation research on the Ladies Reception Room at The Breakers, a highly significant but often overlooked space. This program will be offered on March 6 & April 9.
Join Historic Music of Newport's Gilded Age Orchestra as we celebrate the diverse musical history of Newport and the Gilded Age.
This illuminating tour examines select artworks of the ‘idealized’ portrayal and real-life expectations of Gilded Age women throughout The Elms. This program will be offered on February 27 (sold out) & March 7.
Learn about the preservation work and research taking place on The Breakers third floor from Chief Conservator Patricia Miller and Textile Conservator Heather Hodge.
Get an exclusive close-up look at two of the costumes worn in the 1974 film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby," guided by our textile conservator and one of our research fellows. This program will be offered on February 6 (sold out), March 13 & April 10.
Learn about the ongoing research into and conservation of the furniture on the third floor of The Breakers, which opened to the public for the first time last year. SOLD OUT for March 20. This program will also be offered on April 18.
The guided tour of Marble House will illuminate the French influences that architect Richard Morris Hunt incorporated throughout the mansion.
Founded in 1993, the Newport Symposium has been an annual convening of fine and decorative arts experts and enthusiasts from across the country and the world. Attendees listen to stimulating lectures, experience behind-the-scenes study opportunities and gather to network and discuss the future of our history.
Learn about the ongoing research into and conservation of the furniture on the third floor of The Breakers, which opened to the public for the first time last year. This program will be offered on March 20 (sold out) & April 18.
Themed “A Floral Fair,” the 29th annual Show will combine the elegance of a Gilded Age fête with the good cheer of a summer county fair.
Thank you to all of our sponsors, guests and volunteers for another successful Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival. See you next year for the 20th annual festival, September 19-21, 2025, at Rosecliff. Become a Preservation Society member and receive early access to purchase 2025 tickets before they become available to the general public.
Download our tour app before your visit and bring your earbuds.
Parking is free onsite at all properties except for Hunter House and The Breakers Stable & Carriage House, where street parking is available.
Answers to some of our most frequently asked questions.
Explore the 11 properties under the stewardship of the Preservation Society and open as historic house museums.
Partners in Preservation
