Operating Schedule
See which of the mansions are open and when. Search by date or month, or view the full year’s schedule.
Guest Information
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Tours, Groups, Exclusive Experiences
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Accessibility
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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.
Become a Member
We invite you to become a member of the Preservation Society today.
Premium Memberships
We invite you to join these exclusive levels of membership for patrons interested in enhanced access and benefits at the Preservation Society.
Current Members
As a member, you can enjoy unlimited general admission to our properties and do not need tickets. Simply bring your membership card for admission.
Membership FAQs
Membership gives you free, unlimited access to regular guided and audio tours at all Newport Mansions properties.
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 introduction by Trudy Coxe, CEO & Executive Director of the Preservation Society, and moderated by Jared Bowen of GBH's "The Culture Show"
Christine Baranski has achieved acclaim in every medium in which she has performed, winning an Emmy, two Tony awards, and Screen Actors Guild and American Comedy Awards. Throughout her career, Baranski has played a variety of strong women on stage and screen, including Agnes van Rhijn in HBO’s “The Gilded Age” and attorney Diane Lockhart on “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight.”
During our conversation, we will learn about Baranski’s connection to the real Gilded Age, as well as what it is like to play the character of Agnes, a strong New York matriarch with a sharp wit. The discussion will also include highlights of Baranski’s career and her thoughts on the importance of the arts.
Photos above courtesy HBO
Christine BaranskiTony and Emmy Award-Winning Actress
Christine Baranski is one of the entertainment industry’s most honored actresses. She is an Emmy Award, two-time Tony Award, Screen Actors Guild Award, Drama Desk Award and American Comedy Award winner. A graduate of The Juilliard School, Baranski received her big break in Tom Stoppard’s hit Broadway comedy “The Real Thing,” directed by Mike Nichols, for which she won a Tony Award and Drama Desk Award. Baranski went on to earn her second Tony Award for her performance in Neil Simon’s “Rumors.” She also won an Emmy Award, American Comedy Award and SAG Award for her performance in the hit series “Cybill,” in addition to three subsequent Emmy Award nominations. Baranski received a total of five Emmy Award nominations for her guest roles on “Frasier” and “The Big Bang Theory.” As the formidable Diane Lockhart on “The Good Wife,” Baranski received six Emmy Award nominations and two Critics’ Choice Television Award nominations for her performance on the CBS series. She then starred as the same character in the critically acclaimed spinoff “The Good Fight." Baranski has been nominated for four Critics’ Choice Television Awards, as well as a Golden Globe Award nomination and TCA Award nomination, for her performance in the spinoff. Baranski earned an Emmy nomination for her current role as Agnes Van Rhijn in the HBO series “The Gilded Age,” from “Downton Abbey” creator Julian Fellowes. The critically acclaimed series, filmed partly in seven of the Newport Mansions, is an epic of the millionaire titans of New York City in the 1880s. Season 3 of the series will begin on June 22. Additionally, Baranski recently completed Season 2 of Hulu’s “Nine Perfect Strangers," playing the role of Victoria. The series is based on the psychological thriller novel of the same name, written by Liane Moriarty. Other cast members include Nicole Kidman, Murray Bartlett, Dolly de Leon and Annie Murphy. Additional film credits include “The Birdcage,” “Chicago,” “Mama Mia!” “Mama Mia! Here We Go Again,” “Into the Woods,” “Bowfinger,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” “Bad Moms Christmas,” “Reversal of Fortune,” “Cruel Intentions,” “Bullworth,” “Miss Sloane,” “Trolls,” “Dolly Parton’s ‘Christmas on the Square’” and “Addams Family Values.” Previous stage credits include “Sweeney Todd” (Helen Hayes Award),“Boeing-Boeing,” “HurlyBurly,” “The House of Blue Leaves,” “It’s Only a Play,” “Lips Together Teeth Apart,” “The Loman Family Picnic,” “Regrets Only,” “Coming Attractions,” “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Obie Award), “Mame” at The Kennedy Center, and Encores! productions of “Follies” and “Promises, Promises.” Baranski received an Honorary Doctorate from Juilliard and in 2018 was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame.
Jared Bowenhost of GBH's "The Culture Show"
Jared Bowen is the host of "The Culture Show," a daily radio program and podcast on 89.7 GBH. He is also the Emmy Award-winning Executive Arts Editor at GBH exploring the creative process through a lively mix of local and national artist profiles, performances and exhibitions. Bowen is a special correspondent for the PBS NewsHour and covers the latest happenings in the region’s theater, art, music, dance and film scenes on GBH’s "Morning Edition" and Boston Public Radio. He is the moderator of the Boston Speakers Series at Symphony Hall conducting interviews with figures ranging from world leaders to Nobel laureates to Oscar-winning actors. He is a member of the Boston Theater Critics Association and serves on the Board of Directors for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Bowen has won four New England Emmy Awards and two Edward R. Murrow Awards for his arts reporting and is a recipient of the Commonwealth Award, recognizing achievement in the arts, humanities and sciences. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Massachusetts Historical Society and a member of the American Antiquarian Society. He began his career at "Dateline NBC" in New York, is a graduate of Emerson College and holds an honorary doctorate from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design.
Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time. Tour times may vary. See the event webpage for details.
For the first time in the 130-year history of The Breakers, the private third-floor family space occupied by generations of Vanderbilts is open for public tours. Tour times may vary. See the event webpage for details.
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. Tour times may vary. See the event webpage for details.
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.
“Full Circle” revisits Newport's groundbreaking 1974 outdoor sculpture exhibition "Monumenta" through the work of Richard Fleischner, one of the last living participating artists, and his contemporaries.
This isn’t about baseball! We'll examine the complex lives of Edward J. Berwind’s butlers as labor activism took root during the Gilded Age. Program offered January 16 & February 6
SOLD OUT
Learn about our latest exhibition spotlighting Richard Fleischner’s work with a guided tour led by one of the primary collaborators on the exhibition. Offered on select dates.
Join leading voices from history, preservation and cultural organizations for an engaging panel discussion on the significance of America 250 for their institutions, Newport and the Ocean State.
Join Conservation Research Fellow Isabella Hogan at the Preservation Society's Conservation Studio for a distinctive "close-looking" experience into the often-unseen world of conservation. Program offered January 29 & February 13
Learn to tango (American style) in time for Valentine’s Day in Newport’s largest ballroom!
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.
The Preservation Society’s Curatorial Research Fellow from France, Théo Lourenço, guides you through Marble House to examine objects and artwork he has researched as part of the Preservation Society’s ongoing work for a collections catalogue. Program offered January 30 & February 26
Celebrate America 250 with Historic Music of Newport’s Gilded Age Orchestra, presenting a program exploring our country’s musical past.
Join Allison Donoghue, Decorative Arts Research Fellow, to learn how professionals research and analyze decorative arts. Program offered February 27 & March 12
Archival Research Fellow Megan O’Connell provides an inside look at how archival materials breathe life into Kingscote and offer a richer understanding of the lives of its occupants. Program offered March 5 & March 27
Grace Acton, Archival Research Fellow, provides a unique tour of Chepstow through the eyes of an archivist. Program offered March 6 & March 26
This is an exclusive opportunity to tour our off-site Collections Care Facility and meet some of our collections care team, including our new Textile Conservator, Katy O'Donnell.
Join us for a captivating lecture with Geoffrey Kelly, the former FBI agent who investigated the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum heist, the largest property theft in U.S. history.
Peek behind the curtain of the Preservation Society’s summer 2026 "Revolution Reimagined" exhibition with Curatorial Research Fellow Mya Rose Bailey. Program offered March 20 & April 2
"Pearls of Newport" is the perfect theme for the 30th anniversary Newport Flower Show, celebrating the city's coastal identity and maritime history.
Three days of fun and educational seminars, tastings, dinners and the fan-favorite Sunday Brunch await you at Rosecliff! Tickets available in early July 2026
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 together to network and discuss the future of our history.
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
