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Tours, Groups, Exclusive Experiences
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Explore 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.
Episode Deep Dive
Learn about the people, places and events depicted in Julian Fellowes' popular historical drama series.
Current Members
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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.
Museum Rentals & Weddings
Host your wedding, rehearsal dinner, corporate event, or other celebration at our historic museums.
The Preservation Society of Newport County is one of the richest resources in the nation for the fine and decorative arts of the Gilded Age. Visiting Curator Ulysses Grant Dietz went “treasure hunting” in the historic properties of the Preservation Society, and he found 100 objects that he had seen many times — but had never really looked at. He realized that sometimes, inside these beautiful mansions, it’s hard to see the individual pieces because of all the other things around them.
This exhibition lets you look closely at objects ranging in date from the late 1400s to the early 1900s, all of which were collected during the Gilded Age. These beautiful things — furniture, metalwork, ceramics, glass, painting, sculpture, prints, and photographs — come from all over the world, and represent many different styles and tastes. They also represent the skills of exceptional craftspeople — including many anonymous workers who couldn’t afford to own the things they made.
As you explore Anything You Want, take a closer look at these works of art and think about why someone in the Gilded Age might have wanted to own them.
Les Trois Amis (The Three Friends)
(Portrait of Harold Stirling Vanderbilt) Charles Chaplin (1825-1891), 1887; Frame made by Jules Allard and Sons (active 1878-1907), Paris Oil on canvas, carved and gilded oak Bequest of Harold S. Vanderbilt. PSNC.429.
Louis XV Chest of Drawers (Commode)
Attributed to Jean-François Oeben (1721-1763), Paris, 1740-1760 Wood with marquetry veneers, marble, gilded bronze (ormolu) Bequest of Harold S. Vanderbilt. PSNC.413.a-b.
Side Chair
Unidentified maker, Boston, 1730-1740 Mahogany, maple, leather Purchased by The Preservation Society of Newport County. PSNC.1787a-b.
America
Meissen Porcelain Manufactory (active 1710-present), Dresden, Germany, late 1800s Hard-paste porcelain, enamel Bequest of Mrs. Aletta Morris McBean. PSNC.9048.
Vase Decorated with Chrysanthemums (One of a Pair)
Hansuke Kawamoto V (1831-1907) or VI (1844-1905) for Hyochien (1873-1909), Tokyo, Japan, 1879 Stoneware, enamel Gift of the Estate of Mrs. Gwendolen E. Rives. PSNC.5098.1.
“Four Elements” Centerpiece
John C. Moore (1803-1874), New York, 1851 Retailed by Tiffany, Young & Ellis (active 1837-1853), New York Sterling silver, silver-plated brass Gift of Norrie Wetmore Sellar. PSNC.9804.
Mantel Clock and Candelabra
Attributed to Raingo Frères (active 1823-1890), Paris, 1875-1890 Retailed by Tiffany & Co. (active 1837-present), New York Marble, gilded bronze (ormolu), metal, glass, enamel Gift of Countess Anthony Szapáry. PSNC.2960.1-.3a-e.
Parlor Cabinet in the Colonial Style
Unidentified maker, England, 1870s Rosewood, tulipwood, satinwood, glass, metal Gift of Mrs. Gwendolen E. Rives. PSNC.6136.
Dining Chair (from a Set of 25)
Jules Allard and Sons (1878-1907), Paris, c. 1890 Cast bronze, gilded bronze (ormolu), cut velvet Gift of Mr. Frederick H. Prince. PSNC.430.1-.25.
Closed Armchair (Bergère)
Designed by Ogden Codman, Jr. (1863-1951), for A. H. Davenport & Co. (1880-1974), Boston, c. 1895 Painted wood, reproduction chintz Gift of Gladys T. Peterson and Countess Anthony Szapáry. PSNC.2905.11.
Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time.
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.
Change can be exciting. It can also be unsettling. During the Gilded Age, change was happening at a pace unmatched in American history.
Fans of HBO’s "The Gilded Age" will love this guided tour of locations in the Newport Mansions where the show was filmed.
This award-winning and record-breaking exhibition uses beautiful works of art made from simple toys to explore animal endangerment, the balance of ecosystems, and mankind’s relationship with nature.
Newport County residents and employees of the hospitality industry are invited to visit 16 participating attractions in Newport and Bristol Counties as our guests!
Who were the everyday people in this period of industrialization and urbanization? What were their struggles and triumphs? Speaker: Nancy C. Unger
See you at the Newport Flower Show Opening Night Reception, the start of Newport’s Summer Season. The place to sip, shop and see old friends and new!
The Newport Flower Show will celebrate the early 19th-century custom of a trip abroad as a means of gaining both exposure and association with the sophistication of Europe.
Tuesdays in the Garden provides families a fun and creative way to connect with The Preservation Society’s Green Animals Topiary Garden through Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects sculptures.
Plan to join us for a fun and elegant evening of dinner and dancing at our annual black-tie fundraising event.
Plan now to put together a foursome and join us at our annual Golf Outing at Newport National Golf Course in Middletown, R.I., a challenging, 7,244-yard links-style course offering a dramatic setting with views of the Atlantic Ocean and Sakonnet Passage.
The 2023 festival will continue with the successful format of daily seminars held at Rosecliff that provide our guests with an intimate, educational wine, spirits or food experience.
It is never too early to start planning for your next holiday to remember! Mark your calendar to join us for the annual Holiday Dinner Dance at The Breakers.
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
