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
View our FAQs, parking information, guidelines and more.
Tours, Groups, Exclusive Experiences
Explore our various tour types to find what’s best for you and your group.
Accessibility
See specific information about access at each house and property.
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.
IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE IS SOLD OUT; REGISTRATION FOR ZOOM ATTENDANCE CLOSES AT 4 PM TODAY
This program includes selections from the opening season of the Metropolitan Opera in 1883, featured in Season 2 of HBO’s “The Gilded Age.” Music of European composers, as well as elite Black composers like Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Ulysses J. Alsdorf, will be featured in the first half. The second half will center on musical life in Newport with pieces performed at Chateau-sur-Mer in 1857, Newport’s Naval Academy Ball of 1865, the Casino and more. The music of composer Imre Széchényi (1825-1898), relative by marriage to Countess Gladys Széchényi, formerly Vanderbilt, will also be explored. Drs. Mark Stickney and Christopher Brellochs will provide the historical background.
For more information, email programrsvp@newportmansions.org.
Dr. Mark A. Stickney was appointed the Artistic Director of the Seacoast Wind Ensemble in 2016. Throughout his 20-year college teaching career, he held conducting, brass teaching and music education positions at the Community College of Rhode Island, Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Plymouth State University, Salve Regina University and Southern Utah University. An active clinic and guest conductor, Dr. Stickney has traveled throughout the country working with bands and orchestras of all levels. Dr. Stickney is the founder of Historic Music of Newport, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the rich musical heritage of the city (www.historicmusicofnewport.org). He also works part-time for The Preservation Society of Newport County and serves on the board of Newport Live. He received his BA in Music and Religion from Gettysburg College, his MA in Tuba Performance from Montclair State University and his DMA in Wind Conducting from Rutgers University.
Dr. Christopher Brellochs is an internationally recognized conductor, lecturer, saxophonist, music historian and educator. A preeminent scholar on music of the Gilded Age, he portrayed composer/conductor John Knowles Paine in Julian Fellowes’ HBO series "The Gilded Age" (Season 1, Episode 4) and assisted the production team with the historical accuracy of the scene. Brellochs has created a documentary series featuring music in historic mansions (www.youtube.com/cbrellochs), wrote a blog series about the music in "The Gilded Age" series and maintains “Music of the Gilded Age” Facebook and Instagram pages to share his research. His world premiere recording of Aaron Copland’s complete incidental music to "Quiet City" received radio play on National Public Radio: Weekend Edition and Performance Today. Brellochs is Dean of the School of Music at SUNY Schenectady and an Adjunct Artist in Music at Vassar College. He holds degrees in music from Rutgers University (DMA), New York University (MA), and Ithaca College (BM).
Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time.
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 returns when The Elms reopens November 22.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.
Explore The Breakers from top-to-bottom with one of our expert tour guides. Members will experience all three of our offered tours at The Breakers, all rolled into one. Offered on select dates.
SOLD OUT
This musical program led by Historic Music of Newport founder Dr. Mark A. Stickney will feature historic songs associated with Newport, spanning from the Civil War era through the Gilded Age.
This outdoor spectacle of holiday lights will dazzle and delight you! The 13-acre landscape of The Breakers turns into a wonderland of color and light. Includes tour of the lavishly decorated rooms inside the house. Open on select evenings through the season. Includes access to The Breakers interior during the same visit.
A great Newport tradition! See the magnificent mansions of the Gilded Age dressed in their festive holiday finery. It’s the most spectacular time of the year at these awe-inspiring historic houses.
Learn how the magic of holiday decorating comes together at Newport's largest and most popular mansion. Tour will be offered on Thursdays, December 4, December 11 and December 18.
Looking for something new to put on your door this holiday season? The Preservation Society's Holiday Wreath-Making Workshop returns with plenty of unique ideas.
Members attending Sparkling Lights on this evening will be able to take advantage of special giveaways and activities!
This program will guide you through designing a paper floral arrangement to fit perfectly into your home for the holidays.
Join us for this annual tradition of celebrating the holidays with our members.
Join us at The Breakers for this exclusive, one-night-only event featuring Skylark’s acclaimed musical retelling of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, narrated by Emmy- and Tony Award-winning actress Christine Baranski.
This elegant gala is set in Newport's grandest mansion dressed in its holiday finest. Tickets on sale now.
"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
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
