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.
With award-winning artist Bill Lane
This daylong workshop will provide a unique opportunity to paint at the most iconic mansion in Newport. Intermediate and above watercolor painters will gain valuable instruction from accomplished artist Bill Lane.
Bill will start with an on-site demonstration, reviewing equipment, talking about the chosen scene, planning the composition and determining the values. After which (roughly 11:15 am), you will head off to paint at a nearby location. Bill will provide individual attention throughout the day. The day will conclude with an informal critique led by Bill at 3 pm.
Admission to The Breakers is included for those who would like to take a break during the day to visit the mansion interior. Please note that no artist materials will be permitted inside The Breakers.
Bill Lane
“Everyday scenes intrigue me the most; be it a barren landscape, boats in the harbor or city life on a busy day. I observe how the light plays into the scene and reflects off the subjects. I work to capture that light while enhancing my point-of-interest in the painting.” Memberships: Providence Art Club, exhibiting artist member; New England Watercolor Society, signature artist member; Rhode Island Watercolor Society, signature artist member; Rockport Art Association & Museum, exhibiting artist member; American Watercolor Society, associate member; National Watercolor Society, associate member Awards Best in Show • 2016 Spring Bull Gallery “All Things Newport County”: Breakers • 2012 Bristol Art Museum “Sailing on the Bay” Frostbitten First Place Award • 2024 Spring Bull Gallery “Ocean Rhythms” Ocean Drive Glow - watercolor • 2020 RIWS Member Show, Hoppin Hill Farmhouse • 2019 RIWS Member Show, Allen's Rush Hour • 2017 Arnold Mills Community House, Walking the Dog • 2015 Cecil Byrne Gallery “Sand, Sea & Sky,” Walking the Dog
Bill Lane’s Recommended Watercolor Materials(participants must bring their own)
PAPER • Professional, 100% cotton watercolor paper. Bill uses Arches and Saunders 300# mostly Rough but sometimes Cold Press. 140# is fine but always use a good sheet of 100% cotton watercolor paper. Watercolor “blocks” are fine, too, and they give you a rigid surface to use on an easel. PALETTE • Ultramarine Blue (Winsor & Newton) • Cobalt Blue (Winsor & Newton) • Cerulean Blue (Holbein) • Cobalt Turquoise (Winsor & Newton) • Rose Madder Genuine (Winsor & Newton) • Alizarin Crimson (Winsor & Newton) • Cadmium Red (Winsor & Newton) • Cadmium Yellow (M. Graham) • Cadmium Yellow Lemon (Holbein) • Burnt Sienna (Winsor & Newton) • Raw Sienna (Winsor & Newton) • Perylene Green (Winsor & Newton) • Quinacridone Orange (Winsor & Newton) • Titanium White Artist’s Gouache (M. Graham) BRUSHES • Mostly rounds (16, 12, 8, 6) with good points. Bill uses Escoda Perla brushes. • Mop: Bill uses a 14 and 18 Escoda Aquario and a 4 daVinci Casaneo. • A hake • A few flats • A rigger MISCELLANEOUS • Water for painting • Paper towels • Pencil and eraser • Container for brushes • Container for water • Painting board, if you’re not using a block of watercolor paper • White tape, if you’re not using a block of watercolor paper • Sketchbook FOR PLEIN AIR PAINTING • Easel • Easel Umbrella (optional) • Chair (if preferred) • Sunscreen • Jacket • Hat/Visor • Water to stay hydrated • Lunch • Small trash bag • Smartphone, camera or iPad (optional)
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.
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.
SOLD OUT
Stop by Rosecliff and get creative—all ages and ability levels welcome. Learn a little piece of history and try your hand at being creative. Offered on select dates; see event webpage for details.
Join Allison Donoghue, Decorative Arts Research Fellow, to learn how professionals research and analyze decorative arts. Program offered February 27 & March 12
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.
The Newport Mansions are hiring for a variety of part-time and seasonal positions. Our Job Fair is the best place to learn more, introduce yourself and apply in person!
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
Bid for your chance to attend elegant legacy soirées, cloistered gatherings and bespoke escapes on our historic estates. Enjoy privileged access while supporting our efforts to preserve American history.
Grace Acton, Archival Research Fellow, provides a unique tour of Chepstow through the eyes of an archivist. Program offered March 6 & March 26
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
"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
