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
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.
Moderated by Anne Thompson of NBC News
Join Emmy-winning and Oscar-nominated actor Sam Waterston for a conversation celebrating the 100th anniversary of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s beloved novel and its 1974 film adaptation. Moderated by award-winning NBC veteran journalist Anne Thompson, the conversation will delve into Waterston’s role as the story’s narrator, Nick Carraway, in the movie that was filmed partially at Rosecliff, Marble House and other Newport properties.
Guests will enjoy drinks and hors d’oeuvres on the oceanside terrace where Gatsby’s party guests reveled, then step into the magnificent ballroom where they danced the night away – all in the company of “Nick Carraway,” a little older, a lot wiser, and ready to share stories of those crazy days more than 50 years ago!
Step into the world of Gatsby and go behind the scenes for stories of the filming while considering how Fitzgerald’s tale continues to resonate across generations.
Photos above, from left:
Sam Waterston as Nick Carraway and Lois Chiles as Jordan Baker. RGR Collection/Alamy Stock Photo
Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan, Sam Waterston as Nick Carraway and Robert Redford as Jay Gatsby. Pictorial Press Ltd./Alamy Stock Photo
Sam Waterston as Nick Carraway and Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan. Paramount Pictures/RGR Collection/Alamy Stock Photo
Sam Waterston
An Emmy, a Golden Globe, a SAG award, and Oscar and Tony Award nominations are just a few of Sam Waterston’s many achievements in a long and prestigious career. He has been in some of the most memorable works of film, television and stage. Recently Waterston starred in the Emmy-winning limited series “The Dropout,” where he portrayed the polarizing figure George Shultz opposite Amanda Seyfried. Additionally, he was a lead opposite Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin and Martin Sheen on the Emmy-nominated Netflix Original series “Grace and Frankie,” which ran for seven seasons, making it the longest-running Netflix Original series. Waterston also co-starred alongside Jeff Daniels and Emily Mortimer in the Aaron Sorkin HBO series “The Newsroom.” He is perhaps best known for his portrayal of Jack McCoy on the iconic “Law and Order” franchise, reprising his role earlier this year. Waterston started his career on the New York stage, appearing in multiple revivals of Shakespeare. His theater credits include “Indians,” “The Trial of the Catonsville Nine,” “A Doll’s House,” “Hamlet” and his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln in Gerald Gutierrez’s “Abe Lincoln in Illinois,” for which he received rave reviews and a Tony nomination. On the big screen, Waterston played Nick Carraway opposite Robert Redford and Mia Farrow in “The Great Gatsby.” Through his relationship with Woody Allen, he also starred in the Academy Award-nominated “Interiors,” “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “September.” Roland Joffe’s biographical drama film about the Khmer Rouge, “The Killing Fields,” earned Waterston an Academy Award nomination for his role as journalist Sydney Schanberg. Waterston has served as board chair of Oceana, the world’s largest ocean-focused NGO, and on the board of Refugees International.
Anne Thompson
Anne Thompson was named NBC News’ chief environmental affairs correspondent in 2007. Her reports appear across all platforms of NBC News including “NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt,” “TODAY,” MSNBC and NBCNews.com. Thompson previously served as the chief financial correspondent reporting on financial and economic news for NBC News. In 2000, Thompson was NBC News' lead correspondent covering the presidential campaigns. Thompson first joined NBC News in 1997 as a national correspondent. In 2006, Thompson received the prestigious Gerald Loeb Award, and was part of the "NBC Nightly News" team that won the Alfred I. duPont-Columbia Journalism Award and the Emmy Award for coverage of Hurricane Katrina. In 2004, she was awarded the Gerald Loeb Award for distinguished business and financial journalism for a series of reports that aired on "Nightly News" on the jobless economic recovery. She was also nominated for four business and financial news Emmys. Before joining NBC News, Thompson was a general-assignment reporter for WDIV-TV, the NBC affiliate in Detroit, since 1986. While at WDIV, Thompson was honored with seven Emmy Awards for a variety of stories. Raised and educated in Europe, Thompson received her high school diploma from the International School of Brussels in Belgium. She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in American Studies from University of Notre Dame, where she was elected as a member of the Board of Trustees in 2010. Thompson is on X at @annenbcnews.
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.
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
Richard Fleischner, Uri Aran, Dr. Catherine Moran and moderator Natalie Bell will explore the enduring legacy of minimalism and monumental sculpture from 1974 to the present showcased in our current exhibition.
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
