Operating Schedule
See which of the mansions are open and when. Search by date or month, or view the full year’s schedule.
Visitor Info
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Tours, Groups, Exclusive Experiences
Explore our various tour types to find what’s best for you and your group.
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.
Current Members
Current members can see a full list of benefits and any information regarding Members Events.
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.
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.
An American Renaissance: Architecture’s Impact in the Gilded Age Phillip James Dodd
To flaunt their unprecedented wealth and announce themselves as the new American aristocracy, the elite of the Gilded Age needed an architecture dripping in embellishment and historical reference. Enter the Beaux-Arts.
Author Phillip James Dodd will explore five of the homes featured in his book An American Renaissance: Beaux-Arts Architecture in New York City. Painstakingly researched and featuring beautiful photographs by Jonathan Wallen, Dodd’s presentation will focus on the lavish interiors that reflect the opulence of the Gilded Age – often providing a glimpse inside buildings not otherwise viewable to the public. Dodd will also tell the stories of the patrons and architects who designed these spectacular homes; the symbiotic relationship of Newport and New York in high society; and collectively their influences on the television adaptation of Julian Fellowes’ “The Gilded Age” on HBO.
Dodd will sign copies of his book during the reception after the lecture. Copies of An American Renaissance: Beaux-Arts Architecture in New York City are also available at NewportStyle.net.
Live at The Breakers or via Zoom video conference
Phillip James Dodd is one of today’s foremost experts on classical architecture and interiors. Born and raised in the United Kingdom, he is an alumnus of the prestigious Prince of Wales’ Institute of Architecture in London. He moved to America more than twenty years ago, and after training with some of the most recognized classical architecture firms in the country founded his eponymous design firm Phillip James Dodd: Bespoke Residential Design LLC. Since then, he has become one of the most sought-after young residential designers practicing today, with designs that can be found in Manhattan, Greenwich, Palm Beach, and as far away as Bangalore, India. He has lectured extensively throughout the United States on the subject of classical architecture, and is the author of two best-selling books, The Art of Classical Details: Theory Design & Craftsmanship (2013) and An Ideal Collaboration (2015).
Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time.
This exhibition explores a largely unknown but important chapter in American history: the experience of a thriving African heritage community in Newport.
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. *June 1-Aug. 31, 10:30 am, 2 pm & 3:30 pm. Sept. 1-Oct. 14, 10:30 & 3:30. Oct. 15-Jan. 1, 2025, 10:30 & 2:30.
Rhode Island Black Heritage Society scholars will interpret the evolution of Black Civil Rights movements in Newport from the beginnings of the 18th-century Free African Societies to the formation of Colored Women Clubs during the Gilded Age.
Fans of HBO’s "The Gilded Age" will love this guide-led tour of locations in four of the Newport Mansions where the show was filmed. Tuesdays and Fridays only, May 17 through June 28. Tickets now available.
Black Newporters in the late 19th and early 20th centuries had idiosyncratic, localized approaches to politics that differed from the conventional narrative of the time. Dr. Myra Armstead of Bard College will explain how these African Americans gave their own meaning to what collectively may be called independent politics.
Newport County residents and employees of the hospitality industry are invited to visit the Newport Mansions as our guests!
The 28th annual edition of New England’s premier flower show explores the theme "At Home," celebrating the beauty and inspiration that flowers and plants bring to the spaces in which we live. Tickets now available.
Save the dates for the 19th annual festival, featuring the Vintner Dinner, Sunday Brunch and tasty yet educational seminar experiences.
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
