The Breakers
The Breakers is the grandest of Newport's summer "cottages" and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family's social and financial pre-eminence in the Gilded Age.
Things to Do
The Breakers Family Tour
Daily
opening hours
A dragon in the dining room and a dolphin under the stairs – this tour will introduce children to this Gilded Age mansion from a unique and fun perspective.
The Breakers Virtual Tour
Daily
virtual
Visit The Breakers from the comfort of your own home
The Breakers Audio Tour
Daily
opening hours
Based on personal diaries, letters, records and oral histories, The Breakers audio tour offers first-person accounts of life in the house from members of the family, servants and their children.
Beneath The Breakers Tour
Daily
10:30am and 2:30pm
Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time.
History
The Breakers was built by America’s pre-eminent architect for one of the richest families in the world.
Learn more about The Breakers
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Original Builder
Mr. and Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt II
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Architect
Richard Morris Hunt
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Construction dates
1893-1895
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Materials
Brick faced with Indiana limestone
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Ownership transferred to the Preservation Society
1972
Upcoming Events
Winter Gilded Age Lecture Series
January 26 – March 2, 2023
6:00pm
Learn about the historical set locations of Julian Fellowes’ “The Gilded Age” on HBO; African American designers and dressmakers who created the garments worn by privileged Newporters; cocktails that were all the rage in the Gilded Age; and the music that brought elegance and beauty to the soundtrack of the period.
Gilded Age Orchestra of Newport Musical Program
March 2, 2023
6:00pm
Step back in time to experience live music the Gilded Age way.
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