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
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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
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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.
Exhibition was open September 1, 2023 – February 11, 2024
Since Newport’s beginnings as a colonial seaport, generations of its citizens have looked to China for knowledge, beauty, fortune and freedom. In turn, many different people of Chinese heritage, including artists, merchants, immigrant entrepreneurs and women suffragists, shaped all aspects of life in Newport. Their stories are at the heart of this exhibition.
The Celestial City explores China’s deep influence on Newport from the 18th century through the Gilded Age (1865-1915), when the city emerged as America’s premier summer playground and the fall of China’s last imperial dynasty transformed the ancient nation.
The extraordinary objects on display include more than 100 works from the Preservation Society’s collection and other institutions in a range of media, from paintings, sculptures, prints and photographs to fashion, ceramics, lacquerwares and lanterns.
Highlights include treasures of Chinese art collected by Newport merchants and industrialists; photographs and stories from Newport’s early Chinese community; and the writings, portraits and family heirlooms of heroic Chinese women suffragists. Contemporary artworks by Yu-Wen Wu and Jennifer Ling Datchuk illuminate Chinese contributions to Newport as well as hidden connections between the Newport mansions and the Chinese-American experience.
Portrait of Mabel Ping-Hua Lee, Chinese Suffragist, in Barnard College Yearbook, Class of 1916 Purchase of The Preservation Society of Newport County
Portrait of Grace Yip Typond, Chinese Suffragist Unidentified photographer, New York, c. 1910 Collection of Douglas J. Chu
Detail of Standing Screen Li Ailian, 19th century Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth M. Smith
Postcard with Chop Suey Restaurant (Bun Jun Low or Moy Fou Restaurant), 195 Thames Street Tichnor Bros., Inc., Boston, c. 1913 Collection of Daniel P. Titus
Vase Unidentified maker (Chinese), 18th century Gift of the Estate of Mr. and Mrs. Edward J. Berwind II
The Chinese Teahouse at Marble House, Newport Richard Howland Hunt and Joseph Howland Hunt (architects), 1912-1914 Photograph Andrea Hansen
“N.A.W.S.A. Catching Up With China” Suffrage Banner 1912 The Huntington Library, Susan B. Anthony Collection
Plate Belonging to Godfrey Malbone (1695-1768) Unidentified maker (Chinese), c. 1760 Gift of Mrs. Philip G. Birckhead
Cigar Box Inscribed "W" for William Shepard Wetmore Unidentified maker (Chinese), c. 1835 Gift of Mrs. Elizabeth Morris Smith
Portrait of Wu Bingjian Guan Qiaochang (also known as Lamqua), c. 1840 Gift of the Estate of Mrs. Gwendolen E. Rives
Postcard with Lee Yun Laundry at 329 Thames Street, in Business from 1890-1942 The Metropolitan News Co., Boston, c. 1900 Collection of Daniel P. Titus
Detail of Informal Dragon Robe Unidentified maker (Chinese), late 19th century Gift of Mr. Edward Lee Cave
Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time.June 1 - September 1, offered at 10 am & 2 pm
For the first time in the 129-year history of The Breakers, the private third-floor family space occupied by generations of Vanderbilts is open for public tours.
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 - September 1, offered at 10 am, 12 pm & 2 pm
Fans of HBO’s "The Gilded Age" will love this guide-led tour of locations in four of the Newport Mansions where Julian Fellowes' historical drama series was filmed. Fridays only, May 2 through June 27.
Get your garden going or find nice springtime and Mother's Day gifts for friends and family! A variety of flowers, vegetables and specialty plants are available while supplies last.
Our next Young Patron event invites guests to learn to dance – 1920s style!
Learn the history behind The Elms gardens and grounds with Jim Donahue, Curator of Historic Landscapes.
SOLD OUT
Join Jeff Curtis, Director of Gardens & Landscapes, for a guided tour of the specimen trees on the Marble House grounds.
Daisies, Brownies, Juniors and Cadets will get a chance to explore Green Animals Topiary Garden and earn a badge by completing activities. Presented in partnership with the Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England.
This exhibition examines the mind, ambition and legacy of America’s Dean of Architecture, who shaped Gilded Age America not only through the buildings he created – including The Breakers and Marble House – but also through his ideas.
Coinciding with our exhibition “Richard Morris Hunt: In a New Light,” this guide-led tour of Newport's Island Cemetery will focus on the great Gilded Age architect's impact and presence in this historic burying ground.
Themed “A Floral Fair,” the 29th annual Show will combine the elegance of a Gilded Age fête with the good cheer of a summer county fair.
Grab your clubs for an unforgettable day on the greens at the Preservation Society’s Annual Golf Outing at Newport National Golf Club in Middletown, R.I., a challenging links-style course with views of the Atlantic Ocean and Sakonnet Passage.
Thank you to all of our sponsors, guests and volunteers for another successful Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival. See you next year for the 20th annual festival, September 19-21, 2025, at Rosecliff. Become a Preservation Society member and receive early access to purchase 2025 tickets before they become available to the general public.
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.
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