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
View our FAQs, map & parking, guidelines and more.
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.
Denée Benton & Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar
Our distinguished guests will delve into the creation of Peggy Scott, a character from HBO’s award-winning show “The Gilded Age,” and shed light on the crafting of this fictional 19th-century African American woman from Brooklyn. They will discuss the historical women who inspired this independent and pioneering character and explore the collaborative process that ensured the historical and social accuracy of Peggy’s portrayal on screen.
Denée Benton
Denée Benton is a Tony Award-nominated actress who stars in the critically acclaimed HBO series “The Gilded Age.” Her previous film and television credits include the 2019 independent feature “Our Friend” and Lifetime's acclaimed series “UnREAL.” Benton is also an acclaimed theater actor, recently starring as Cinderella in the hit Broadway revival of “Into the Woods.” She has had starring roles in the Broadway productions of “Hamilton” and “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812,” for which she was nominated for the 2017 Tony Award. Benton is a graduate of Carnegie Mellon University.
Dr. Erica Armstrong Dunbar
Erica Armstrong Dunbar is the Charles and Mary Beard Distinguished Professor of History at Rutgers University. Dr. Dunbar serves as a historical consultant and producer for multiple television projects and feature films and is the co-executive producer of HBO’s “The Gilded Age.” She is the award-winning author of several books of nonfiction, including “A Fragile Freedom: African American Women and Emancipation in the Antebellum City” and “Never Caught: The Washingtons’ Relentless Pursuit of Their Runaway Slave, Ona Judge.”
Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time.
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. *Sept. 1-Oct. 6, 10:30 & 3:30. Nov. 23-Jan. 1, 2025, 10:30 & 2:30.
For the first time in the 129-year history of The Breakers, the private third-floor family space occupied by generations of Vanderbilts will be open for public tours. *TIme changes to 1:30 pm Oct. 15-Jan. 1
Marvel at the sight of 26 life-sized elephant sculptures on the oceanside back lawn of The Breakers and learn about the importance of helping these magnificent animals survive.
This summer’s Traveling Tuesdays and Thursdays in the Garden provide families and children a fun and creative way to connect with The Preservation Society of Newport County’s multiple properties by engaging with cultural heritage and nature.
Members have a special after-hours opportunity to take the new audio tour at Kingscote and enjoy light refreshments.
SOLD OUT
For the annual David W. Dangremond Lecture, Ian Wardropper, director of The Frick Collection, will share the behind-the-scenes process of the first major renewal of this renowned museum in 90 years.
The annual Jacalyn and William P. Egan Lecture will present Preservation Society Fellow Benjamin Bowery discussing his contributions to our long-term study of cabinetmaker and designer Jules Allard, the man who made the Gilded Age glitter.
Our annual black-tie fundraising event promises a fun and elegant evening of dinner and dancing amid a magical garden setting.
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, September 3 through 27.
Save the dates for the 19th annual festival, featuring the Vintner Dinner, Sunday Brunch and tasty yet educational seminar experiences. Plus, special guest appearance by Jacques and Claudine Pepin!
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
