Traveling Tuesdays & Thursdays in the Garden
The Newport Mansions will welcome families for two fun and creative program series through July and August!
Traveling Tuesdays will occur each Tuesday from July 9 through August 20 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. Each week, the program will take place at a different property so children and their caregivers can enjoy all the Newport Mansions have to offer. Children will learn a little bit about history and connect their crafts to the properties.
Thursdays in the Garden will take place from July 11 through August 22 from 10:30-11:30 a.m. at Green Animals Topiary Garden in Portsmouth, R.I. Children will enjoy the outdoor space and gardens and learn about nature, from bees to butterflies to growing plants.
For each program, children will receive a stamp in their Newport Mansions Passport. After receiving four stamps, they will earn a prize.
Scroll down for details about each program.
The programs
Traveling Tuesdays: Colonial Kids
July 30, 2024
10:30am
Kids can learn what life was like for colonial kids and try their hand at making 1700s-style toys. Recommended for ages 5 to 7.
Family-Level members, go to "Member Login" for free registration.
Thursdays in the Garden: Enchanted Gardens
August 1, 2024
10:30am
Create homes for the fantastic creatures in this magical garden. Recommended for ages 5 to 7.
Family-Level members, go to "Member Login" for free registration.
Traveling Tuesdays: Horses, Carriages and Things that Go
August 6, 2024
10:30am
Learn about travel modes of the past and design your own way to go. Recommended for ages 5 to 7.
Family-Level members, go to "Member Login" for free registration.
Thursdays in the Garden: Butterfly Hunt
August 8, 2024
10:30am
Children will read a story, search for butterflies and create their own wings to wear. Recommended for ages 5 to 7.
Family-Level members, go to "Member Login" for free registration.
Traveling Tuesdays: Collecting Together
August 13, 2024
10:30am
Go on a collecting adventure and make a treasure chest to store your collection. Recommended for ages 5 to 7.
Family-Level members, go to "Member Login" for free registration.
Thursdays in the Garden: Plants Dance!
August 15, 2024
10:30am
Get ready for an hour of movement and dance with an instructor from Newport Contemporary Ballet. Recommended for ages 5 to 7.
Family-Level members, go to "Member Login" for free registration.
Traveling Tuesdays: Be aMAZEd!
August 20, 2024
10:30am
Enjoy fun activities centered around the mansion's cool Sod Maze. Recommended for ages 5 to 7.
Family-Level members, go to "Member Login" for free registration.
Thursdays in the Garden: Pollinators Unite!
August 22, 2024
10:30am
Learn about the different types of pollinators, what they do and how we can help. Recommended for ages 5 to 7.
Family-Level members, go to "Member Login" for free registration.
More Tours, Events & Exhibitions
Beneath The Breakers Tour
Daily
10:00am
Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time.
Third Floor Preservation in Progress Tour
Daily
12 pm and 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.
Servant Life Tour
Daily
10 am and 2 pm
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.
Lifting the Curtain: Behind the Scenes of Museum Work
January 23 – April 10, 2025
11:00am – 12:30pm
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.
The Newport Piccolo Simposio: Italian Influence in Newport
April 3, 2025
8:30am – 4:00pm
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 to network and discuss the future of our history.
SOLD OUT for in-person attendance. Registration for remote virtual attendance is still available.
Behind the Boiserie: An Intimate Exploration of the Ladies Reception Room at The Breakers
April 9, 2025
11:00am – 12:00pm
Follow the history and conservation research on the Ladies Reception Room at The Breakers, a highly significant but often overlooked space.
This program will be offered on March 6 & April 9.
Iconic Wardrobe of “The Great Gatsby”
April 10, 2025
11:00am – 12:15pm
Get an exclusive close-up look at two of the costumes worn in the 1974 film adaptation of "The Great Gatsby," guided by our textile conservator and one of our research fellows.
SOLD OUT
Conserving The Breakers: Exploring the Furniture of A.H. Davenport
April 18, 2025
11:00am – 12:00pm
Learn about the ongoing research into and conservation of the furniture on the third floor of The Breakers, which opened to the public for the first time last year.
SOLD OUT
French Inspiration and American Ambition: The Architectural Practice of Richard Morris Hunt at Marble House
April 25, 2025
11:00am – 12:00pm
The guided tour of Marble House will illuminate the French influences that architect Richard Morris Hunt incorporated throughout the mansion.
SOLD OUT
Inside “The Gilded Age” Tour
May 2 – June 27, 2025
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.
Prepping Your Flower Beds
May 3, 2025
10:00am – 11:00am
Learn tips and tricks from the Preservation Society's Director of Gardens & Landscapes to help you prepare your garden beds for a successful growing season.
Iconic Trees of Newport II
May 8, 2025
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Learn about Newport’s landscape history, the threat posed by beech leaf disease and planting strategies for the future. This educational forum is a collaborative effort among The Preservation Society of Newport County, Bartlett Tree Experts, the City of Newport, Salve Regina University, Aquidneck Land Trust and The Newport Tree Conservancy.
Tree Walk at Marble House
May 17, 2025
10:00am – 11:00am
Join Jeff Curtis, Director of Gardens & Landscapes, for a guided tour of the specimen trees on the Marble House grounds.
Girl Scout Badge Day at Green Animals
May 17, 2025
10:30am – 12:00pm
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.
The Newport Flower Show: “A Floral Fair”
June 20 – 22, 2025
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.
Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival
September 19 – 21, 2025
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.
