Our Collections

The permanent collection is robust and diverse in content, including paintings, sculpture, furniture, ceramics and glass, gilded objects, silver and base metal objects, books, prints, lithographs, engravings, photographs and textiles, including tapestries, rugs, wall coverings, window hangings and period dress. The Preservation Society actively seeks out acquisitions for the permanent collection that are original to these historic spaces or reflect important themes each site, family or historical narrative shares through interpretative experiences.

The archival collection encompasses the organizational history of the Preservation Society from its founding in 1945 as well as materials related to the history of the society’s properties, people associated with them, and the history of Newport.

Digital Collections
View more than 5,000 archival and museum objects in our Digital Collections site. Digitizing and describing our collections are ongoing efforts and we regularly add more content. Digitization of our collection was made possible with generous support from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, the Gerry Charitable Trust, and Ala and Ralph Isham.

Finding Aids
Use RIAMCO, a database of archival finding aids describing collections at Rhode Island public, private and university archives repositories, to search for inventories and descriptions of archival collections.

Collections management is, like building preservation, a core mission activity of The Preservation Society of Newport County and carries with it particular fiduciary responsibilities and obligations. As an accredited museum, the Preservation Society abides by governance standards and professional practices established by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and the Society of American Archivists (SAA).

We offer a principled approach to collections acquisition, accessioning, deaccessioning, access, loans, inventory, conservation, preservation and collections documentation. Guided by a Collections Management Policy, the Preservation Society’s collections management philosophy centers on standards of professional ethics over any intervention affecting the physical fabric of its holdings, discernment in acquiring the most representative and/or historically accurate objects and materials feasible, and concern for the delicate balance of the Preservation Society properties’ contextual settings. Collection objects that have been accessioned into the Preservation Society’s permanent collection become an integral part of the Preservation Society and are therefore placed under the protective mantle of the public trust. Accessioned objects will be exhibited, stored and cared for to the highest standard.

Managing the Preservation Society’s collections requires control over both the physical aspects of materials and the intellectual content they represent.

The Preservation Society of Newport County has been undertaking a multi-year Deaccession Initiative since 2023. The deaccession process is a standard aspect of museum collections management which removes an object from our permanent collection because it cannot be conserved, cared for, or does not support our educational mission. Deaccessioned objects may not align with our interpretive goals, which prioritize objects with a direct historical association to one of our properties that is documented by archival or photographic evidence. For example, the purchase of a statue sculpted by Pio Fedi (Italian, 1816-1892) original to The Elms recreates the interior decoration and art collection present in the house during the Berwind family occupation. We also rely on objects with a secondary historical connection that are directly associated with the occupants of Preservation Society properties. For example, the bronze relief sculptures Blinded and America at War by Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney (American, 1875-1942) provide contextual information about the artistic practices of Gertrude, who resided at The Breakers.

Deaccessioning is intended to strengthen our collection and is carried out with the highest accountability. We have exhaustively researched each object that has been deaccessioned. Once formally deaccessioned, the disposal of an object is determined on a case-by-case basis through careful research and deliberation. The Preservation Society plans to undertake direct transfer to another museum or non-profit institution and sale at public auction as our preferred methods of object removal.

You may contact us at deaccessions@newportmansions.org with any questions or concerns.

Questions about our collections?

If you would like to make a research appointment or submit an inquiry regarding our permanent and archival collections, please fill out this form. Please provide as much information as possible about the objects or collections that interest you. A member of the Museum Affairs Department will respond accordingly.

Image at top of page: Coach at Hotel Brunswick, ca. 1915-1920. Ernst Studio Collection, The Preservation Society of Newport County.