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
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.
“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.
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.
View the 2023 Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival Program
Explore the infinite variety of wines and cocktails and satisfy your palate at the annual Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival! The three-day weekend, September 22-24, will include a lavish Vintner’s Dinner, an elegant Sunday Festival Brunch, and a series of more than 20 seminars featuring wines and other libations from around the world.
After each seminar, guests will be invited to spend some time on the grounds of Rosecliff in the VIP Tasting Tent for additional wine and food samples.
Your festival attendance directly supports The Preservation Society of Newport County’s work to showcase the historical and architectural treasures of Newport County and preserve this rich heritage for future generations. We appreciate your support.
The festival also includes a series of wine dinners at participating fine restaurants. Limited numbers of tickets are still available. See more details of this annual Wine & Food Festival Restaurant Program.
Questions? Email events@newportmansions.org
A Chef Collaboration hosted by four-time James Beard Award winner Andrew Zimmern.
Set in the elegance of the Ballroom at Rosecliff and featuring live jazz piano as a relaxing backdrop, the Sunday Festival Brunch will be anything but typical.
Indulge in the luscious native varietals that represent the Mediterranean islands of Sardinia and Sicily.
Discover unique, handcrafted, small-production wines of diverse varietals from around the world presented by Jonathan Hetz of Quigley Fine Wines.
This seminar will explore the luxurious world of bubbly Champagne and exquisite caviar.
Join us for a fun and spirited blind tasting with Josh Greenstein of IWPA, a fifth-generation wine industry expert.
Take a magical journey through the boutique wines of Spain, Italy and France and taste the contrasting styles and flavors that make them the most sought-after wines on the planet.
This enlightening spirit seminar and cocktail tasting combines Portland, Maine’s Hardshore Distilling Company and Torino, Italy’s 9diDANTE Vermouth, two brands out to change the way folks think about their respective spirits.
Love to host and ready to mix things up? Learn to break out of the same old food and wine pairings and explore the ins and outs of how to pair global cuisines and classic flavors with cocktails for a seamless experience.
In this session, we journey down the West Coast, stopping at all the best sources for this princess of vitis vinifera, Pinot Noir.
Taste and learn about the various expressions of Mount Gay Rum and enjoy a mixed cocktail to round out this fun and inspirational tasting.
Enjoy a mini charcuterie tasting plate and learn step-by-step how you can create a well-balanced and visually appealing charcuterie board.
This tasting and discussion will focus on many of the young winemakers who are re-imagining the region and crafting wines of sophistication and longevity.
Alex Diard from the famed Chateau D'Esclans will lead guests through a tasting of The Pale, the newest rosé from the creator of Whispering Angel.
This tasting is a fun way to learn about how food and wine pair together and provides a framework for creating better pairings.
Experience the unique marriage of flavors offered by Ammunition Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Barrels.
Take a tantalizing trip around the world of beer at this fun and educational seminar. Enjoy a variety of styles paired with savory bites from Boar’s Head, presented by Kris Sjolander of international beer importer United States Beverage.
Surprise your senses with these delightful yet uncommon Sicilian wines presented by Gabrielle Tapia, Certified Specialist of Wine.
Break the boundaries of classic wine pairings during this interactive seminar presented by Coravin and Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits.
This isn't just Chardonnay. Taste your way through different areas in Burgundy.
This tasting will dive into the concept of regenerative organic certification, biodynamics and how climate change is shifting the wine landscape.
Don’t miss Private Chef to the Stars, author of “Beyond My Chef Coat” and Festival Culinary Director Chef Kev Des Chenes demonstrate how to make his Blackberry Jam and Narragansett Creamery Burrata served with wines from South Africa presented by Pascal Schildt, Mosaic Distributing.
Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time.
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.
Wild Imagination will explore the changing place of animals in the Gilded Age, a period that transformed how we view and treat the animal world, through more than 100 animal-themed artworks in a range of media. Closed Nov. 22-Dec. 8
A great Newport tradition! See the great mansions of the Gilded Age dressed in their festive holiday finery. It’s the most spectacular time of the year at these awe-inspiring historic houses.
This outdoor spectacle of holiday lights will dazzle and delight you! The 13-acre landscape of The Breakers turns into a wonderland of color and light. Includes tour of the lavishly decorated rooms inside the house. Open on select evenings through the season. Includes access to The Breakers interior during the same visit.
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.
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.
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.
Partners in Preservation
