Operating Schedule
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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.
Second in a series of lectures in conjunction with the exhibition “Gilded Age Newport in Color”
During the Gilded Age, Newport, Rhode Island was a magnet for leading African heritage families taking part in a rare opportunity for persons of color for unrestricted cultural and political interchange. Newport hosted a number of social and political gatherings of African heritage that ran the broad spectrum of political rallies and became the foundation of the later 20th-century civil rights movements.
Rhode Island Black Heritage Society scholars Theresa and Keith Stokes will draw from the society’s collections of historical documents, manuscripts, photographs and personal narratives of the era to interpret the evolution of Black Civil Rights from the beginnings of the 18th-century Free African Societies to the formation of Colored Women’s Clubs during the Gilded Age.
For more information, email ProgramRSVP@NewportMansions.org.
Theresa Guzmán Stokes
Theresa Guzmán Stokes is a historian, community activist, U.S. military veteran, innovative leader and creator with two decades of service to causes, organizations and people committed to moving the needle on empowering communities of color, women and youth. After service in the Navy, Stokes centered her professional work on creatively presenting deeply researched stories and projects on the State of Rhode Island and its historical roots. She has participated in and supervised dozens of historic preservation efforts as well as genealogical and cultural resource investigations throughout New England and Virginia. She is president and founder of 1696 Heritage Group, a historical consulting firm dedicated to helping persons and institutions of color to increase their knowledge and access to the light of truth of their unique American heritage. Stokes is also the founder of Historical Writers of America, a non-profit organization whose mission is to celebrate, support and connect all historical writers. Ms. Stokes' legacy work is as Executive Director of the Rhode Island Black Heritage Society (RIBHS), the oldest African Heritage society in the United States.
Keith Stokes
Keith Stokes has a long and distinguished career in business, historic preservation and community development, with degrees from Cornell University and the University of Chicago. He is the former Executive Director of the Newport County Chamber of Commerce, Director of Business and Development for the City of Providence and Executive Director of the Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation. He has also been an adviser for Rhode Island with the National Trust for Historic Preservation and served on numerous local, regional and national business and public boards, including The Preservation Society of Newport County, Touro Synagogue Foundation, Rhode Island Historical Preservation & Heritage Commission Historical Review Board, Rhode Island Black Heritage Society, Rhode Island Economic Development Corporation, Quonset Development Corporation, Rhode Island Foundation, and Governor’s Workforce Board. Mr. Stokes frequently appears on national historical programs, including C-SPAN, Fox News "Legends & Lies," and TED Talks. Recently, he was the lead researcher and author of “A Matter of Truth” report for the examination and documentation of the role of the City of Providence and State of Rhode Island in supporting a “Separate and Unequal” existence for African heritage, Indigenous, and People of Color. Mr. Stokes is also a direct descendant of an African family that took part in one of the most documented and successful slavery emancipation and reparation efforts in 1795.
Executive board of the Women’s League Newport, c. 1899. Courtesy of the Library of Congress.
“Am I Not a Man and a Brother?" Official Medallion of the British Anti-Slavery Society by Josiah Wedgwood and either William Hackwood or Henry Webber.
“Am I Not a Woman and a Sister?” modified version of British Anti-Slavery Society medallion that began appearing around 1828.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
The guided tour of Marble House will illuminate the French influences that architect Richard Morris Hunt incorporated throughout the mansion.
Enjoy a rare behind-the-scenes look at our conservation studio and the important work that happens there.
Curator of Collections Dr. Nicole Williams will offer a close look at rarely seen treasures of Gilded Age photography from the Preservation Society’s archives. Live at Rosecliff and via Zoom.
Learn to waltz from professional instructors in the perfect Gilded Age setting of Rosecliff's ballroom.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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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
