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.
Current Members
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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
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Commercial Filming or Photography
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IN-PERSON ATTENDANCE IS SOLD OUT; REGISTRATION FOR ZOOM ATTENDANCE CLOSES AT 4 PM TODAY
This program includes selections from the opening season of the Metropolitan Opera in 1883, featured in Season 2 of HBO’s “The Gilded Age.” Music of European composers, as well as elite Black composers like Samuel Coleridge-Taylor and Ulysses J. Alsdorf, will be featured in the first half. The second half will center on musical life in Newport with pieces performed at Chateau-sur-Mer in 1857, Newport’s Naval Academy Ball of 1865, the Casino and more. The music of composer Imre Széchényi (1825-1898), relative by marriage to Countess Gladys Széchényi, formerly Vanderbilt, will also be explored. Drs. Mark Stickney and Christopher Brellochs will provide the historical background.
For more information, email programrsvp@newportmansions.org.
Dr. Mark A. Stickney was appointed the Artistic Director of the Seacoast Wind Ensemble in 2016. Throughout his 20-year college teaching career, he held conducting, brass teaching and music education positions at the Community College of Rhode Island, Oklahoma Panhandle State University, Plymouth State University, Salve Regina University and Southern Utah University. An active clinic and guest conductor, Dr. Stickney has traveled throughout the country working with bands and orchestras of all levels. Dr. Stickney is the founder of Historic Music of Newport, a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the rich musical heritage of the city (www.historicmusicofnewport.org). He also works part-time for The Preservation Society of Newport County and serves on the board of Newport Live. He received his BA in Music and Religion from Gettysburg College, his MA in Tuba Performance from Montclair State University and his DMA in Wind Conducting from Rutgers University.
Dr. Christopher Brellochs is an internationally recognized conductor, lecturer, saxophonist, music historian and educator. A preeminent scholar on music of the Gilded Age, he portrayed composer/conductor John Knowles Paine in Julian Fellowes’ HBO series "The Gilded Age" (Season 1, Episode 4) and assisted the production team with the historical accuracy of the scene. Brellochs has created a documentary series featuring music in historic mansions (www.youtube.com/cbrellochs), wrote a blog series about the music in "The Gilded Age" series and maintains “Music of the Gilded Age” Facebook and Instagram pages to share his research. His world premiere recording of Aaron Copland’s complete incidental music to "Quiet City" received radio play on National Public Radio: Weekend Edition and Performance Today. Brellochs is Dean of the School of Music at SUNY Schenectady and an Adjunct Artist in Music at Vassar College. He holds degrees in music from Rutgers University (DMA), New York University (MA), and Ithaca College (BM).
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.
Learn how the magic of holiday decorating comes together at Newport's largest and most popular mansion. Tours also offered on December 12 & 19.
SOLD OUT
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. The Elms is closed Oct. 1-Dec. 6.
Want something new for your front door this holiday season? The Preservation Society's Holiday Wreath-Making Workshop returns with plenty of unique ideas.
Join us for this annual tradition of celebrating the holidays with our members.
This program will guide you through designing a holiday floral arrangement that goes beyond poinsettias!
This elegant gala is set in Newport's grandest mansion dressed in its holiday finest.
Young Patron-level members will enjoy an evening at Sparkling Lights at The Breakers, followed by a festive gathering downtown.
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
