
Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects
This award-winning and record-breaking exhibition uses beautiful works of art made from simple toys to explore animal endangerment, the balance of ecosystems, and mankind’s relationship with nature.
Just as LEGO® pieces interconnect, everything in nature is also connected in a delicate balance. This artful exhibition illustrates that balance in the beautiful, inspirational setting of Green Animals Topiary Garden.
Using the beloved toy bricks as a medium, the larger-than-life creations in Nature Connects present a playful spin on traditional sculptural art, making it accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds.
Marvel at artist Sean Kenney’s gravity-defying and astoundingly precise structures and become inspired to explore their world in new ways. From the proud majesty of an antlered buck to the ponderous mass of a Galapagos tortoise; from the delicate suspension of a hummingbird on the edge of a flower to the spectacular feather display of a peacock, Sean’s art sparks a joyful sense of wonder at the natural world.
In addition to the 14 sculptures exhibited at Green Animals, Sean Kenney’s Bonsai Tree is displayed inside the Welcome Center at The Breakers.
At times whimsical, gripping and awe-inspiring, this exhibition will inspire budding artists, ecologists and builders to dream big!
What you need to know
Sean Kenney’s Nature Connects at Green Animals Topiary Garden has closed.Just as LEGO® pieces interconnect, everything in nature is also connected in a delicate balance. This artful exhibition illustrates that balance in the beautiful, inspirational setting of Green Animals Topiary Garden.
Using the beloved toy bricks as a medium, the larger-than-life creations in Nature Connects present a playful spin on traditional sculptural art, making it accessible to people of all ages and backgrounds.
Marvel at artist Sean Kenney’s gravity-defying and astoundingly precise structures and become inspired to explore their world in new ways. From the proud majesty of an antlered buck to the ponderous mass of a Galapagos tortoise; from the delicate suspension of a hummingbird on the edge of a flower to the spectacular feather display of a peacock, Sean’s art sparks a joyful sense of wonder at the natural world.
In addition to the 14 sculptures exhibited at Green Animals, Sean Kenney’s Bonsai Tree is displayed inside the Welcome Center at The Breakers.
At times whimsical, gripping and awe-inspiring, this exhibition will inspire budding artists, ecologists and builders to dream big!
Sponsors
David & Carol Bazarsky
Edwin S. Webster Foundation
The Thomas A. Rodgers, Jr. Family Foundation






Lisa & Paul Perrault
With additional support from
T.J. Brown Landscape Contractors
Dr. Brian Melzian
Shamrock Electric
Charter Books
About the Artist
Sean Kenney is a renowned, award-winning artist who has been creating art wth LEGO bricks for over 15 years.
His multiple-award-winning traveling exhibitions have been touring globally since 2012, he has authored 9 acclaimed children’s books, and guest-judged the hit TV show LEGO MASTERS.























More Tours, Events & Exhibitions

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Coinciding with our exhibition “Richard Morris Hunt: In a New Light,” this guide-led tour of Newport's Island Cemetery will focus on the great Gilded Age architect's impact and presence in this historic burying ground.

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Grab your clubs for an unforgettable day on the greens at the Preservation Society’s Annual Golf Outing at Newport National Golf Club in Middletown, R.I., a challenging links-style course with views of the Atlantic Ocean and Sakonnet Passage.

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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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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
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June 1 - September 1, offered at 10 am, 12 pm & 2 pm

Inside “The Gilded Age” Tour
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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.

Iconic Trees of Newport II
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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.
SOLD OUT for in-person attendance. Virtual attendance is available.

Annual Plant Sale at Green Animals Topiary Garden
May 9 – 11, 2025
8:00am – 10:00am
Get your garden going or find nice springtime and Mother's Day gifts for friends and family! A variety of flowers, vegetables and specialty plants are available while supplies last.

Young Patron Event: “Rendez-Vous with the Roaring ’20s”
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6:00pm – 8:00pm
Our next Young Patron event invites guests to learn to dance – 1920s style!

Member Guide-led Landscape Tour of The Elms
May 15, 2025
11:00am
Learn the history behind The Elms gardens and grounds with Jim Donahue, Curator of Historic Landscapes.
SOLD OUT

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.

Richard Morris Hunt:
In a New Light
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This exhibition examines the mind, ambition and legacy of America’s Dean of Architecture, who shaped Gilded Age America not only through the buildings he created – including The Breakers and Marble House – but also through his ideas.

Member-Only Island Cemetery Tour
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10:00am
Coinciding with our exhibition “Richard Morris Hunt: In a New Light,” this guide-led tour of Newport's Island Cemetery will focus on the great Gilded Age architect's impact and presence in this historic burying ground.

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.

Member-Only Island Cemetery Tour
June 28, 2025
10:00am
Coinciding with our exhibition “Richard Morris Hunt: In a New Light,” this guide-led tour of Newport's Island Cemetery will focus on the great Gilded Age architect's impact and presence in this historic burying ground.

Annual Golf Outing
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12:00pm
Grab your clubs for an unforgettable day on the greens at the Preservation Society’s Annual Golf Outing at Newport National Golf Club in Middletown, R.I., a challenging links-style course with views of the Atlantic Ocean and Sakonnet Passage.

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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.

Beneath The Breakers Tour
Daily
10:00am
Explore the underground systems that made this great house a marvel of technology for its time.
June 1 - September 1, offered at 10 am & 2 pm

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.
June 1 - September 1, offered at 10 am, 12 pm & 2 pm

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.

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.
SOLD OUT for in-person attendance. Virtual attendance is available.

Annual Plant Sale at Green Animals Topiary Garden
May 9 – 11, 2025
8:00am – 10:00am
Get your garden going or find nice springtime and Mother's Day gifts for friends and family! A variety of flowers, vegetables and specialty plants are available while supplies last.

Young Patron Event: “Rendez-Vous with the Roaring ’20s”
May 10, 2025
6:00pm – 8:00pm
Our next Young Patron event invites guests to learn to dance – 1920s style!

Member Guide-led Landscape Tour of The Elms
May 15, 2025
11:00am
Learn the history behind The Elms gardens and grounds with Jim Donahue, Curator of Historic Landscapes.
SOLD OUT

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.

Richard Morris Hunt:
In a New Light
May 30 – November 2, 2025
This exhibition examines the mind, ambition and legacy of America’s Dean of Architecture, who shaped Gilded Age America not only through the buildings he created – including The Breakers and Marble House – but also through his ideas.

Member-Only Island Cemetery Tour
June 14, 2025
10:00am
Coinciding with our exhibition “Richard Morris Hunt: In a New Light,” this guide-led tour of Newport's Island Cemetery will focus on the great Gilded Age architect's impact and presence in this historic burying ground.

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.

Member-Only Island Cemetery Tour
June 28, 2025
10:00am
Coinciding with our exhibition “Richard Morris Hunt: In a New Light,” this guide-led tour of Newport's Island Cemetery will focus on the great Gilded Age architect's impact and presence in this historic burying ground.

Annual Golf Outing
August 25, 2025
12:00pm
Grab your clubs for an unforgettable day on the greens at the Preservation Society’s Annual Golf Outing at Newport National Golf Club in Middletown, R.I., a challenging links-style course with views of the Atlantic Ocean and Sakonnet Passage.

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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.