The Breakers Family Tour
The Family Tour is narrated by The Breakers itself! You’ll also hear from family members and staff, as well as fanciful creatures like the friendly dolphin hiding under the grand staircase and the dragons in the Dining Room. Experience a summer day in the life of one of the Vanderbilt children and learn about Monsieur Le Chef and his colleague, The Butler. This tour brings the house, its furnishings and even its sculpture to life!
What you need to know
Newport, RI 02840
The Family Tour is narrated by The Breakers itself! You’ll also hear from family members and staff, as well as fanciful creatures like the friendly dolphin hiding under the grand staircase and the dragons in the Dining Room. Experience a summer day in the life of one of the Vanderbilt children and learn about Monsieur Le Chef and his colleague, The Butler. This tour brings the house, its furnishings and even its sculpture to life!
More Tours, Events & Exhibitions
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
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.
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.
Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival
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.
The Breakers Third Floor Preservation in Progress Tour
Daily
2:00pm
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.
Lifting the Curtain: Behind the Scenes of Museum Work
January 23 – April 10, 2025
11:00am – 12:30pm
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.
Exclusive Experiences Online Auction
March 23 – 30, 2025
Bid on any of 22 once-in-a-lifetime experiences with the Newport Mansions and our auction partners.
Conservation Studio Tour
March 27, 2025
11:00am – 12:30pm
Enjoy a rare behind-the-scenes look at our conservation studio and the important work that happens there.
SOLD OUT
Newport through a New Lens: Treasures of Photography at the Preservation Society
March 27, 2025
6:00pm – 7:00pm
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.
Waltz into the Past
March 28, 2025
6:00pm – 8:30pm
Learn to waltz from professional instructors in the perfect Gilded Age setting of Rosecliff's ballroom.
SOLD OUT
The Newport Piccolo Simposio: Italian Influence in Newport
April 3, 2025
8:30am – 4:00pm
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.
SOLD OUT for in-person attendance. Registration for remote virtual attendance is still available.
Behind the Boiserie: An Intimate Exploration of the Ladies Reception Room at The Breakers
April 9, 2025
11:00am – 12:00pm
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.
Iconic Wardrobe of “The Great Gatsby”
April 10, 2025
11:00am – 12:15pm
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
Conserving The Breakers: Exploring the Furniture of A.H. Davenport
April 18, 2025
11:00am – 12:00pm
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.
SOLD OUT
French Inspiration and American Ambition: The Architectural Practice of Richard Morris Hunt at Marble House
April 25, 2025
11:00am – 12:00pm
The guided tour of Marble House will illuminate the French influences that architect Richard Morris Hunt incorporated throughout the mansion.
SOLD OUT
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.
Prepping Your Flower Beds
May 3, 2025
10:00am – 11:00am
Learn tips and tricks from the Preservation Society's Director of Gardens & Landscapes to help you prepare your garden beds for a successful growing season.
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
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.
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.
Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival
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.
The Breakers Third Floor Preservation in Progress Tour
Daily
2:00pm
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.
Lifting the Curtain: Behind the Scenes of Museum Work
January 23 – April 10, 2025
11:00am – 12:30pm
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.
Exclusive Experiences Online Auction
March 23 – 30, 2025
Bid on any of 22 once-in-a-lifetime experiences with the Newport Mansions and our auction partners.
Conservation Studio Tour
March 27, 2025
11:00am – 12:30pm
Enjoy a rare behind-the-scenes look at our conservation studio and the important work that happens there.
SOLD OUT
Newport through a New Lens: Treasures of Photography at the Preservation Society
March 27, 2025
6:00pm – 7:00pm
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.
Waltz into the Past
March 28, 2025
6:00pm – 8:30pm
Learn to waltz from professional instructors in the perfect Gilded Age setting of Rosecliff's ballroom.
SOLD OUT
The Newport Piccolo Simposio: Italian Influence in Newport
April 3, 2025
8:30am – 4:00pm
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.
SOLD OUT for in-person attendance. Registration for remote virtual attendance is still available.
Behind the Boiserie: An Intimate Exploration of the Ladies Reception Room at The Breakers
April 9, 2025
11:00am – 12:00pm
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.
Iconic Wardrobe of “The Great Gatsby”
April 10, 2025
11:00am – 12:15pm
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
Conserving The Breakers: Exploring the Furniture of A.H. Davenport
April 18, 2025
11:00am – 12:00pm
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.
SOLD OUT
French Inspiration and American Ambition: The Architectural Practice of Richard Morris Hunt at Marble House
April 25, 2025
11:00am – 12:00pm
The guided tour of Marble House will illuminate the French influences that architect Richard Morris Hunt incorporated throughout the mansion.
SOLD OUT
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.
Prepping Your Flower Beds
May 3, 2025
10:00am – 11:00am
Learn tips and tricks from the Preservation Society's Director of Gardens & Landscapes to help you prepare your garden beds for a successful growing season.
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
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.
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.
Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival
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.
