
The Breakers Third Floor Preservation in Progress Tour
Buy Tickets Buy Member TicketsThe Breakers Third Floor Preservation in Progress Tour is a limited, guide-led experience of private bedrooms, bathrooms and recreational spaces used by the Vanderbilt family and household staff for more than a century.
But it’s also much more than that. Visitors will witness preservation work in action, as the research, planning and physical work to restore these spaces is taking place right now. You’ll see floors and walls that have been restored and others that have been left untouched to show the effects of time and the elements. You’ll see décor from the 1890s, 1940s and later, reflecting the family’s changing uses of the third floor. This is a much different experience than the standard Breakers tour, and we hope guests will appreciate the Vanderbilt family legacy like never before.
Preservation Society members: To receive your discount, click on the “Buy Member Tickets” button, log in to your account, then select the “Member Login” tab.
What you need to know
Newport, RI 02840
- Maximum of 10 people per tour.
- Please have your ticket scanned in The Breakers entrance foyer. The tour begins in the Gentlemen's Reception Room nearby.
- To receive the membership discount, members must log in at www.newportmansions.org as a member or call (401) 847-1000, ext. 111.
- Tour is approximately 1 hour long.
- $25 Non-member, adult
- $20 Preservation Society member, adult
- $10 Youth ages 6-12
Please note
The Breakers Third Floor Preservation in Progress Tour is a limited, guide-led experience of private bedrooms, bathrooms and recreational spaces used by the Vanderbilt family and household staff for more than a century.
But it’s also much more than that. Visitors will witness preservation work in action, as the research, planning and physical work to restore these spaces is taking place right now. You’ll see floors and walls that have been restored and others that have been left untouched to show the effects of time and the elements. You’ll see décor from the 1890s, 1940s and later, reflecting the family’s changing uses of the third floor. This is a much different experience than the standard Breakers tour, and we hope guests will appreciate the Vanderbilt family legacy like never before.
Preservation Society members: To receive your discount, click on the “Buy Member Tickets” button, log in to your account, then select the “Member Login” tab.
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
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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.