Newport Mansions See Record Growth, Schedule and Program Expansion To Come

Attendance in 2012 topped 880,000.

After completing 2012 with the best attendance in a decade, The Preservation Society of Newport County announced a number of enhanced offerings for 2013, including plans to open more of the Newport Mansions earlier and keep them open longer. Reflecting their popularity with a global audience, admissions to the Newport Mansions grew by 86,000 to a total of 883,000 in 2012. This one-year increase of 11 percent, the strongest on record, follows the investment of over $1 million in four new tours over the last four years. These include adult and youth audio tours at The Breakers, an audio tour at Rosecliff, and the Servant Life Tour at The Elms. An experiment in starting the spring season two weeks earlier in 2012 jump-started the growth. …

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Preservation Society Wins $500K Grant for Fellows Program

The grant will support the a Fellows program that will bring emerging scholars to Newport to conduct research.

The Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island has won a $500,000 Challenge Grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) to support the creation of a Fellows Program, bringing emerging scholars to Newport to conduct research that will create a better understanding of Newport's history and the Preservation Society's collections. The grant application process was highly competitive: only 15 of 99 applicants nationwide were funded, and the Preservation Society's proposal received "excellent" ratings from all five independent reviewers--the highest possible.  In a letter of support addressed to the NEH, Congressman David Cicilline called the Preservation Society "an invaluable resource to our community."  Also writing a…

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59th Winter Antiques Show Celebrates The Preservation Society of Newport County

Special Exhibition Newport: The Glamour of Ornament Features Fine and Decorative Art from Eight Historic Newport Mansions

The Winter Antiques Show’s 2013 loan exhibition will celebrate The Preservation Society of Newport County. Newport: The Glamour of Ornament showcases fine and decorative art from eight of the historic Newport Mansions: The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms, Rosecliff, Chateau-sur-Mer, Kingscote, Hunter House, and Chepstow. The exhibition will be on view during the run of the Winter Antiques Show, January 25-February 3, 2013, at the Park Avenue Armory. The Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island, created in 1945, is a non-profit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes, and decorative arts. The Preservation Society’s 11 …

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Celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse to Appear at Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival This Fall

Emeril Lagasse will headline the Grand Tasting at Marble House on Sept. 23.

Restaurateur, cookbook author, and national TV personality Chef Emeril Lagasse will make his first-ever appearance at the Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival this September, headlining the popular Grand Tasting at Marble House on Sunday, September 23. “Newport is an amazing place that I’m very fond of. What an exciting opportunity to be a part of the festival and  cook in such a spectacular setting as Marble House,” said Chef Lagasse. The 7th annual Newport Mansions Wine & Food Festival begins Friday, September 21 and runs through Sunday, September 23, featuring more than 100 of the world’s finest vintners and some of the region’s best restaurants and caterers.  Sponsored by FOOD & WINE magazine, the Festival takes place in one of …

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Preservation Society Begins Newport Historic Urban Plan Project

A $6,000 grand will provide funding for the initial research.

The Preservation Society of Newport County has begun the extensive research needed to create an online, interactive map that will trace the development of Newport from its initial settlement in 1638 to the present day. The initial research phase of the project is funded by a $6,000 grant from Newport resident Elizabeth Prince de Ramel and a $5,000 grant from the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities (RICH). The Newport Historic Urban Plan Project will create a map that will be searchable chronologically or geographically, and will include links to additional information about Newport’s social, political, economic, cultural and architectural/archaeological history.  The goal of the project is to engage the public in a continuing …

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5 Things To Know Today

Thursday: MLKCC Annual Meeting and Preservation Society Lecture

A look at what's happening in and around Newport today.

The Preservation Society of Newport County will present the lecture “Highlights from the Preservation Society Archives” at 11 a.m. at the Preservation Society offices. Collections Manager Miranda Peters will present a collection of archival prints, drawings, photographs, and more, including photos from the constructions of The Breakers, rare views of The Elms gardens, and photos from the filming of The Great Gatsby. Admission is free for society members and $5 for non-members. The Newport Historical Society will host a Winter Library Workshop at its Touro Street location from 1 to 2 p.m. The workshop will teach people how to research the history of their home, neighborhood, family or other Newport interest using the Newport Historical …

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One Final Chance to Enjoy Newport Mansions' Holiday Display

The Preservation Society's Christmas celebration ends today.

Now that we're into the New Year, The Preservation Society of Newport County is wrapping up its Christmas celebration at the Newport mansions. If you were too busy this season to see these beautiful displays, you've got one last chance today. The Breakers, the Elms and the Marble House are all open through 5 p.m. for one final viewing of the the dazzling holiday decor. The Breakers opens at 9 a.m., The Elms and Marble House at 10 a.m. The last tour admission is at 4 p.m., with the grounds and houses closing at 5. Admission to all three mansions is $28 for adults, $9 for children ages 6 to 17. A trip to just The Breakers is $19.50, $5.50 for children. Cost is $14.50 for adults, $5.50 for children, for the other two homes. Don't miss this …

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The Breakers Wins National 'This Place Matters' Grant

The Breakers mansion beat out 99 other organizations.

The Providence Business News is reporting that thanks to thousands of votes and widespread community support, the Breakers won first firze in the This Place Matters national contest. The society will receive a $25,000 cash prize. “What is so gratifying to me is that the Breakers won as the place that matters most,” Trudy Coxe, executive director and CEO of the Preservation Society of Newport County, said to the Business News. “People do care a lot about preservation and historic buildings.” Although the national preservation society announced that 80,000 votes were cast, they did not reveal the number of votes the Breakers received. See the complete pbn.com store here.

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Sandra J. Flowers, PhD

9:00 am on Friday, July 15, 2011

This is great news not only for the Preservation Society of Newport County, but also for our city and all who are invested in promoting our great history. Congratulations!   more ›