UPCOMING EVENT
The Breakers Great Hall, designed 1892 by Richard Morris Hunt
The Newport Piccolo Simposio: Italian Influence in Newport
April 3, 2025 from 8:30am–4pm (EST)
Zoom Tickets: $25
The Preservation Society is excited to bring back the Newport Symposium after a 5-year hiatus. Piccolo Simposio (Italian for “little symposium”) will be a daylong immersion into Italian art and design in Gilded Age Newport, and their continuing influence today. From Chateau-sur-Mer to The Elms to The Breakers and beyond, the Gilded Age elite were enamored with Italian or Italian-inspired architecture, interiors, landscapes and art. Join a panel of experts as they examine this many-faceted topic.
While in-person attendance for this program is sold out, you can join the waitlist by emailing [email protected] or secure your spot for the live online event by purchasing Zoom tickets today.
To learn more and register, click here.
ONGOING SERIES
Winter Program Series: Lifting the Curtain: Behind the Scenes of Museum Work
January 23 – April 10, 2025
Tickets: $25 Non-Member Adult; $20 Member Adult
With 11 historic properties under its care, The Preservation Society of Newport County is constantly working behind the scenes to safeguard history—work that often goes unseen by the public. Until now!
This winter, we invite you to join our small, intimate programs and tours for a rare glimpse into ongoing research and restoration projects. Engage directly with curators, conservators, and researchers as they share insights into the Society’s collections and preservation efforts. Topics range from architecture and interiors to the depiction of Gilded Age women in art.
The series begins on February 6 with Chief Curator’s Choice, an in-person and online talk by Director of Museum Affairs and Chief Curator Leslie Jones, highlighting current preservation work across the Society’s properties.
Space is limited, so reserve your tickets today!
To view the full list of programs, click here.
NEWS
We are proud to announce that The Celestial City: Newport and China, groundbreaking exhibition at Rosecliff from September 2023 to February 2024, has been honored by the American Association for State and Local History with its Award of Excellence.
The exhibition and accompanying programming shed light on a little-known aspect of Newport’s history: the contributions of Chinese and Chinese American individuals to life in Newport from the 18th century through the Gilded Age.
This prestigious award is a tribute to the thorough and thoughtful work of our Curator of Collections, Dr. Nicole Williams, and staff researchers who uncovered information and stories that had been untold for decades. Bravo!
To learn more about this exhibition, click here.
The Preservation Society of Newport County, Rhode Island, is a nonprofit organization accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. It is dedicated to preserving and interpreting the area’s historic architecture, landscapes, decorative arts and social history. Its 11 historic properties – seven of them National Historic Landmarks–span more than 250 years of American architectural and social development.
