The National Museum of American Illustration is amazing, from the mansion that holds it, the…read moreoutdoor water effects and gardens and the great staff. The art inside is something you may never see again. You must stop if you are in Newport. The hours were confusing to me, so give a call or look at their web site to see when they are open. The art, all of it, on display is wonderful. Each piece is set perfectly, the lighting perfect and the story behind each piece is fascinating. If you are a Rockwell fan at all, you have to go here. You may think you know Rockwell's but I saw illustrations I had no idea existed, from the cute to the serious to the beauty of telling of a time in US history. The John Rogers sculptures are really something to see. This was my first time noticing his work and I just stood there in awe. Enjoy.

This is an art gallery pure and simple and is located in one of the more modest Newport "cottages"…read moreon Bellevue Ave. It just happens to feature art by "commercial" artists--specifically by Norman Rockwell, his predecessors, his protégés, and his contemporaries. You will not find any works that make you wonder about meaning or whether you are being kidded. No abstraction, no bold geometric designs, no blobs of paint, no pure blacks or reds. You are never in doubt about whether these artists possess real talent. These are all artists who made good money while they were alive! I liked it a lot and I'm glad we just happened upon it. In addition to finding a couple of dozen works by Rockwell, you will see landscapes, beautiful women, handsome men, a few portraits, some excellent caricatures, and a lot of art that became the covers of books and magazines. The gift shop has some impressive quality copies of the art that you can take home for a price. The only negatives I should mention is that no photography is allowed (copyright issues) and sometimes it is hard to read the captions in the darkened rooms. Treat yourself to a different genre of high quality art--this is worth a one to two hour visit.

Step back in…read more time The Jamestown Historical Society and Museum is located in a small but very cool 19th century schoolhouse that displays a variety of old maps, artifacts, photos and memorabilia from the old ferry system. Certainly not a large museum but themes and ideas are changed throughout the summer to keep things interesting. The island of Jamestown is very history conscious and the Historical Society is extremely active in giving lectures, demonstrations and special events. Even though the artifacts, photos and maps are fascinating, the main attraction are the people that work there. Most of them have lived on the island all their lives and have ancestors that farmed the fields and sailed the waters. They are a wealth of information and can answer of will find the answer to any possible question about the history of the island. Full of great stories of the past and humorous personal antidotes. Many people pass through Jamestown on the way to Newport or Boston but unfortunately not many take the time to stop on the island and even fewer take the time to visit the small and unassuming museum. That's too bad because on the island history is still alive and well and the past, present and future are inseparable. Step back in time

From the owner: Maintain the Museum, the Windmill, the Meetinghouse, and the Conanicut Battery. Preserve the…read moreSociety's collection of documents, photographs, and artifacts.

I was very impressed with the car collection and the staff. We were greeted by very friendly staff…read moreas soon as we entered the museum. Another staff member gave us a brief introduction and asked if we had any additional questions. We didn't, so we were free to wander and explore. We visited on a rainy day and there were many people also exploring the museum but it did not feel crowded. It is a spacious facility that allowed room for everyone to have a closer look. There was a very knowledgeable gentleman discretely walking around and greeting people. We asked him a few questions and he was a walking encyclopedia of car information! Overall, it was a very fun visit for people who love cars and their loved ones.

I had a pretty fun time stopping in here yesterday, I must admit. They were really friendly and…read morewelcoming at the front desk, and the women's restroom was nice and clean. I honestly stopped in here to take pics of the cars for my dad. But ended up enjoying walking around and looking at everything on display. It's not super big, it took me about 45 mins to walk through. But it was something fun to do on a hot day inside.

I don't wanna use the word Hidden jam because I feel like I've used it a lot especially In Rhode…read moreIsland. There's so many hidden things here and there that are in plain sight but you can't tell because there's trees and other beautiful things surrounding it. Came here with my husband for a tea event, and the grounds alone were breathtaking and relaxing. There is a trail that you can walk. There's also a gift shop and a pond and it's just also peaceful. Very serene view of mother nature I can see anybody being able to paint at this gorgeous peaceful area. You should definitely go online and see upcoming events. They have whiskey tasting gin tasting tea events if you like tea like I do, and even though I am more of a tequila person, I would definitely come for a whiskey tasting event. The pictures I took do not do it any justice as far as how beautiful the scenery is. When you get a chance, you should definitely come down here and might as well buy a family membership if you have a family so that you can come back more than once.

We enjoyed our visit there. There wasn't a tour guide, but we walked through the museum, which was…read morereally interesting and it was cool to see the painting of George Washington and more. The grounds are lovely but small. We looked in the mills and walk around the pond. It was $15 per person and we were there about 30-35 minutes. It was the house he was born in, not where he lived and worked, so it's a bit hard to image him there. But definitely worth spending an hour or so in nice weather.

Rough Point is one of the best museums in the US. It's completely under-rated and should be a first…read morestop in Newport. Sure the Breakers is the most over the top mansion from the outside, but many of the other Gilded Age Museum collections were put back together as they were abandoned for many years and lost the original furniture and art collections that were once in the home. Rough Point is exactly the way as Ms. Duke lived in it until her death in 1993. There staff on hand that constantly narrating the tour which is such a nice pus. They answer any questions you have and have many great stories of Ms Duke's eccentric and opulent lifestyle. This feels like you are in someone's home and get a sense of Ms Duke's life. As for the art, there are 17th century tapestries, substantial renaissance portrait paintings, Del Robbias and Falconer Louis XIV furniture. Placards in the solarium tell where Doris Duke would meet her guests like Jackie O. There is a costume section that feature outfits Ms. Duke wore in her fashionable days. You can see her bedroom just the way she left it. Her hair brushes alone were designed by Tiffany. Doris Duke was the richest woman in the world for most of the 20th Century. The tour is well organized with descriptive plaques giving both the history of each piece and context in Ms. Duke's life. The ocean view from the grounds are the best in Newport. You may want to come back on the same weekend. Best touring site in Newport for sure. Sent from my iPhone

I find the life of Doris Day to be pretty fascinating. This mansion is not part of the historical…read moremansions of Newport; it is operated and ticketed exclusively. While opulent, it was also lived-in and seemed the most storied of all of the other mansions. Doris lived a privileged and extravagant life. She was quirky and whimsical. Yet there was always a shadow of sadness looming over her, after the loss of her infant. She was a murderer and a victim. She was a privileged (and perhaps spoiled) woman and a philanthropist. She was a sinner and a saint. I felt empathy and compassion for her, but also a sentiment of annoyance, maybe? I'm not sure really. Mixed emotions. From the camels as pets to her affiliation with the Hari Krishna movement, Doris was as eccentric as all get-out. The house is stunning. I can't wait to visit Shangri-la when I am in Honolulu again. I am eager to see the Islamic decor there. The decor and fashion on display here is more mid-century modern in some rooms, classic in others, and seemed to be a mix of different styles. I am interested in learning more about this fascinating story of the Duke heiress.

Holy smokes, I was expecting the new money of Newport to bring art to this museum but I didn't…read moreexpect Dale Chihuly glassworks, Gilbert Stuart portraits, and a complete (temporary) exhibit of Georgia O'Keeffe's works. There is a lot of art to see in this converted home. Expect 90 minutes or so to properly appreciate what's on display in both buildings. [Review 18650 overall - 70 in Rhode Island - 2172 of 2022.]

I recently checked out this event at the Newport Art Museum with a few of my girlfriends and we had…read moresuch a fun night. It was the perfect excuse to get dressed up and try something new, with a twist of course... delicious cocktails. The Edgar Allan Poe experience itself was really well done. The actors were fantastic and fully committed to their roles. I loved the costumes and the dramatic personalities. It made the whole evening feel immersive without being over the top. I'm actually at the museum about once a month for meetings, so it was fun to see the space used in a completely different way. My only wish is that we had a little more time to wander and take in the current exhibits, because it's such a beautiful setting. My one real downside is parking. With the recent changes, it has become pretty difficult to find a spot that is easy to get in and out of, especially during a New England winter. Definitely something to plan ahead for. Overall, such a unique and memorable night. I would absolutely recommend grabbing your friends and checking this out if it comes back around.

The Marble House is another must-see in Newport. This is my number 2 among the three mansions I…read morevisited here (#1 is The Breakers and #3 is Rosecliff). I got the Breakers Plus 2 package. You'll see the grandeur and opulence in all the rooms. Some scenes from The Gilded Age were shot here (or were taken inspiration from here). Really beautiful and stunning. Again, bring your earphones or earbuds to enjoy the self-guided audio tour which you download on your mobile device.

21st September 2026 Bellevue…read moreNewport RI Cloudy 65°F Marble House was gifted to Alva Vanderbilt by her husband, William on her 39th birthday. Tremendous amount of imported marble, gold, carved mahogany wood paneled fixtures, walls. The construction took a few years. The HBO series GILDED AGE was filmed here, and if not, some of the mansion features were of influence. Definitely worth a tour of the cottages in Newport.

The Preservation Society of Newport County is a non-profit organization based in Newport, Rhode…read moreIsland and its top priority is the preservation and conservation of its historic houses and their collections. This work includes restoration of roofs and windows, conservation of fragile textiles, cleaning and restoration of valuable paintings and much more. At any given time, dozens of projects are underway. A visit to the Newport Mansions is a donation to The Preservation Society of Newport County. During the holiday season, The Breakers, Marble House, and The Elms welcome visitors with spectacular holiday displays so it was a great opportunity to visit. In addition to the house holiday display, there is an outdoor holiday display called Sparkling Lights at The Breakers from November 22 to December 29, 2024 on select evenings. Admission is only at 4 pm, 4:30 pm, 5 pm, 5:30 pm and 6 pm. Gates close at 6:30 pm and the house and grounds close at 8 pm. Timed admissions tickets can be purchased online at https://www.newportmansions.org/. Tickets include access to the lavishly decorated rooms inside the house during the same visit. About a week prior, I bought 2 tickets for December 20, 2024 at 6:00PM ($40.00 each) and I was really looking forward to it. However, there was a winter advisory and it was snowing on the day of. Driving conditions were unsafe. I was worried I was going to lose my money since the website indicated tickets may not be resold, non-transferrable, non-refundable, and cannot be used for a different date. I tried calling the Preservation Society of Newport County, but there were just prompts and I couldn't talk to a live person. I sent a direct message to @newport.mansions through Instagram and they responded promptly that I could receive a refund by emailing info@newportmansions.org. Gary Ruff, Associate Communications Manager, responded and instructed me with what information he needed to provide the refund. I was so appreciative. Thankfully, the snow cleared and temperature warmed up a bit so I bought 2 tickets for December 29, 2024 at 4:00PM ($40.00 each). All the decorated Christmas trees, the 15-foot-tall poinsettia tree, poinsettias, garlands, wreaths and fresh floral in the interior of The Breakers were beautiful and then walking through the lights and illuminated displays of the outdoor 13-acre landscape was just a cherry on the top. The Preservation Society of Newport County also partnered with Stoneacre Brasserie to offer holiday treats and adult beverages. Thank you to The Preservation Society of Newport County for everything you are doing to protect, preserve, and present an exceptional collection of house museums and landscapes.

The family (wife, 10 y/o son, 2 y/o daughter) were visiting Newport and looking fo some activities…read moreto do. I noticed that the Newport mansions were on every to-do list, with the Breakers being the top choice of many. I looked at their website as well as other reviews and saw that this may not be the best place for younger ones. I saw that no strollers were allowed and I didn't think a tour of an old mansion is something my 10 y/o would be interested in. So I decided to take a solo trip on a nice Friday morning while the rest of the family slept in late at the hotel. The Breakers opens at 10 AM. The visitors parking lot is on the corner of Ochre Point Avenue and Victoria Avenue. There are other lots nearby but read the signs as they are for other buildings...The parking lot had adequate space when I arrived at 10:15 or so, but by the time I was leaving at about 11:45 is was pretty packed with visitors having to park in the rear overflow lot. Once you reach the front gate of the Breakers mansion, there are COVID restriction and general rule signs. As you proceed you can go to the left to buy tickets, use the bathroom or enter their cafe. Tickets are about $26 for adults and $8 for children 6-17 years old. The cafe has a bunch of premade food items, drinks, snacks, premade sandwiches... and few seats with tables. There are some more seats and table just outside of the cafe. Before you enter the mansion, there are signs showing you how to use their self tour audio app. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND DOING THIS...AND BRING HEADPHONES. You download the Newport Mansions app from the App Store onto your Apple or Google device, select the mansion you are visiting and begin the tour. The audio tour was excellent and follows you through the tour route of the mansion. I enjoyed listening to all the interesting facts about each room via bluetooth earbuds while my hands were free to take photos with my camera. You only thing you will need to do is to advance (click the play button) the tour to the next room before entering. There are some interesting facts about the mansion as a whole and each individual room. You can also stay around longer in each area for additional facts, essentially lengthening the tour. Without the audio tour, you will have to fread the printed information sheet. You go through the main floor, upper floor and back down into the service area where the kitchen is. You then exit through the gift shop. The gift shop has lots of interesting items, which includes typical magnets, mugs and prints, but they also have some luxury items like platters and wine stoppers as well as a small jewelry section. You finally exit out onto the side of the mansion and are able to walk back around outside to the front where you entered. Before sure to walk through the opened gate to the right of the mansion which takes you through a small garden to the back. Here you can see the Cliff Walk path and the ocean. Overall, I had a great time...It was a lot more interesting than I thought it would be. The entire tour took just over an hour without listening to the extra information about each room. (During the tour, there are a few instances where you have to ascend/descend steps - I did NOT see any elevators - so you may want to call ahead to check if you cannot climb steps) Again, I highly recommend downloading the app and listening to the audio tour via headphones. It allows your eyes to focus on the beauty of the mansion instead of reading. Lastly, the mansion is right off of the Cliff Walk path...so be sure to make the short ride (or walk) north to Narragansett Avenue and visit the Forty Steps.

My boyfriend and I are on a quest to visit every library in Rhode Island, and even after years and…read moreyears of living in the surrounding area and performing with a theatre company in town, I have actually never been to the Jamestown Philomenian Library up until yesterday! And what a mistake it was to stay away for so long! This library is smaller than some of the other ones we have visited around the state, but does not lack in charm or comfort at all. Step inside, and you'll find an ample selection of literature, lots of DVDs, and tons of community meeting space, from private conference rooms to a larger room that's used for everything from guest speakers to movie screenings (they're free! We'll be back for one soon!) There are also lots of cozy chairs to sit in and read, which is a perfect refuge for a cold island night. I could have stayed here all day! Pro tip! If you have the Ocean State Library Card, you can take out books from any of the libraries in the network, not just the one you got the card from. I learned this way too late after getting mine, and I'm glad the kind librarian here set the record straight! I ended up leaving with a stack of novels, and the greatest foodie movie of all time, Chef, on DVD. Hey, I'm a Yelper at heart, what can I say?

What exactly is a…read more Philomenian? The library on the island of Jamestown is officially called the Jamestown Philomenian Library. Everyone knows what a library is but what the hell is a Philomenian? Don't bother looking it up in a dictionary because you won't find it. That's because the word doesn't mean anything. Philomenian is a word that doesn't really exist. It seems in times past people in eccentric places like islands use to enjoy making up words to describe their organizations to distinguish themselves from other equally bizarre organizations. They wanted to sound unique and you can't get any more unique than making up your own words. In the early 1800's a group of fellows on Jamestown wanted to start a debating club. So I suppose they had a debate and decided to called themselves the Jamestown Philomenian Debating Society. A few decades later they decided the island needed a library so they each donated one dollar and started what was called the Jamestown Philomenian Library. The fact that philomenian wasn't a word didn't seem to bother anyone. At first the library was just some books kept in people's houses. Very casual and unorganized. Finally in 1971 a building was built to house the books and in 1993 it was enlarged and modernized but still kept the name Jamestown Philomenian Library. Once again no one seem to mind the library has a word in it's name that doesn't really exist. The library today is actually quite large and modern considering the small amount of people it serves. However it never lost it's friendly, idiosyncratic and eccentric island charm. It not only serves as storage for tomes but also contains the Sydney Wright Museum with some cool artifacts and several meeting rooms that have various art exhibitions, story times for kids and some very cool concerts with local talent. A friendly place not just for books, but it also serves the purpose for interacting and socializing with neighbors. Certainly not the largest or technologically advance library in the state but then that's part of the charm. The fact that the library has a word in it's name that doesn't really exist suits it quite well.