In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Preservation Society offering free general admission to Newport Mansions

NEWPORT, RI – Newport has some beautiful architecture. Here is your chance to experience some of it free of charge.

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and what would have been Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s 95th birthday, The Preservation Society of Newport County is offering free general admission to the Newport Mansions on Monday, January 15th.

The Breakers will be open to the public for self-guided tours 10am to 4pm. Rosecliff will be open for self-guided tours 10am to 3pm.

The Breakers at 44 Ochre Point Avenue is the grandest of Newport’s summer “cottages” and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family’s social and financial pre-eminence in the Gilded Age. It was completed in 1895 and has entertained presidents, royalty and guests from across the world.

Rosecliff at 548 Bellevue Avenue was completed in 1902 at a reported cost of $2.5 million for Nevada silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs, who used it to host many fabulous Gilded Age entertainments. Architect Stanford White modeled Rosecliff after the Grand Trianon, the garden retreat of French kings at Versailles.

According to the Preservation Society, scenes from several films have been shot on location at Rosecliff, including “The Great Gatsby,” “True Lies,” “Amistad” and “27 Dresses.” The front facade was shown during Season 1 of HBO’s “The Gilded Age,” but transported by special effects to a street in New York City.

Visitors are encouraged to download the Newport Mansions app to their smart device prior to arrival. Earbuds or headsets are encouraged.

Visit Newport Mansions web page for more information.