* Newport History Tours *

See Newport the way George Washington experienced it in 1781 with the Newport History Tours. Stroll through exquisitely preserved living neighborhoods; feel transported back to the heyday of this thriving colonial metropolis. Hear stories of revolution and ruin, struggles for religious liberty, and remarkable entrepreneurship among Newport’s diverse people.

The Newport Historical Society and the Newport Restoration Foundation are your sources for Authentic Newport history. These not-for-profit educational institutions have served for decades as custodians of Newport’s history and architectural landmarks. Join expert guides as we open wide the doors of history and invite you to explore Newport’s central place in American history.

Summer Tour Schedule: June 14 - September 1

Monday
11:00 am Discover Colonial Newport

Thursday
11:00am Discover Colonial Newport
3:00 pm Pirates and Scoundrels
5:30 pm Rum and Revolution

Friday
11:00am Discover Colonial Newport
3:00 pm Newport's Buried History
5:30 pm Rum and Revolution

Saturday
11:00am Discover Colonial Newport
3:00 pm Tastes of the Working Waterfront

Friday
11:00am Discover Colonial Newport
3:00 pm Newport's Buried History
5:30 pm Rum and Revolution

Saturday
11:00am Discover Colonial Newport
3:00 pm Tastes of the Working Waterfront

Discover Colonial Newport Inside and Out
Discover the remarkable story of early Newport - and its central role in American history - on a stroll through Historic Hill. Find out who and what made colonial Newport so unusual and why they built mansions here. This introduction to Newport history also goes into the Friends Meeting House. Tickets also sold at Gateway Visitors Center.

Newport's Buried History: Slavery and Freedom
See what investigations in the attic of the Wanton Lyman Hazard House (c1697) have revealed about the lives of enslaved Newporters. Hear inspirational stories about Newport's people of
color on a walk through colonial neighborhoods. Tour a burial ground featuring beautiful and unusual gravestones made in memory of African men, women and children in the 1700s.

Old House ABCs
Learn the ABCs of architecture in one of the best-preserved cities in the country. Starting with a visit inside the 1699 Friends Meeting House and ending amid the Victorian splendor of lower Bellevue Avenue, this interactive walking tour features 300 years of architectural gems. Learn to identify styles and date houses, spot interesting building elements, and pick up preservation techniques to apply to your own house or community.

Pirates and Scoundrels
See where notorious scoundrels were put on trial and punished, and find out why this colony was sometimes known as "Rogue's Island." Hear memorable stories of Newport's swashbuckling past on a tour inside the Colony House and through the Point neighborhood.

Rum and Revolution
Be entertained and informed on this interactive tour whichs covers a 300-year history of drinking. Colonial taverns were centers of politics, travel and news. Newporters have gotten drunk - and
very rich - on rum over the centuries, a critical aspect of the seaport’s history. Through jovial, authentic history-telling, learn about the changing role of alcohol in our culture.

Tastes of the Working Waterfront
Taste, touch and smell your way through history on this tour of the Lower Thames Street neighborhood. Chocolate, spices, and rum flavored old Newport’s kitchens and commerce. Explore the wharves where these goods were made and traded, while hearing lively stories about sailors & boatbuilders, smugglers & merchants, and working women & immigrant families.
Departs from the NRF Museum Store, 415 Thames Street. Tickets also sold here for this tour.

Walking Tour Tickets & Details

Tickets: Sold at the Brick Market Museum, 127 Thames Street, (401) 841-8770

Tickets for the Discover Colonial Newport tour also sold at the Gateway Visitors’ Center,
23 America’s Cup Ave, Newport.

Departure Point: Brick Market Museum, 127 Thames Street
Tastes of the Working Waterfront tour departs from the NRF Store at 415 Thames St.

Exhibits offer an engaging introduction to Newport from the 1600s through the Gilded Age. Browse the shop, buy tour tickets, & view the special exhibit “Wish You Were Here: Souvenirs from the Collections of the Newport Historical Society.” Suggested donation.

Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday: 11:00am - last tour starts at 1:30 pm
Sep 2 - Nov 10 open Saturdays only

At the top of Washington Square
View the landmark Colony House, built in 1739 to house RI government meetings. Main floor is open for free viewing. Tours depart every ½ hour to view the upstairs legislative chambers or the
Wanton Lyman Hazard House (c.1697) or the Friends Meeting House (1699). $5 /adult; $3 /child; Free/NHS member

Whitehorne House: The Doris Duke Collection of 18th Century Newport Furniture

See a stunning collection of 18th-century Newport furniture displayed in a Federal-period mansion along Newport’s waterfront. Guided tours on the hour. Open until Oct. 31. $10/adult; $4/child.

Monday - Saturday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm [9/1 - 12/31: closed Tue &Wed]
Sunday 12:00 pm- 5:00 pm

Ingrid Peters
Director of Education
Newport Historical Society
(401) 846-0813 x 102
ipeters@newporthistorical.org

Lisa Dady
Director of Education & Public Programs
Newport Restoration Foundation
(401) 324-6090
lisa@newportrestoration.org

Walking Tour Tickets & Details Tickets: Sold at the Brick Market Museum, 127 Thames Street, (401) 841-8770

Walking Tour Tickets & Details

Tickets: Sold at the Brick Market Museum, 127 Thames Street, (401) 841-8770