Plan a Visit
The Newport Restoration Foundation’s collection of historic buildings tell unique parts of the Newport story — from a thriving port-city reliant on the trans-Atlantic trade, to a depressed former economic-center, to the site of urban renewal projects and historic preservation efforts, to the modern, vibrant city today.
Rough Point Museum
Rough Point Museum was the Newport home of heiress, collector, and philanthropist Doris Duke (1912-1993). Explore Doris Duke’s life and legacy, her collection of art, and the work of the Newport Restoration Foundation.
Vernon House
The William Vernon House (circa 1708 & 1760) is one of the most historically significant buildings in Newport, Rhode Island. The house is connected to many integral stories from Newport’s history and today is a venue for contemporary storytelling and conversations.
Preservation Properties
Inspired by Doris Duke’s vision for preserving and restoring Newport’s cultural heritage, the Newport Restoration Foundation has restored nearly 100 historic properties on Aquidneck Island over the course of six decades. Today, these properties are lived in by tenant-stewards and maintained by a full-time preservation crew of carpenters, millworkers, and painters.
Rough Point Museum
680 Bellevue Avenue
Newport, RI
401–847–8344
visit@newportrestoration.org
Parking is available onsite. The house is air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible.
Accessibility
Rough Point Museum has an accessible entrance and an elevator to access the second floor.
Getting to Rough Point Museum
We encourage you to take public transportation to visit the museum (from May through October, there is a free hop-on hop-off service for Route 67).
Newport is very bikeable, and there are bike racks onsite.
There is limited parking available onsite with designated accessible parking spaces. If arriving by car, we recommend parking at the Newport Gateway Center (23 America’s Cup Ave.) and then riding the free hop-on, hop-off Route 67 Trolley to get to Rough Point.
Self Guided
Get the Mobile Guide before you go! Download here or search “Newport Restoration Foundation” in the App Store or on the Play Store to download.
Please bring your own headphones if you would like to access digital content onsite.
FAQ
What does a ticket to Rough Point Museum include?
Do tickets need to be purchased in advance?
Is there a tour or is the museum self-guided?
Rough Point Museum is a self-guided experience. With the “Newport Restoration Foundation” app, visitors can use the interactive map to find out more about the rooms, collections, and people of Rough Point. Watch behind-the-scenes videos related to the caretaking of the collections, virtually step inside spaces not on the tour path, and encounter special object highlights. Please bring your own headphones if you would like to access digital content onsite.
Get the Mobile Guide before you go! Download here or search “Newport Restoration Foundation” in the App Store or on the Play Store to download.
2024 Operating Schedule
(subject to change)
Tuesdays-Fridays: 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM
Saturdays-Sundays:
10:00 AM- 5:00 PM
Museum Tickets
General Admission:$20.00
Students with ID: $10.00
Children 12 & under: Free
Free for Newport County Residents
Rough Point is a Blue Star
Museum.
Vernon House
46 Clarke St
Newport, RI
401–847–8344
visit@newportrestoration.org
Parking is available onsite. The house is air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible.
Accessibility
Vernon House is an old building, and has uneven flooring. The second floor is only accessible via stairs. There is a virtual tour onsite to help explore the second and third floors.
Getting to Vernon House:
We encourage you to take public transportation to visit the house (during the summer there is a free hop-on hop-off service for Route 67).
Municipal parking is available on Mary Street and Touro Court.
There is one priority accessible parking space available onsite. Please contact us at visit@newportrestoration.org if you need access to the space.
2024 Operating Schedule
(subject to change)
Vernon House is open
seasonally for special
exhibitions. For more
information, email
visit@newportrestoration.org
Perservation Properties
Newport, RI
401–847–8344
visit@newportrestoration.org
Parking is available onsite. The house is air-conditioned and wheelchair accessible.
Accessibility
Our preservation properties are located across the city of Newport, with many of the houses located in Historic Hill and the Point neighborhoods. Traveling between them requires using uneven sidewalks, street crossings, and more.
Parking
Municipal parking lots are available across the city. We encourage you to use public transportation, and then explore on foot.
2023 Operating Schedule
(subject to change)
Mon: Closed
Tues – Sun: 10am – 5pm
Museum Tickets
(Spring-mid-November)
General Admission: $20.00
Students with ID: $10.00
Children 12 & under: Free
Rough Point is a
Blue Star Museum.
Additional Links
Group Tours
Calendar of Events