Things to do in Newport, Rhode Island (RI): The Best Specialty Museums

The Breakers is the grandest of Newport's summer "cottages" and a symbol of the Vanderbilt family's social and financial preeminence in turn of the century America. Commodore Cornelius Vanderbilt established the family fortune in steamships and later in the New York Central Railroad, which was a pivotal development in the industrial growth of the nation during the late 19th century. The Commodore's grandson, Cornelius Vanderbilt II, became Chairman and President of the New York Central Railroad system in 1885, and purchased a wooden house called The Breakers in Newport during that same year. In 1893, he commissioned architect Richard Morris Hunt to design a villa to replace the earlier wood-framed house which was destroyed by fire the previous year. Hunt directed an international team of craftsmen and artisans to create a 70 room Italian Renaissance- style palazzo inspired by the 16th century palaces of Genoa and Turin. Allard and Sons of Paris assisted Hunt with furnishings and fixtures, Austro-American sculptor Karl Bitter designed relief sculpture, and Boston architect Ogden Codman decorated the family quarters.

Commissioned by Nevada silver heiress Theresa Fair Oelrichs in 1899, architect Stanford White modeled Rosecliff after the Grand Trianon, the garden retreat of French kings at Versailles. After the house was completed in 1902, at a reported cost of $2.5 million, Mrs. Oelrichs hosted fabulous entertainments here, including a fairy tale dinner and a party featuring famed magician Harry Houdini.

With more than 2,000 unique objects on display, from racquets, to attire, to trophies, as well as a variety of interactive exhibits, there is something for everyone inside the walls of the International Tennis Hall of Fame museum.

“More of an Art Museum than a Car Museum,” we celebrate the Machine Age, when art and automobiles came together. With access to more than 200 of the most remarkable and rare vehicles ever made, the Museum takes pride in its ability to display automobiles from 1899 to modern day. Vehicles are chosen specifically and showcased based on ever-changing exhibition themes. By displaying 15-20 cars at a time, the Museum gives patrons and enthusiasts of all ages a completely unique experience with each visit. "Preserving Newport's History One Car At A Time."

The Newport Art Museum's collections and exhibitions reflect Rhode Island's rich cultural heritage and lively contemporary art scene. We are the only museum to focus on the art and artists of Rhode Island, both historic and contemporary. The Museum is housed in the John N.A. Griswold House and the Cushing Gallery. Home for the Museum since 1916, the Griswold House is a National Historic Landmark and an Official Project of Save America’s Treasures. Designed in 1862 by architect Richard Morris Hunt, it was completed in 1864 for John N.A. Griswold, a China trade merchant and financier, and his wife Jane. Griswold House was Hunt’s first major commission in Newport and is the premier example of American Stick Style architecture. Hunt went on to design many of the grand cottages of Newport’s Gilded Age, including The Breakers, Marble House, and Ochre Court. To honor artist Howard Gardiner Cushing, an early member of the Newport Art Association, the Association erected the Cushing Gallery in 1920.The Newport Art Museum is one of only 5% of American museums to be fully accredited by the American Association of Museums.

Boating enthusiasts will be impressed by the museum's collection of yachts, plus exhibits and artifacts that interpret the history of the sport.