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To Preserve
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About the Newport Restoration Foundation

NRF is a nonprofit organization founded by Doris Duke in 1968 to protect and preserve the unique architectural and cultural heritage of Newport. Our multi-faceted approach to historic preservation centers on sustainability, adaptability, and resiliency as outcomes of our initiatives in preservation trades training, shaping urban environments, and collaborative community storytelling.

Our
Houses

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 collections 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 Maps Section

Preservation Properties

Following Doris Duke’s impulse to “preserve and restore,” NRF has restored over 100 buildings over the course of nearly six decades—shaping the cityscape of Newport and how we experience the city today. 

Museum
Store

Visit the NRF Museum Store and browse our selection inspired by items from the collections, the life of Doris Duke, and more.

BROWSE STORE

Featured
Events

Browse Calendar of Events
Kid-Friendly
Internal sign asking visitors to "Please pick up" the 3d, scale model of the Jadeite Guanyin
May17
Sensory-Friendly Hour
Join us for sensory-friendly mornings at Rough Point Museum! These mornings are designed for people with sensory processing sensitivities and their families to visit the museum and grounds in a quieter environment before Rough Point is open to the public.
Kid-Friendly
Internal sign asking visitors to "Please pick up" the 3d, scale model of the Jadeite Guanyin
May31
Sensory-Friendly Hour
Join us for sensory-friendly mornings at Rough Point Museum! These mornings are designed for people with sensory processing sensitivities and their families to visit the museum and grounds in a quieter environment before Rough Point is open to the public.
Community Event
Jun7
The Canine Couture Show
The Canine Couture Show returns this summer after a “paws” with a new style, but the same fun! Join us and our community partner The Potter League for Animals for a dog fashion show inspired by Doris Duke at “Ruff” Point. We will have a photo booth for your pup to pose and treats for all. There will be pet-related vendors onsite to peruse and shop. NRF founder Doris Duke was a supporter of animal well-being and she lived with dogs, cats, and camels(!) at her homes. Many of her pets were adopted from the Potter League for Animals.
Telling Stories: Guided Tours
Jun12
Fashioning Doris Duke: Inside the Fashion Collection at Rough Point
This tour will give you a look inside the ongoing restoration project at Rough Point—including spaces like the East Wing that are currently not open to the public. Learn about NRF’s preservation plan for Doris Duke’s 130+ year-old Newport home and how this work is part of our greater stewardship of the more than 80 historic sites in our care.

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