The Museum is open Wednesday - Saturday 11 - 4, Sunday 12 - 4.
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Founded in 1912, the Newport Art Museum is one of the oldest continuously operating and most highly regarded art museums and schools of its kind in the country.
The Newport Art Museum’s collection consists of approximately 3,000 works of art in a range of media including works on paper (prints, drawings, watercolors, and photographs), paintings, sculptures, decorative arts, installation works, and textiles and is expanding to include new media. Concentrated on American art and contemporary art, the Museum’s collection includes works of art from the 18th century to present.
As a valued Newport Art Museum member you're entitled to free admission, are invited to members' only events and exhibition tours, receive discounts on Museum School class tuition and public program tickets, and will be supporting the Museum's mission to share a diversity of art and experiences to our Newport community and beyond.
By supporting the Newport Art Museum Annual Fund at any level, you help make a positive difference in the lives of many. Our exhibitions, public programs, education, and community outreach, which includes a diversity of artistic voices, would not be possible without you. Help the Newport Art Museum continue to spark reflection, inspiration, discovery and build lasting connections by making your tax-deductible contribution today. We thank you for believing in the transformative power of art and allowing us to make art accessible to all for generations to come. Help the Newport Art Museum continue to spark reflection, inspiration, discovery, and build connections by making your tax-deductible contribution TODAY!
Are you a business owner who is looking for new ways to engage and connect with local Newport customers on a year round basis? We have the perfect opportunity. Sponsor a Newport tradition - The Newport Art Museum - Make NAM part of your marketing plan in 2025. We have an array of events and exhibits to offer you. Our first exciting event is the 2025 Winter Speaker Series in its 97th Year.
Founded in 1912 as the Art Association of Newport, the Newport Art Museum traces its roots back to a collective of ardent cultural supporters, including patron and sculptor, Gertrude Vanderbilt Whitney; Pulitzer-Prize-winning author, Maud Howe Elliott, and artist and educator, Helana Sturtevant… Their shared vision sought to champion the arts for public enjoyment and established the foundation for our artist-centric ethos.
Housed in the historic John N.A. Griswold House, designed by renowned architect Richard Morris Hunt in 1864 and acquired by the Art Association in 1915, the Museum has been a hub for lectures, art classes, and exhibitions for well over a century.
In 1919, the Museum’s campus expanded with the construction of the Cushing Building, designed in the Beaux Arts style by architects Delano & Aldrich. Within this building is the Cushing Memorial Gallery, dedicated to the works of American artist Howard Gardiner Cushing as a lasting tribute to his memory and legacy. In the adjacent rooms, a dynamic rotation of exhibitions showcase work by some of the most engaging and thought provoking artists of the past and present. In 1984, the Art Association broadened its focus to become the Newport Art Association and Museum, transitioning to a collecting institution while continuing to exhibit, support artists, and offer arts education.
Today, the Museum’s collection boasts nearly 3,000 objects spanning from the 18th century to the present, including prints, paintings, sculptures, fiber arts, and more. Through our historic buildings, engaging exhibitions, and charming grounds, we serve as Aquidneck Island arts campus – a nexus of culturally-diverse life in the region.
The Newport Art Museum is also home to the Minnie and Jimmy Coleman Center for Creative Studies. Located in the Gilbert S. Kahn building, the Coleman Center is renowned for its commitment to fostering artistic talent and innovation among individuals of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. It is recognized for the caliber and diversity of its offerings, from summer camps for ages 3-16, to adult classes in drawing, painting, ceramics, and more. It is a vibrant platform for artistic exploration and education that enriches the cultural landscape of our community.
At the Newport Art Museum, we embrace the belief that art welcomes all. Our goal is to energize our collection and gallery spaces through active public engagement. The visitors’ voice and engagement breathes life into our mission, and ensures our exhibitions and programs are relevant and meaningful. Art possesses the ability to challenge perspectives, foster connections, and enrich our communities. We look to the Museum to grow as a widely recognized destination for artists, creatives, innovators, scholars, travelers, and the culturally curious, both locally and from around the world.