Front Hall at Whitehorne House Museum

Newport Restoration Foundation today announced the opening of the Whitehorne House Museum for the 2022 season.

The museum will open on May 25 and remain open this season until October 30. Admission is free for all Newport County residents.

Whitehorne House is the only museum in the world specializing in 18th century Newport furniture, craft, and design, according to Newport Restoration Foundation.

Housed in a Federal-style mansion along Newport’s historic Thames Street, the museum’s collection includes works by the renowned Townsend and Goddard workshops. There are interactive opportunities throughout the museum where visitors can touch and examine replicas of defining elements of period furniture. This year, the interpretive team chose to bring some of the silver collection to the fore by exhibiting a case of 18th-century silver.

“This display is an opportunity to showcase silver makers in our collection from Rhode Island and Massachusetts,” said Kristen Costa, Senior Curator at Newport Restoration Foundation in a statement. “People can now see the objects close up, which makes them much more accessible than in previous years.”

In addition to the silver collection, an exhibition of three Newport high chests are displayed on the museum’s second floor. These pieces showcase the “signatures” of early American Newport furniture makers; the subtly-carved cabriole leg, stylized carved shell, and ball-and-claw foot.  Visitors can compare the construction of each piece as they view the pieces side-by-side.

Whitehorne House Museum will offer programs for all ages during the 2022 season. On Fridays at 10 a.m. from June 3 to August 26, Summer Stories will be held outdoors in the pocket garden. The free program is recommended for children aged Pre-K to first grade. Families with children under age 12 will receive free admission to the museum on Fridays between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. through August. On July 9, Whitehorne Day will celebrate the makers of the past, present, and future from 12 to 4:30 p.m. Additional details will be announced in the coming weeks.

The Whitehorne House Museum will be open Wednesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. General admission for self-guided access to the museum is $10. Admission for students with ID is $5 and free for Newport County residents and children age 12 and younger.

For more information about planning a visit to the Whitehorne House Museum, visit newportrestoration.org/whitehornehouse.

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