The Elms. Credit: Gavin Ashworth/Courtesy of The Preservation Society of Newport County Credit: Gavin Ashworth

Today, the Preservation Society of Newport County announced that it has chosen Digital Kitchen as its creative and experienced design partner following a competitive selection process.

According to the Preservation Society of Newport County, the Los Angeles-based design studio will work with the Newport Mansions team to evolve and modernize the visitor experience with immersive and interactive storytelling, beginning at The Elms, the former summer retreat of Pennsylvania coal magnate Edward Berwind.

“The Newport Mansions host nearly 800,000 visits each year,” said Kevin O’Leary, Director of Marketing at The Preservation Society of Newport County in a statement. “Finding ways to enhance the experience is essential to maintaining our position as one of the top cultural attractions in the country. Digital Kitchen brings a balance of creativity, design and innovative storytelling that will allow us to evolve our visitor experience in a meaningful and transformative way.”

The Elms. Credit: Gavin Ashworth/Courtesy of The Preservation Society of Newport County Credit: Gavin Ashworth

“Getting to work with the Newport Mansions, which has such a deep and fascinating history, with so many stories to tell, is an absolute dream,” said Ally Malloy, Head of Experiences at Digital Kitchen in a statement. “We’re excited to find unique and compelling ways to enable visitors to rediscover the legacy behind the mansions all over again.”

“The Preservation Society has a long history of looking to the future while preserving the past,” CEO Trudy Coxe said in a statement. “We know we must continue to embrace innovative ideas and explore new opportunities to introduce the extraordinary properties and landscapes under our stewardship to a wider audience. Digital Kitchen is recognized for its imaginative work, and we are excited to have them apply their creative energies to modernizing our visitor experience.”

The Preservation Society’s collection of house museums includes The Breakers, Marble House, The Elms, and Chateau-sur-Mer, all of which play significant roles in the HBO series “The Gilded Age,” and Rosecliff, which featured as a key location in several films, including “True Lies,” “Amistad,” “27 Dresses” and the classic 1974 version of “The Great Gatsby,” starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow.

The Elms Dining Room. Credit: Gavin Ashworth/Courtesy of The Preservation Society of Newport County Credit: Gavin Ashworth

Ryan Belmore is the owner and publisher of What's Up Newp. He took over the publication in 2012 and has grown it into a three-time Rhode Island Monthly Best Local News Blog (2018, 2019, 2020). He was named LION Publishers Member of the Year in 2020 and received the Dominique Award from the Arts & Cultural Society of Newport County the same year. He has been awarded grants for investigative and community journalism, and continues to coach and mentor new local news publications nationwide. Ryan...

Leave a comment

We welcome relevant and respectful comments. Off-topic comments may be removed.