Newport Restoration Foundation
Museums, Historical Sites, and ZoosRhode Island, United States11-50 Employees
The Newport Restoration Foundation is a not-for-profit organization based in Newport, Rhode Island, founded in 1968 by Doris Duke. It focuses on preserving, maintaining, and interpreting Aquidneck Island’s early architectural heritage and the associated fine and decorative arts collections that belonged to Doris Duke, including a portfolio of restored eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century buildings and public museum properties. The foundation operates a portfolio of private residences—restored buildings rented to tenant stewards under the care of a full-time crew of carpenters and painters—alongside three museum properties: Rough Point, Whitehorne House, and Prescott Farm, each offering distinct cultural and historical experiences. Its work serves residents, visitors, and scholars by maintaining historic structures, curating exhibitions, and providing access to historic landscapes; the organization also engages the local community through free public greenspace at Prescott Farm and themed exhibitions at Rough Point. Recent developments include leadership changes and ongoing public engagement initiatives, reflecting the foundation’s continued role in historic preservation and interpretation in the region.