Mission

The Newport Historical Society is a multi-faceted history-based institution that has three general areas of activity. It retains and preserves significant collections of artifacts, documents and properties. It supports, generates and collates scholarship on the history of Newport County and its place in American history. And, it develops and delivers a variety of educational programs — exhibits, tours, conferences, publications and other formats — to transmit information and open dialogs with the public about history. As a small organization with significant holdings and a large mission, it is specifically a component of the NHS' strategic plan to work as much with other organizations as possible to expand its reach. We are relentless collaborators. Since 1854, the Newport Historical Society has collected and preserved five centuries of history and continues to document Newport's unique contribution to our national narrative. The mission of NHS is also to chronicle and interpret this history for a broad audience, so that knowledge of our past will contribute to a deeper understanding of the present and better preparation for the future.