Newport Preservation Society Developing Plan To Reopen Mansions

NEWPORT, RI — As industries across Rhode Island prepare for the "new normal" of coronavirus once the state's stay-at-home order is lifted, the Preservation Society of Newport County is making plans to safely reopen the Gilded Age mansions to the public.

Gov. Gina Raimondo said the state's economy will open in phases, starting slowly and lifting restrictions on closures and group limits over time. If the number of cases hold steady over the next weeks, the process will begin with the current stay-at-home order expires on May 8. It's unclear where museums and tourists attractions, like the mansions, fall in the reopening schedule.

Several events planned by the preservation society, including exhibitions at Rosecliff and the annual Newport Flower Show have already been canceled. The organization is working to develop a plan to safely allow the public to visit the houses without damages the fragile surfaces and items inside.

Related: Preserving The Gilded Age: Conservation At Newport's Marble House

"It is too early to say when we will be able to reopen the mansions to visitors, but when we do so, we will strictly follow the guidelines from public-health authorities," a spokesperson for the organization said in a statement. "There are many issues to consider, and our staff is planning now so that we are fully prepared when the time for reopening does come."

Addressing the issue of sanitization, the houses are "no touch environments," he said, and have crews of housekeeping staff that are trained to clean without causing damage.

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