A special guide-led tour in May and June will offer glimpses into the making of HBO’s Emmy-winning series “The Gilded Age” at four of the Newport Mansions.
The Inside “The Gilded Age” Tour will take visitors through The Elms, Marble House, Chateau-sur-Mer and The Breakers, all of which were chosen by the series’ creator, Julian Fellowes, to provide authentic scenery for the period drama. Guides will explain which scenes were filmed in each room, talk about the real people who lived in these mansions, and give an insider’s view of what it takes to host a major television production in four National Historic Landmark museums.
The tour has been updated from previous versions to include spaces that appeared in Season 2 of “The Gilded Age.”
It will be offered Tuesdays and Fridays, May 17 through June 28, once each day from 1:15 to 5 p.m.
“Working with Lord Fellowes and HBO in the making of ‘The Gilded Age’ has been an amazing experience for our staff,” said Trudy Coxe, CEO of The Preservation Society of Newport County, which owns and maintains the Newport Mansions. “We try to share some of that excitement with our visitors, and this guided tour is a great way to do that.”
Fans of “The Gilded Age” will love seeing:
• The Elms, which did double duty as the Russell family’s Newport cottage as well as places in their New York mansion.
• The Marble House Dining Room, where Bertha Russell hosted a dinner for the Duke of Buckingham.
• The Chateau-sur-Mer Dining Room and Ballroom, used for Mrs. Fish’s doll tea party.
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• The Breakers Billiard Room, where railroad tycoon George Russell and Alderman Morris schemed over a game.
• The Breakers Music Room, where guests danced during Gladys’ debutante ball and Bertha had her first social triumph.
• And many other rooms featured in the show.
The Inside “The Gilded Age” Tour is limited to 12 guests at a time. Bus transportation is provided, starting and ending at the Gateway Transportation Center, 23 America’s Cup Ave. See www.newportmansions.org/events/inside-the-gilded-age-tour for important information and a link to tickets.