Newport Mansions Selects Digital Kitchen as New Experience Design Partner

The Preservation Society of Newport County has chosen Digital Kitchen as its creative and experience design partner following a competitive selection process. The Los Angeles-based design studio will work with the Newport Mansions team to evolve and modernise 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. “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.” 

“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. “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 of Newport County is Rhode Island’s largest cultural organisation. Its mission is to protect, preserve and present an exceptional collection of house museums and landscapes in Newport, Rhode Island, one of the most historically intact cities in America. The organisation’s 11 historic properties – seven of which are National Historic Landmarks – and 88 acres of landscapes trace America’s architectural and social development from the Colonial era through the Gilded Age. In keeping with its mission, the organisation offers its members and the public a comprehensive view of each property’s architecture, interiors, landscapes and social history. 

“The Preservation Society has a long history of looking to the future while preserving the past,” CEO Trudy Coxe said. “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 recognised for its imaginative work, and we are excited to have them apply their creative energies to modernising 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 a number of films, including 'True Lies,' 'Amistad,' '27 Dresses' and the classic 1974 version of 'The Great Gatsby,' starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow.