Founded in 1968 by Doris Duke, the Newport Restoration Foundation (NRF), a non-profit institution, was formed with the express purpose of preserving, interpreting, and maintaining landscape and objects reflecting Aquidneck Island’s 18th- and 19th- century architectural culture. It fulfills its mission in the following ways: Being a leader in historic preservation in Newport County and Rhode Island Preserving a collection of the arts of cabinetmaking and building trades of the Newport region, along with art and artifacts from Doris Duke’s life in Newport Utilizing its collections for educational programs Since its founding, the NRF has restored or preserved 83 buildings.

Today, the NRF continues to own a collection of 76 historic buildings, including 71 homes that are rented as private residences and maintained by a full-time crew of carpenters and painters. This is one of the largest collections of period architecture owned by a single organization anywhere in the country. More importantly, the majority of these structures are being lived in and used as they have for more than three centuries, making them a vibrant part of the community. The NRF also owns and operates three museum properties: Rough Point, Doris Duke’s Newport mansion Whitehorne House, featuring the Doris Duke Collection of 18th-century Newport Furniture Prescott Farm, an example of early American landscape and architecture The NRF continues to be actively engaged in educational efforts, scholarly research and historic preservation.