Reviews of National Museum of American Illustration (Tourist Attraction)

The Siren

Beautiful collection! They wont let you take photos though to gaze upon later in

David Joslin

Definitely worth the trip and the admission. It's the best collection of Early American Illustration in the country.

Alexa Boyd

To be honest, the price was kind of steep for the amount you're seeing. There is no seating the entire time you're walking through which I'm inclined to think is a mistake. Not very wheelchair accessible. There are steps everywhere. But the artwork - which is the main reason behind the museum itself - as always was fantastic.

E L

Very nice little museum close to Newport mansions with interesting paintings and a good store.

Kev Grasty

This museum is a hidden gem. If you love art and design, fine art, or commercial art plan a visit. A rare opportunity to see the original work of these great American artists. Prepare to pay the entry fee of $20 and no photos allowed inside.

Trupti Gandhi

Very expensive gift shops!

Tom Judd

Worth going to

Lawrence Pavese Jr.

What a wonderful surprise this was... the museum rooms were grande and all the best illustrators from days gone by were displayed in a wonderful walking tour through Vernon Court...most notably was Norman Rockwell and others...Parrish, Pyle, Wyeth. It was very well done and well worth the time...add an extra star for the staff !! Sorry, no photos allowed.

Elizabeth Pellegrino

The largest collection of Maxfield Parrish works anywhere, which is awe-inspiring to see. The collection is remarkable and beautifully exhibited. You are not allowed to take photographs, which is understandable but disappointing nonetheless. Tons of Rockwell, Gibson, and Harrison Fisher, as well. Definitely worth the visit!

capt. suz

Wow..a wonderful tribute to illustration..must see!!

Austin Fullmer

I'm sure this museum is nice, but I wasn't allowed to come in. I purchased tickets on Groupon, but there was no notice that children under five are not allowed in the museum. We arrived, but were not granted admission. Their suggestion was for one parent to go through the museum while the other waited in the gift shop. Very frustrating to spend hard earned money and not allowed to redeem it. Website also does not say that children under five are not allowed. It lists ticket prices for children above five. Parents would assumed that children under five are free.

CtinCt

This museum houses a nice collection of illustration art. The museum itself is in one of the Newport mansions so you feel like you're getting a 2 for the price of 1 outing. The history of the mansion is detailed along with the art. After paying, you watch a brief introductory movie which gives a general overview of the collection. Then each visitor gets a tablet with headphones which serves as a guide as you walk the rooms and look at the art. It's great because you can read or listen while you walk along at your own pace. This is helpful because the mansion is crammed full of artwork and it gives the visitor time to absorb it all. One of the most extraordinary aspects of the experience is how close you are to all of the art and furniture. It's very much honor system based as far as not touching the art. While I respected the no touching, I LOVED that I was able to step up close and get to see all of the details in the majority of the pieces. If you are in Rhode Island, I highly recommend stopping by this amazing museum.

Jan Fries

Awesome!

Adam Ewald

Amazing museum.

Jacqueline Perrone

It would be helpful to know what days and times it is open and will the web site be changed to reflect it?

Harry Roos

Very interesting museum with ships to visit and to explore. Battleship Massachusetts is offcourse the highlight of the whole day. Sadly foreign military are not getting any discount.

Mike Maven

This museum is an absolute gem of Newport and American Illustration. The influence of these artists is incredible, and this collection exemplifies that.

Kieu H

Fantastic experience. Definitely do the audio tour! There were many rare and unique original illustrations you won't find in regular art museums. Note that parking is across the street from the museum.

Dana Wiley

We arranged a tour outside of the regular hours (which you can do). What a beautiful building and grounds! And the marvelous collection of illustration artists is a delight to see, in interesting themed arrangements--beautiful large pieces by Maxfield Parrish, Saturday Evening Post cover artist paintings by Norman Rockwell, John Falter, Leyendecker, Dohanos, etc. Finally illustration artists are given their due respect for their great works. Definitely worth taking the time to see!

Ariane Schurr

It was a very pleasant surprise and experience . I have to visit again.

Eliana Falk

A treasure. Wonderful and broad collection in a beautiful mansion setting. Many Maxfield Parishes and so much more. Good audio tour. Ample parking. Overall great way to spend a day. Try Groupon for admission

Norma Taylor

A real gem and a museum you should not miss if visiting Newport. Maxfield Parish is now my favorite artist and there are many of his works in this Museum/Newport Mansion.

rita vereen

Worth taking the time to visit this museum

kathy fava

Wow!! Terrific!! Spent 2 hours and could have spent more time!

Jon Greenawalt

The absolute best! You cannot go wrong in paying a visit to this wonderful gem in the heart of Newport, situated among the other great mansions along Bellevue Avenue. Definitely worth your time!

Marie Whalon

Very detailed tour by tour guide

Zach Shuman

Very interesting tour of American illustration

Karen Schofield-Leca

A surprising gem! Cool illustration art in a beautiful setting.

Jeanne-Marie Tchoumak

Parts of the museum isn't curated, but the exhibits are world class. Free and spectacular. Parking is hard to come by but the metro station is near by. Plenty of food and interests in the area. A bit out of the way from other museums in the National Mall.

Ned Utzig

A nice collection but probably not worth the admission price unless you are specifically interested in traditional illustration. Bulk of their collection is from Parrish and Rockwell, no recent work displayed here. The mansion itself is really the star of the show, to be honest.

jml 4

Small and easily navigated museum, easy to park, great collection and great exhibits. The garden and facility is lovely too. Well worth a visit.

Stacy Tavaves

Beautiful place to visit not bad for the price of the tour they also have a beautiful garden to explore Cutler's a kind and knowledgeable we also live in the museum. They run and care for

Jenn Brees

Beautiful building, amazing art collection, knowledgeable staff who shared the history of the artists and their works. Wish I could have stayed longer. Definitely going back.

Sean Flynn

Great exhibits of famous American illustrators and artists like Norman Rockwell, Maxwell Parrish, Howard Christy, Leydendecker, and so many others. They produced an amazing body of work during the Golden Age of Illustration from about 1890 to 1940. Works outside that time period also on display. Unforgettable are these images that became an integral part of our culture.

Michael Conrad

Wonderful gem of a museum!

Barbara Roy

Wonderful experience. Incredible collection of original works cleverly arranged in an exquisite setting.

Christine Nounou

Extraordinary experience. Wonderful collection of pre-1980s illustrations in a magnificent venue. Note especially how each piece is brilliantly presented in a frame that feels as though it were part of the original. Well worth a special trip to Newport, RI.

Hanna M

My friend and I kindly asked if we might use the toilet without purchasing a ticket, but got neglected in a rude way by an elderly woman. Absolutely no kindness and humanity.

Mikhail Pasternak

awesome collection of american illustration throughout history

Clare Butler

I was just at the NMAI last week while on vacation in Newport. My husband discovered it and thought I would be interested. After checking out the website I was intrigued because they highlighted on the website three artists of interest, Violet Oakley, Elizabeth Shippen Green, and Jessie Willcox Smith. I was also excited to see a collection like this because I don’t feel that illustrators are ever held at the same level as the masters of fine art. My 3 star rating comes from my mixed feelings of what I experienced when there. The people who worked there were all lovely, the grounds and mansion are stunning, and the collection is impressive. Five stars for that. However, I felt like I couldn’t really enjoy most of the collection. Some pieces were hung so high I could barely see them. Some pieces of art you couldn’t really engaged with because they were in a roped off area. The way the art was lit it caused glare on the work and again this made the work difficult to view. The collection is mostly Rockwell, Parrish, Pyle, etc very much reflective of the time. The three artists I was there to see....Oakley had five pieces, four were hung high and one of those in the roped off library. Unfortunately I was only able to view one because it was propped up on the floor. Smith and Green I stumbled upon on my way out. It would be really nice to see those female illustrators of that time highlighted for once. As an artist and educator I was frustrated that I couldn’t really experience the art the way I’m used to in most museums.

William Shannon

Maxfield Parrish, Howard Pyle, N C Wyeth, Norman Rockwell and more all inside a grand old house. What is not to like. Had a wonderful afternoon when the sky was gray and spitting rain.

beachberry604

Beautiful building inside with a wonderful art collection

Al Rotondi

Great take on a rainy day in Newport.

hila

Nice meuseum in between Newport mentions. Worth a visit.

Mary R-G

Very fun, they have audio that tells you where to go and all about the things inside

Carl Forman

Incredible exhibit of illustrated art. Great self guided audio tour with detailed info of well known works.

Kevin Carlson

Thank you to the Cutler's for creating this magnificent collection of outstanding American Illustration artwork! It is amazing to stand in front of some of the most iconic illustration of the past 100 years. From the initial introductory short film, to the intimate galleries overflowing with incredible images, to the detailed audio tour, and the polite, professional and involved guides, this is a museum and an experience that shouldn't be missed on your next visit to Newport.

Shawn guyuron

Judy and Lawrence Cutler have created a magnificent venue to view a fabulous collection of American illustrators. Everything about this mansion is perfect and the audio tour that took us through the impressive Vernon Court Mansion was delightful. My mom and I took a mother daughter trip and this by far was the highlight of our vacation here in Newport. We were lucky enough to meet Lawrence and Judy and they sure were special. We felt so honored and lucky to pal around with them the remainder of our time there. This was an experience that my mom and I will always remember and treasure. This museum will far exceed your expectations and is a must see!! ❤️

Carl Friedrich Kostelezky

Great!

Mila Antkevych

Highly recommend to visit museum. Rich collection of illustration with historical references.