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Christmas at Blithewold Mansion
Looking for some indoor activities for your young ones? The winter season exhibition, “Touring the Americas: 50 Years of Van Wickle Family Excursions,” at Blithewold Mansion will take you and your family on a journey with the Van Wickle Family, the former owners who occupied the house in the 1900s. Through an extensive amount of photographs and artifacts from the family’s travels, you can explore the mansion this holiday to experience some of the Van Wickle’s favorite destinations, while also ooh-ing and ahh-ing over the holiday wonderland of the decorated house itself.
Blithewold will be open through January 1st. The mansion is open for touring Tuesday through Sunday 11 am – 5 pm, closing later on Thursday and Friday at 8 pm. Family (2 adults + 2 kids), $26; Adult, $12; Senior, $11; Full-time student, $10; Military, $10; Youth 6 – 17, $4
Enhance your visit to the mansion by attending the Music in the Living Room Series (Dec. 15 & Dec. 29) with new performances each week. On Friday nights, join for Sparkle! a marshmallow-roasting-Christmas-carol-singing-cocoa-sipping-strolling-through-the-twinkling-garden-paths and fun-for-the-whole-family event, with a new performance around the bonfire each week.
Marshmellows & Bonfires at Blithewold
Sparkle! is a marshmallow-roasting, Christmas-carol-singing, cocoa-sipping, strolling-through-the-twinkling-garden-paths, fun-for-the-whole-family event held at Blithewold during the Christmas season. Each Friday night a different group will present two performances of carol singing, from 6:15 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. & 7:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m. around the bonfire. Free Hot Cocoa! S’mores kits are one for $2, and three for $5 (part of the proceeds benefit the Girl Scouts). Last tickets sold at 7:30 pm. Click on the dates to register: December 9, December 16, December 23.
Member adult $2; Member Child (3 yrs and older) $1; Member family (2 adults + 2 children) $5; Non-member adult $14; Non-member child $3; Non-member family (2 adults + 2 children) $28.
Where do holiday traditions come from? Find out!
Admission: $10 adults, $5 students, free for children under 12 and active military personnel with ID
Touro Synagogue Open House!
Explore multi-media exhibits about Newport’s colonial Jewish community and the origins of religious freedom in the United States. Bring your children, grandchildren and kids of all ages to play an “Answer Quest” game based on the exhibits to win a prize! Then step inside Touro Synagogue, one of the most architecturally significant buildings of the 18th century, and see where history comes alive. End your visit with cookies and cider and talk about your visit. This event is free and open to the public. For more information: 401-847-4794 X207 or tours@tourosynaogogue.org.
“Call the match” and more!
At the International Tennis Hall of Fame, find a unique adventure into the world of tennis for kids of all ages. The interactive displays and exhibits are designed to make the museum experience fun, combining hands-on experience with technology. From a touch-screen table where kids can “volley” tennis trivia to each other, to “Call the Match,” where kids can record themselves taking on the role of broadcasters, there’s something for everyone (for both seasoned tennis fans and new ones, alike)! Don’t miss the hologram of tennis superstar Roger Federer, who greets all visitors! Open every day except Tuesdays. Admission: $15 adults; free for children under 16
See the past through “bars”
The South County History Center Museum, located in the Old Washington County Jail, is sure to excite imaginations because kids can actually go into the jail cells! The historic site started operations during the late 1700s as a jail, and now it is a museum and exhibit space! Have fun seeing historic artifacts and photos, and explore the interior of the cells. Open Thursdays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a museum shop and exhibit space. Admission: $8 adults; $6 students (K-college)
See the past through “bars”
The South County History Center Museum, located in the Old Washington County Jail, is sure to excite imaginations because kids can actually go into the jail cells! The historic site started operations during the late 1700s as a jail, and now it is a museum and exhibit space! Have fun seeing historic artifacts and photos, and explore the interior of the cells. Open Thursdays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a museum shop and exhibit space. Admission: $8 adults; $6 students (K-college)
Discovery Tykes!
Expose your preschool child to science and culture in a unique and stimulating museum setting! The Museum of Natural History & Planetarium hosts this ongoing family series for kids, ages 2-4, to investigate the world around them as they sing, dance, and discover. Enjoy age-appropriate stories, songs, poems and a craft related to the topic. This event in the series tackles the idea of winter hibernation, and asks the animals, “where are you now?” Museum admission is $2 per person. Children under age 4 are free. Some programs have a separate admission. To find out more about this series, click here!
Casey Farm Easter Egg Hunt
Bring the family to Casey Farm and let the children enjoy collecting plastic eggs for prizes. Explore the farm, visit the chickens, play farm games, have some light refreshments, and make an Easter craft. Each family receives a coupon for half off a dozen Casey Farm eggs redeemable at the Coastal Growers’ Market. Rain or shine. Please select appropriate number of tickets per age group. Free to Historic New England member children;
$10 nonmember children. Registration required for all participating children. Please call 401-295-1030 ext. 5 for more information or register online.