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Touro Synagogue, Newport, RI

Photo: Kenneth C. Zirkel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingHistory BuffRainy-Day Pick

Touro Synagogue

85 Touro St · Newport, RI

Why you should go…

Touro Synagogue was dedicated in 1763 and is the oldest surviving synagogue building in the United States, designed by architect Peter Harrison. Inside, twelve Ionic columns stand for the twelve tribes of ancient Israel. It still serves an active congregation and was named a National Historic Site in 1946. The Loeb Visitors Center nearby at 52 Spring Street has two floors of exhibits on religious liberty in colonial Rhode Island and early Jewish life in America.

  • #historic synagogue
  • #national historic site
  • #guided tours
  • #colonial history
  • #religious freedom

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Touro Synagogue, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Iconic

    Newport Classic Cruises

    $50+

    Sail Newport Harbor aboard classic schooners and a vintage 1929 motor yacht.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Tours
    Date Night

    Gansett Cruises

    $25–$50

    Narrated harbor and sunset cruises out of Newport, Rhode Island.

    Steps awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Tours
    Date Night

    Sightsailing of Newport

    $25–$50

    Newport Harbor sailing charters and sunset cruises from Bowen's Wharf.

    0.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Bellevue Avenue Historic District

    Free

    Stroll or drive past Newport's Gilded Age mansions, several open for tours, along a landmark avenue of summer cottages.

    1.3 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Fort Adams State Park

    Free

    Tour a 19th-century harbor fort, swim at a small bay beach and take in views of Newport Harbor.

    1.5 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    The Breakers

    $25–$50

    Tour the 70-room Vanderbilt summer house on Newport's cliffs with a self-guided audio tour of its gilded rooms.

    1.5 mi awayMore like this