NEWPORT MUSEUM & ART GALLERY

The museum houses an important collection of antiquities. One section is devoted to archaeology, tracing the passage of various peoples through these parts over the past 2,500 years. Artefacts from the Romans, Vikings and Normans can be found here.

The Natural History Museum has a highly developed geological section and a section devoted to zoology, with a fine taxonomic selection of seabirds.

Another gallery is devoted to the history of the town and its inhabitants during the industrial period. On display are domestic accessories from 200 years ago and documentation on the town's economic and social life. Of particular interest is the section devoted to the construction of the Transporter Bridge, with the engineer's original plans and impressive photographs of the building site, tracing the stages of its construction. The Transporter Bridge is a 197-meter-long, 74-meter-high metal bridge for pedestrians and vehicles. Opened on September 12, 1906, it was designed by French engineer Ferdinand Arnodin. It has been closed several times over long periods for renovation.

The museum takes great care to be as didactic as possible. A must-see if you're in Newport.

And don't forget to visit the Art Gallery, devoted to the visual arts: it boasts a fine collection of decorative ceramics, with some very colorful works!