The Brick Market was constructed in 1762 and designed by Peter Harrison. While people might assume that it’s the ideal place for buying and selling bricks, it actually derives its name from its heavy use of brick in its construction and the fact that is used as a market. This heavy use of brick actually saved it from the British occupation times when troops burned all the wooden buildings in the city to keep warm.

In the earlier days, it served as a town hall, theatre and a crafts center. Today, it houses the Museum of Newport History and its Museum shop. The Brick Market Building also serves as a starting point for the walking tours operated by the Newport Historical Society, which owns the building, the museum, and its shop.