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Growing a Colonial Garden

Explore this garden filled with vegetables and perfumed by heirloom roses and herbs.

A Mother Enslaved

On the eve of an estate sale, Aggy, an enslaved mother, contemplates how much control she really has over the future of her children.

A Quilter's Housetop

Celebrate the life of quilter Susana Allen Hunter and make a mini-quilt to take home.

A Soldier's Journey

Meet John Jarret Carter, a solider in Washington’s army and a barkeep in Williamsburg. The year is 1781 and Williamsburg stands on brink of invasion!

American Indian Encampment

This interpretive camp of a small American Indian delegation to Williamsburg explores the life ways of regional indigenous peoples, and their policies with the colony of Virginia.

American Indian Interpretation

Explore the diverse cultures of Native peoples striving to preserve their traditional way of life and learn about the roles they played in creating a new country.

American Indian Life Series

A different program each day will examine a specific aspect of American Indian history, society, and role in the American story.

Art Stop

Drop by the Education Studio and create a work of art inspired by an object on exhibit.

At a Glance

Join us on a 20-minute guided tour and enjoy some Museum favorites at a glance.

Behind the Wythe House

Explore the yard and first floor of the Wythe House. Discuss Enlightenment thinking and ideas.

Capitol Exploration

Take a guided tour of the first floor of the Capitol. Learn about the founding principles of our government and your rights and responsibilities as citizens of a new republic.

Carpenter's Yard

Discover how the carpenters use hand tools to transform trees into lumber and lumber into buildings.

Carriage Ride

Enjoy a leisurely ride through the Revolutionary City by horse-drawn carriage. Surround yourself with the sights and sounds of our unique city.

Celebrate Juneteenth at Custis Square!

Join us for Juneteenth at Custis Square! Guided tours at 10:30am and 1:30pm. Conversations with Peter the Runaway at 11:30am and 2:30pm. Free flow exploration throughout the day.

Created Equal

This museum theatre experience explores African American perspectives on the Declaration of Independence.

Donor Visit with a Nation Builder

Museum members and donors who contribute $250 or more annually to the Colonial Williamsburg Fund are invited to visit with a Nation Builder. Reservations strongly recommended.

Drawing the Line

Lord Dunmore, the last Royal Governor of Virginia, finalizes his proclamation issuing martial law and offering freedom to enslaved people owned by those rebelling against the king.

Entertainments at the Play House

See the theatrical entertainments of The Jug Broke Theatre Co. Enjoyment for all! Check the marquee by the stage for daily performances.

Expert Insights: Cesar Chelor, Toolmaker

Learn about the life and trade of one of the earliest documented African-American toolmakers.

Expert Insights: Jonathan Moss, By His Hand

Around 1810, Jonathan Moss signed an exquisitely crafted sideboard in Lynchburg, VA. In this talk, learn more about his life as a free Black man in a slave-holding state.

Expert Insights: Thomas Commeraw, Potter

Explore the life of a New York City potter who was part of the "Back to Africa" Movement.

Finding Jane Austen

On a guided tour explore three regency objects using three quotes and make a bookmark.

Fire a Flintlock Musket

Fire live rounds at a target from two different reproduction 18th-century flintlock firearms used during the Revolutionary War. Your own transportation is required.

Folk Art & Craft

Explore the Folk Art Collection then craft a piece of art using aluminum tooling foil.

Forgotten Hero: General Rochambeau

Join French General Rochambeau as he discusses his role in the American Revolution, specifically during the Yorktown campaign.

Freedom's Paradox

Explore the paradox of the institution of slavery and the movement for independence in a 60 minute walking tour which begins and ends at the Randolph Yard.

From Manuscript to the Street

Discover how the Fifes and Drums of Colonial Williamsburg take a musical manuscript from the 18th century and bring it back to life.

From the Ashes

As the ashes settle on Washington D.C., James and Dolley Madison struggle to find a path forward.

Ghost Walk Junior

Calling guests of all ages! Enjoy this 45-minute ghost tour of traditional spooky stories with a Colonial Williamsburg flavor. All children must be accompanied by an adult.

Good Progress

Meet Mrs. Wager, teacher of the Williamsburg Bray School, as she debates the nature of her school with Elizabeth DeRosario, a free woman of color.

Haunted Williamsburg

Brave centuries of scares, from 18th-century colonial ghost stories to creepy modern-day encounters!

Hoop Skirts and Gunpowder

When men go to war, women work in non-traditional roles. Meet a woman from Civil War Richmond who worked in a munitions plant.

Is that a cello? Or a viol?

Explore the history, construction, and repertoire of these two bowed stringed instruments, and hear them both in action!

Joy in the Morning

Gather with members of the enslaved community to experience a music-filled message of hope.

Judith and Daniel

Judith and Daniel, an enslaved couple, anxiously await their reunion after a year apart. Learn the tragic story resulting in their separation.

Juneteenth Opening Ceremony

Join the Williamsburg community as we gather to commemorate, celebrate, and reflect on the Black experience in America at this year's annual Juneteenth Opening Ceremony

Learning to Learn: Apprenticeship Then & Now

The apprentice in Public Leather Works discusses apprenticeships in the 18th century and how Colonial Williamsburg's apprenticeship program is informed by it and how it differs.

Live Music on the Social Terrace

Live local music, craft cocktails, beer and wine every Friday and Saturday evening April through October, 6-9pm on the Social Terrace at the Williamsburg Inn.

Loquacious Lucy, Queen for a Day

When Lucy, a loquacious enslaved child, learns that her friend has been sold, her father must teach her hard lessons about slavery and instill in her the pride of her ancestors.

Love, Murder and Treason in Civil War Williamsburg

Join historian Carson Hudson as he ties together several events in Civil War Williamsburg that reveal an unknown and remarkable story.

Memorial Day Commemorative Program

Join us on Palace Green as we honor the men and women of the United States military who sacrificed their lives in defense of our nation with a traditional wreath-laying ceremony.

Military Activity

Come explore the Magazine Yard and discover how this military storehouse and Virginia's diverse peoples shaped an empire and defined a new nation.

Museum Murder Mystery: Curse of the Witch Bottle

With the help of crime scene clues and expert and suspect interviews, join the team to solve a fictitious murder.

Music in the Galleries

Enjoy 18th-century music on a variety of period instruments (harpsichord, violin, viola da gamba) as you stroll the galleries.

My Dear Madam

Mrs. Washington reflects on her life in the public eye and how her friendship with Mrs. Adams has shaped their shared role of President’s lady.

My Story; My Voice

Witness a compelling story from the life of an 18th century person, and then hear from the actor interpreter as they share how they discover and bring to life a voice from the past

Nation Builders Discuss the Institution of Slavery

Join two Nation Builders to discuss how they viewed the complicated tragedy that was the institution of slavery.

Outside the Box: 150 Years of Cigar Box Instruments and Music

Join historian Carson Hudson as he explains their history and performs on homemade instruments.

Piano Bar at the Williamsburg Inn

Travis Colby and his Piano Bar on the Social Terrace at the Williamsburg Inn. First Saturday of the month April 3 through October, 6-9pm. Reservations recommended via Open Table.

Private Family Tour

Your group's private guide will lead your family through town to learn more about what it was like to live in the 18th century.

Public Auction

Take part in an exciting auction! Bid on selected items from Colonial Williamsburg stores as well as exclusive items not available elsewhere.

Pursuing Happiness

Witness imagined conversations between Thomas Jefferson, John Locke, and King George III to discover the ghosts behind Jefferson’s drafts of the Declaration of Independence.

Rebuilt this City: The Restoration Tour

Explore how the restoration impacted the people who lived in the community and transformed the old colonial capital into the world-class museum it is today.

Rediscover Custis Square

Take a guided tour and talk with archaeologists in the field about the current archaeological investigations at John Custis IV’s 4-acre home and early 18th century gardens.

Remembrance: Honoring the Voices

For many of us, the stories of our past and where we come from are passed down through generations by word of mouth. This is especially true for African Americans.

Secrets of the Past: Concealed Footwear

Join us for a presentation on the custom of concealed footwear, its possible origins, and how the Shoemakers use the knowledge obtained from concealed footwear.

She Had on When She Went Away

Explore the material culture and lives of self-liberated Black women in the 18th century and the society they inhabited.

Social Hour at the Inn

Head to the Social Terrace after work to relax with specially priced wine, beer and cocktails as well as small plate appetizers. Monday - Thursday, 4-6pm. April 1-November 30

Spotswood's Journey and Williamsburg's Magazine

Learn about Alexander Spotswood's military career, how he became the Royal Governor of Virginia, and his role in the creation of the Magazine in Williamsburg.

Summer Breeze Concert Series

Join us each Wednesday at 6 p.m. on the lawn of the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg for a variety of bands performing jazz, blues, beach music, and party and dance tunes.

Talk of the Town Walking Tour

With an 18th-century Williamsburg resident as your walking tour guide, experience the events that changed both the people who lived here and the course of our nation’s history.

Talk with a Military Historian

Discuss various Military topics relating to the 18th century with a Military historian. Topics to include tactics, weaponry, flags, music, engineering, and basic soldiering.

Teach them Diligently

Journey with Ann Wager, a lifelong teacher in Colonial Virginia, as she experiences what it takes to run the Williamsburg Bray School.

The Arts and Mysteries of Brewing

This program demonstrates the process of brewing beer as it was practiced in the 18th century.

The Musick that Binds

A special evening concert of melody and spirit that blends music, stories, and heart, featuring The Governor’s Musick ensemble, Thomas Jefferson, and Jupiter.

The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret

Join Mrs. Washington in December of 1799 as she comes to terms with the General’s Last Will and Testament, and hear from George Washington on his evolution on slavery.

The Public Armoury

Witness the effort of diverse individuals to support the Revolutionary War at this industrial complex.

Tradespeople in the Galleries

Visit with our harpsichord-makers, cabinetmakers, silversmiths, tailors, engravers, wigmakers, or printers in the Art Museum.

Tradespeople in the Raleigh Tavern

Visit the wigmakers, silversmiths, leather artificers, bookbinders, apothecaries, and more to explore the techniques and tools used in their trades.

Visit a Nation Builder

Step into the past with a Nation Builder and learn about their contribution to the founding of our nation.

Visit a Nation Builder- Aggy of Turkey Island

Step into the past with Aggy of Turkey Island, Entangled with her master; fighting for her family's freedom.

Visit a Nation Builder- Edith Cumbo

Step into the past with Edith Cumbo, Free Black Sister, Mother, Fighter, Founder.

Visit a Nation Builder- General George Washington

Step into the past with George Washington, Father of the Country.

Visit a Nation Builder- George Wythe

Step into the past with George Wythe, teacher, lawyer, judge, and revolutionary.

Visit a Nation Builder- James Madison

Step into the past with James Madison, Scholar Statesman.

Visit a Nation Builder- Marquis de Lafayette

Step into the past with the Marquis de Lafayette, French Hero of Two Worlds.

Visit a Nation Builder- Martha Washington

Step into the past with Martha Washington, our Nation's first First Lady.

Visit a Nation Builder- Patrick Henry

Step into the past with Patrick Henry, the Revolution's Son of Thunder.

Visit a Nation Builder- Reverend Gowan Pamphlet

Step into the past with Gowan Pamphlet, Revolutionary Black Baptist Preacher.

Visit a Nation Builder- Thomas Jefferson

Step into the past with Thomas Jefferson, The Rebellious Philosophe.

Visit a Nation Builder- young George Washington

Step into the past with young George Washington, Colonel of the Virginia Regiment.

Visit with Foodways

Join our Historic Foodways staff as they explore cuisines of the 18th century.

Visit with the Bookbinder

Learn about the tools and techniques used by Bookbinders in 18th-century Williamsburg.

Visit with the Brickmaker

Learn what Virginians figured was the height of architectural good looks with Journeyman Bricklayer Kenneth Tappan.

Visit with the Gunsmith

Discover three 18th-century Virginia rifles made along the Great Wagon Road during this photographic study.

Voices in the Community

Join Rev. Pamphlet, pastor of newly constructed but long-established First Baptist Church, as he explores the importance of their role as members of the congregation and community.

Walk through History with a Nation Builder

On this walking tour experience the 18th century community of Williamsburg and its echoes through time with one of our Nation Builders.

Weathervanes in Williamsburg

Weathervanes were a familiar sight in 18th-century Williamsburg. Talk with a blacksmith and discover the history, construction, and meaning of weathervanes.

Weaver Interpretation

Watch how flax, cotton, and wool are converted from tangled masses into orderly, precise fabrics.

Weavers at Work

Learn how flax, cotton, and wool are converted from tangled masses into orderly, precise fabrics.

Welcome Zone

Orient yourself to the Historic Area.

Your Truly Affectionate Sister

Through the years of the Revolution, Sarah Trebell and John Galt, siblings, must navigate personal and political upheaval as the world changes underneath their feet.