Homeschool families, join us February 20-28 to experience revolutionary educational opportunities. Get your special homeschool discounted admission tickets here, then in this itinerary, we’ll help you get the most out of your visit.
Get ready to experience the living, breathing 18th-century colonial capital. A mile long and half a mile wide, the Historic Area boasts historic sites, trades people practicing 18th-century techniques, rare animal breeds, and so much more. Discover our two world-class art museums with thousands of objects on display. Meet the people who bring history to life at programs and events throughout the day.
Planning ahead is key to getting the most out of your visit. We’re sharing our tips on what to do during a visit, whether you’re here for one day or two. Download our homeschool itinerary planner to pick your must-sees out and build your schedule.
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Enjoy Special Homeschool Programs
Visit Tradespeople
While some trade shops are too small to have open with current social distancing guidelines, our tradespeople are still practicing 18th-century techniques, and many have temporarily relocated to larger spaces so that you can visit them. Allow 20-30 minutes in each location to ask questions and learn from the skilled craftspeople.
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Tradespeople in the Raleigh Tavern
Visit the silversmiths, wigmakers, bookbinders, public leatherworks, and more to explore the techniques and tools used in their trades.
CW Admission
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Tradespeople in the Galleries
Visit with the harpsichord-makers, gunsmiths, joiners, tailors, engravers, wigmakers, or printers in the Art Museum.
Art Museums Admission
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Growing a Colonial Garden
Explore this garden filled with vegetables and perfumed by heirloom roses and herbs.
CW Admission
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Tradespeople at the Ludwell-Paradise Stable
Join the wheelwright at the Ludwell-Paradise Stable.
CW Admission
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Weavers at Work
Learn how flax, cotton, and wool are converted from tangled masses into orderly, precise fabrics.
CW Admission
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Carpenter's Yard
Discover how the carpenters use hand tools to transform trees into lumber and lumber into buildings.
CW Admission
Plan Your Meals
Savor historically inspired and contemporary creative cuisine.
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Museum Café
Once you have satisfied your curiosity in the museums, take time to satisfy your thirst and appetite. The Museum Café offers guests both indoor and outdoor dining options, weather permitting. The menu features a delectable …
Open to the Public
Handicap Accessible
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Chowning's Tavern
Colonial-Inspired Meals
Open to the Public
Handicap Accessible
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Sweet Tea & Barley
Refined Southern Cuisine Carryout available Monday through Sunday, 12 AM-8 PM
Open to the Public
Handicap Accessible
Meet a Nation Builder
Time and again, our fans suggest spending time with our Nation Builders. From Thomas Jefferson to the Marquis de Lafayette, any opportunity to learn from these engaging and knowledgeable interpreters is a win.
Experience Diverse Voices
February is also Black History Month, when we introduce new programs and highlight the best in our year-round programming that examines the lives of more than half of 18th-century Williamsburg’s population. Be sure to check out some of these programs during your visit.
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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.
Art Museums Admission
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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.
CW Admission
TAKE A CARRIAGE RIDE
Enjoy a leisurely ride through the Historic Area by horse-drawn carriage and surround yourself with the sights and sounds of our unique city
See a Performance
Check out a whimsical outdoor play or see what’s showing in the Hennage Auditorium at the Art Museums for great entertainment while you rest your legs.
Visit the Art Museums
In addition to the world’s largest living history museum, two hidden gems await in the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg. The Dewitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum features objects that are useful as well as beautiful, while you can find bold and imaginative pieces made by untrained artists at the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum. It’s warm indoors and with our newly expanded space, there’s plenty of room to explore our exhibitions.
Learn More
Check the Events Calendar
Have some time between scheduled tours and programs? Check the CW Planner to find out what else is open and happening during your visit. Here’s how to navigate this tool. Plus, leave time to wander and come upon unexpected experiences. Look for the Grand Union flag out front, indicating open sites that you can enter with your admission ticket.
Stay with Us!
Planning to be here a few days? Enjoy special homeschool family discounts at our official Colonial Williamsburg hotels. Located within and surrounding the Historic Area, you can’t find accommodations closer to all the action.
Book Now
Get Digital
Whether you’re looking for pre-trip research or follow-up learning experiences for your homeschoolers, we’ve curated virtual lessons for you in four engaging subjects: Popular Science, Fashion, Apprenticeship, and People of the Past. Check them out here.