Homeschool families, join us September 11 – 26 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
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Home Educator Basic Rudiments with Gowan Pamphlet
Come and learn the ABCs of basic education to children, and the young at heart, in post-war Williamsburg. Meet one of America's unsung nation builders, Gowan Pamphlet.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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Home Educators Private History Walking 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.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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Home Educator Lessons in Survival with Edith Cumbo
Discover what family meant to those in the Black community, both free and enslaved, and how education was a means to survival.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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Mother Goose's Riddle and Rhymes Tour for Home Educators
Explore Williamsburg using familiar riddles and rhymes along with bits and pieces like a stub of candle or a hank of wool.
CW Admission
Event Ticket
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.
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
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.
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.
Entertainments at the Play House
Programs at the Art Museums
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.
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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.