Meet some of the women who made their home in the capitol city of Williamsburg in the 18th century. Learn of their joys and sorrows, triumphs and tears as they experienced a time filled with challenges, change, and uncertainty.

See ticket for starting location.

Free reservation required. Available only to Annual, Good Neighbor, and Hotel Guest pass holders.

Designed to help guests plan their visit. Our volunteers and costumed staff lead the 30-minute walks and provide guests with the latest information on programming, dining, and shopping options. Guests also get an overview of the 18th-century community and learn about the restoration of Williamsburg.

Included in all Historic Area or museum admission passes. Thirty minute tours depart every 10-15 minutes from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

Learn how artifacts, plant remains, and animal bones play roles in Colonial Williamsburg's interpretations today. Find out about current research by the Foundation's archaeological staff, as well as the history of Colonial Williamsburg archaeology. See artifacts and other evidence from recent excavations. Foundation archaeologists will discuss excavation techniques, curatorial efforts, and the functions of the various labs.

Reservations available only to Annual, Good Neighbor, and Hotel Guest Pass holders. Free reservation required.

See reservation ticket for starting location.

Discover how gardens reflected status and wealth in the 18th century. This escorted walking tour will visit the Governor's Palace and other gardens along the Palace Green.

Free reservation required. Available to Annual Pass holders, Good Neighbors, and Hotel Guest Pass holders only.

Come and participate in a local court session where lives, liberties, and property come into contest. Our guests may take on roles as justices, attorneys, litigants, petitioners, or defendants. See how the rights of Virginians were maintained in open court.

Included in all Historic Area admission tickets.

Enjoy an interactive public audience with a founding father of our nation in the historical context of the 18th century discussing political and social events of the day.

Included in all Historic Area admission passes.

Enjoy changing exhibitions of American folk art, the colonial and contemporary artists and craftspeople who work outside the mainstream of academic art to record aspects of everyday life. Attend lectures and musical performances in the Hennage Auditorium. Visit the Museum Store and the Museum Café.

View Current Exhibits

See an extensive collection of American and British antiques. See furniture, metals, ceramics, glass, paintings, prints, firearms, and textiles from the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries and the Public Hospital of 1773. Attend lectures and musical performances in the Hennage Auditorium. Visit the Museum Store and the Museum Café.

View Current Exhibits

The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum gratefully acknowledges support for programs from The DeWitt Wallace Endowment Fund.

Learn how artifacts, plant remains, and animal bones play roles in Colonial Williamsburg's interpretations today. Find out about current research by the Foundation's archaeological staff, as well as the history of Colonial Williamsburg archaeology. See artifacts and other evidence from recent excavations. Foundation archaeologists will discuss excavation techniques, curatorial efforts, and the functions of the various labs.

Reservations available only to Annual, Good Neighbor, and Hotel Guest Pass holders. Free reservation required.

See reservation ticket for starting location.

Come and participate in a local court session where lives, liberties, and property come into contest. Our guests may take on roles as justices, attorneys, litigants, petitioners, or defendants. See how the rights of Virginians were maintained in open court.

Included in all Historic Area admission tickets.

Drop in and create a work of art to take home that is inspired by objects in the collection.

Guests may enter and leave at will. Included in all Historic Area or museum admission tickets.

The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum gratefully acknowledges support for programs from The DeWitt Wallace Endowment Fund.

Become acquainted with the history of theater both before and during the Revolutionary War. Learn how America gained its own voice in an art dominated by the English up to the time of the war. Topics include propaganda plays, Washington’s connection with theater, and women’s contributions to the war. You might be surprised by what you discover.

Included in all Historic Area admission tickets.

A woman’s domain was her parlour, and it was there that she spent her time engaged in the skills necessary to be considered an acomplished member of polite society. Tea, poetry, music, and dance—join us as we discover the world of the 18th-century lady.

Included in all Historic Area admission passes.

Designed to assist guests with planning their visit, this program highlights options families will enjoy. Guides share the latest information on programming, dining, and shopping options. Guests will receive an overview of the 18th-century community and specifically understand what childhood and family life was like in the 18th century. The walking tour lasts approximately 30 minutes.

Included in all Historic Area or museum admission passes.

Come and participate in a local court session where lives, liberties, and property come into contest. Our guests may take on roles as justices, attorneys, litigants, petitioners, or defendants. See how the rights of Virginians were maintained in open court.

Included in all Historic Area admission tickets.

Guided tours by knowledgeable museum volunteers introduce you to some of the masterworks on exhibit, such as paintings, ceramics, textiles, furniture, and silver.

Included in all Historic Area or museum admission tickets.

The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum gratefully acknowledges support for programs from The DeWitt Wallace Endowment Fund.

A woman’s domain was her parlour, and it was there that she spent her time engaged in the skills necessary to be considered an acomplished member of polite society. Tea, poetry, music, and dance—join us as we discover the world of the 18th-century lady.

Included in all Historic Area admission passes.

Come and participate in a local court session where lives, liberties, and property come into contest. Our guests may take on roles as justices, attorneys, litigants, petitioners, or defendants. See how the rights of Virginians were maintained in open court.

Included in all Historic Area admission tickets.

Designed to assist guests with planning their visit, this program highlights options families will enjoy. Guides share the latest information on programming, dining, and shopping options. Guests will receive an overview of the 18th-century community and specifically understand what childhood and family life was like in the 18th century. The walking tour lasts approximately 30 minutes.

Included in all Historic Area or museum admission passes.

Guided tours by knowledgeable museum volunteers introduce you to the whimsical and fascinating paintings, sculpture, textiles, and more from Mrs. Rockefeller's original collection, for which the museum was founded.

Thirty-minute tours begin at noon and 2 p.m. Included in all Historic Area or museum admission tickets.

The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum gratefully acknowledges support for programs from The DeWitt Wallace Endowment Fund.

Talk with Patrick Henry, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, or the Marquis de Lafayette about issues that transcend time. Guests will have the opportunity to ask questions.

Included in all Historic Area admission passes.

This one-hour walking tour takes guests through the stable and carriage facilities and introduces them to the rare breeds conservancy program operated by Colonial Williamsburg. Guests will view the facilities, see some of the animals, and view the various carriages and vehicles owned and operated onsite. Discussion of animal treatment, training, equipment use, and the Coach and Livestock operation is ongoing throughout the tour. This experience includes some hands-on activities, such as trying out a sidesaddle or inspecting a horse's hoof.

Children must be accompanied by an adult. Space is limited. 

Available to Annual Pass members, Good Neighbors, and Hotel Guest Pass holders only. Free reservation required.

Guided tours by knowledgeable museum volunteers introduce you to some of the masterworks on exhibit, such as paintings, ceramics, textiles, furniture, and silver.

Included in all Historic Area or museum admission tickets.

The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum gratefully acknowledges support for programs from The DeWitt Wallace Endowment Fund.

The theater of the colonial era was often advertised as a "Moral Academy" where the audience could learn from the characters on stage. Not all of the characters, however, were role models. 

The 18th-century stage is full of scheming, backstabbing, and intrigue. You might be surprised to see how little things have changed in the last 250 years.

Included in all Historic Area or museum admission passes.