Colonial Williamsburg

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Colonial Williamsburg The Colonial Williamsburg page is meant to be a safe environment and community, so we ask you to use your 21st-century manners, on-site and online.

Colonial Williamsburg is a private, nonprofit 501(c)3 educational institution that operates the world’s largest American history museum.

📍 The Revolution Is Here®️ Founded in 1926, The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a not-for-profit organization that offers guests the chance to experience 18th-century life and participate in momentous events. Colonial Williamsburg relies on talented individuals to provide and support exceptional guest experiences and fulfill our mission, "That the future may learn from the past," across our Historic Area, world-class Resorts, fine dining establishments, and Art Museums. We are actively hiring across the enterprise. For more information, please visit https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/careers/. ON-SITE VISIT GUIDELINES
At Colonial Williamsburg, we pride ourselves on telling inclusive stories of 18th-century America. At Colonial Williamsburg, we do not tolerate racist or sexist jokes, comments, or harassment from our guests or employees. We are committed to creating an environment where together, we can explore our complex history in a manner that is respectful. Violators of this policy will be asked to leave the premises. SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNITY GUIDELINES
Engage with courtesy, kindness, and respect for all other members of our social media communities. We reserve the right to determine, at our discretion, whether contributions to our social media channels breach the following guidelines, in which case we may hide or delete comments made on our channels, as well as block users. Comments must not:
- Contain spam, be defamatory of any person, deceive others, be obscene, offensive, threatening, abusive, hateful, inflammatory or promote sexually explicit material or violence.
- Promote discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age.
- Breach any of the terms of any of the social media platforms themselves.
- Be off-topic, irrelevant or unintelligible.
- Contain any advertising or promote any services


The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation does NOT claim ANY ownership rights in photos that you post on our ‘wall’. However, by posting a photo on our wall you hereby grant to The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide, revocable, non-transferable, perpetual license to use, modify, delete from, add to, publicly display and/or reproduce, your photo, including without limitation in any online media formats and through any social media channels, pages, or accounts. If your photo is used on The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation’s digital or social platforms (including ColonialWilliamsburg.org), your name and / or business will always be credited. We may also choose at our sole discretion to link back to your website or business social media profile. You can revoke this license at any time by contacting us in writing at [email protected] and informing us that you no longer want us to use your photo.

Two centuries ago, a congregation of enslaved and free people of African descent worshipped, built a community, and buri...
10/09/2026

Two centuries ago, a congregation of enslaved and free people of African descent worshipped, built a community, and buried family members at this Nassau Street site.

Today, we gathered to remember the ancestors and commemorate a monumental milestone of this landmark project. This included several moving speeches, as well as the ceremonial passing of an historic Bible from one Gowan Pamphlet (James Ingram) to another (Brandon Lee) - continuing the preachers legacy through interpretation and education.

Thank you to everyone who came out! 🖤

Let Freedom Ring Foundation | VA250 - American Revolution 250 Commission

  250 years ago, representatives gathered in Williamsburg to help shape the future of a newly independent Virginia. In O...
10/07/2026

250 years ago, representatives gathered in Williamsburg to help shape the future of a newly independent Virginia. In October 1776, the first Virginia General Assembly following the call for independence met in the Capitol. On Oct. 7, 2026, legislators will return to that historic building to commemorate the Assembly's 250th anniversary.

🎥 The commemorative session is closed to the public, but visitors can watch a livestream at the Kimball Theatre from 2:30-4:30 p.m. Admission is free. You can also watch at va250.org/general-assembly-250

Behind the scenes, Colonial Williamsburg's silversmiths have spent months creating a new Royal Mace of Virginia for the occasion. Ceremonial maces have long served as symbols of legislative authority, but Virginia's original mace was destroyed after the Revolution. The newly crafted mace will become part of our collections and be used during the commemorative proceedings, connecting Virginia's history with the living trades that help preserve it today. Help us share these stories with future generations and consider donating today ➡️ https://bit.ly/4vBf4FX

VA250 - American Revolution 250 Commission, Visit Williamsburg

This Thursday at Maymont in Richmond, join curators Katie McKinney and Neal Hurst for a special evening exploring a cent...
10/06/2026

This Thursday at Maymont in Richmond, join curators Katie McKinney and Neal Hurst for a special evening exploring a century of preservation, collecting and education at Colonial Williamsburg. The lecture will be followed by a reception where guests can continue the conversation.

Register for your ticket: https://4031.blackbaudhosting.com/4031/colonial-williamsburg-the-first-100-years

Reminder, this Thursday you're invited to a Maymont lecture by staff from Colonial Williamsburg to explore the first 100 years as the world’s largest U.S. history museum and its evolving role in preserving and interpreting America’s past. 📜 A reception will follow the talk, for thoughtful continuing conversations. 🗣️

Registration starts at just $6 per person. ➡️ Learn more and register in advance as spots are limited: https://bit.ly/cw-100-lecture-maymont

The archaeology never stops… and apparently, neither does the CAC construction! 🚧The Campbell Archaeology Center will be...
10/05/2026

The archaeology never stops… and apparently, neither does the CAC construction! 🚧

The Campbell Archaeology Center will be closed October 5–21 for continued construction. We’ll reopen October 22 and look forward to welcoming you back. In the meantime, we’ll be busy making the CAC even better!

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In the meantime, a few weeks ago the archaeology team moved the last little bit out of the old Archaeological Collections Building (ACB) and into their new home at the Campbell Archaeology Center (CAC). The ACB has been the home of archaeology here at Colonial Williamsburg for nearly 70 years. To mark this chapter closing, we did a small processional of the "Archæology" sign lettering, complete with its iconic "Æ" ligature through town all the way from the ACB to the CAC. And of course, as we move into this new chapter, we couldn't forget to bring along the Ivor Noel Hume (both spiritually and literally!), who was the first Director of Archaeology here at Colonial Williamsburg.

A big heartfelt THANK YOU to everyone who has worked here, volunteered here, interned here, visited, or just cheered us on. We couldn't have done it without you, and we can't wait to keep doing it with you for the next 70 years! Huzzah!

The African Baptist Meeting House and Burial Ground was the original permanent location of the First Baptist Church, one...
10/03/2026

The African Baptist Meeting House and Burial Ground was the original permanent location of the First Baptist Church, one of the earliest African American congregations in the United States. A congregation of enslaved and free people of African descent worshipped, built a community, and buried family members at this Nassau Street site. Following Colonial Williamsburg’s purchase and removal of the church, the congregation relocated to Scotland Street, where its members have worshipped since 1956.

In partnership with the First Baptist Church of Williamsburg and the Let Freedom Ring Foundation, Colonial Williamsburg has engaged in a multi-year project to excavate, study, and reconstruct this important historic site.

Join us for the dedication of this building on Friday, October 9 at 9 a.m. 🏠 https://www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/events/african-baptist-meeting-house-dedication?utm_campaign=Events+%26+Special+Promotions&utm_content=Anniversary+Events+%28CW+250%29%2CAfrican+Baptist+Meeting+House&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook

10/01/2026

Is your coffee grinder hand-forged? This one is. ☕⚒️

On , learn more about this 18th-century coffee grinder made by request for George Washington's Mount Vernon. While coffee habits may have changed over the centuries, the artistry behind great craftsmanship never goes out of style.

Our friends at Craft & Forge celebrate that same spirit of craftsmanship with coffee inspired by the artisans of Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Trades Program roasted by Mobjack Bay Coffee Roasters. PLUS proceeds from sales help support the preservation of these traditional trades for future generations. Check it out at craftandforgebrand.com/coffee

09/28/2026

When storms threaten, many ask: How do we protect these centuries-old buildings? From safeguarding artifacts to securing historic structures, every step ensures that the Historic Area, and the stories it holds, remain protected from natural disasters.

Since 1926, the restoration and preservation of Williamsburg has been an ongoing effort. Today, through the Power of Place Campaign, your support helps us preserve America’s largest living history museum. Protect the past. Strengthen the future. Donate today ➡️ bit.ly/4vBf4FX

If you want to learn how storms shaped early America, you can also read about the Independence Hurricane of 1775, a deadly storm that struck at the dawn of the Revolution, on our website!

Visitors to early Williamsburg had strong opinions. Impressions varied. Seeing as how today is  , here is what some folk...
09/27/2026

Visitors to early Williamsburg had strong opinions. Impressions varied. Seeing as how today is , here is what some folks had to say about the political venter of Virginia back in the 18th century 👀

When historians look at documents, the simplest things so often go unsaid. How was a meal served? What did the streets look like? Such ordinary facts are hardly worth recording. For historians, the simplest facts are sometimes the most elusive.

That’s why historians value travel journals. Written by outsiders, travel journals often describe the exotic details of everyday life too boring for an insider to remark on. Colonial Williamsburg researchers often use these sources to help understand the water that early Virginians swam in.

Read more about this topic in our article: www.colonialwilliamsburg.org/discover/sources/travel-journals

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101 Visitor Center Drive
Williamsburg, VA
23185

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