Colonial Williamsburg

This kitchen affords visitors the opportunity to witness meal preparation as it would have occurred during Colonial times.

Learn how a colonial musket was built in this recreation of the Geddy family shop.

Learn about everything from how meals were made in homes, how they were prepared in the governor's palace, brewing, and even chocolate making.

Joiners worked closely with carpenters to create door frames, windows, shutters, and built-in cupboards.

The Magazine is where the arms and armaments of Virginia were kept and provides an opportunity to learn about weapons used in colonial times. The Magazine is an original colonial building.

See drill practice and canon firing as soldiers train for war, cook, and play music. Visitors can "enlist" and do their own training, allowing them to join in the Military Review at the end of the day on Market Square.

Milliners made shirts, neckerchiefs and other fashionable items, as well as importing luxury items from London such as jewelry or hosiery. The Milliner shop is an original colonial building.

The printer created the newspaper, pamphlets and books that were the primary means of mass communication in colonial times. The shop affords visitors the chance to see type being set and documents being printed.

Boots and shoes were pre-made in a variety of sizes, but individuals with large or small feet could place custom orders that would generally be ready in a day.

Silversmiths made cups, teapots, and utensils, both as a status symbol and as a way to store wealth in a time before widespread banks. They would often begin the process by melting down coins or out-of-fashion items.

Tailors made everything from silk suits to linen jackets. Visitors to this shop might get to experience the process of being measured for a new garment. The tailor shop is an original colonial building.

See how raw flax, cotton and wool were spun into cloth. Prior to the American Revolution most fabrics were imported, but when the imports were cut off the colonies turned to weavers to fill the void.

In the 18th century, a wig was a fashionable accessory, even for men, and the job of the wigmaker was thus an important role.

A self-guided tour that explores the religious heritage of slaves in colonial Virginia.

The Church of England was the official church of the colonies under British rule, and all colonists were expected to worship regularly. This three-century old church was the Episcopalian church is still an active church today, and hosts over 120 recitals each year. The graveyard outside of the church is the final resting place of several notable early Virginians. The Parish Church is an original colonial building.

The seat of colonial power and site of Virginia's vote for independence on May 15, 1776.

Visitors to the courthouse can learn about the laws of the time and participate in a mock trial. Built in 1771, the Courthouse is an original colonial building.

This street is the main thoroughfare through the historic district.

The symbol of British authority in the colony and home to seven royal governors. The current building is a reconstruction that was completed in 1934 built on the foundations of the original Governor's Palace. The original building was constructed from 1706-1722 before being destroyed by a fire in 1781.

Market Square was a central square where military reviews were held, wares were sold, and proclamations were made.

The Palace Green is an open space in front of the Governor's Palace where visitors can practice hoop rolling or participate in 18th-century games.

An open-air stage where, weather-permitting, the Williamsburg Company of Comedians performs 18th-century farces.

Although the Church of England was the official religion of the colonies, Presbyterians practiced their faith in this meetinghouse.

Pirates, thieves, runaway slaves, debtors, and political prisoners all inhabited cells in this building as they awaited trial, or they were convicts awaiting branding, whipping, or hanging, according to their sentences. The most famous inhabitants of the gaol were fifteen members of the pirate Blackbeard's crew, held here in 1718. The Public Gaol is an original colonial building that dates to approximately 1704, and was restored in 1936.

In addition to serving as the entrance to the Museums of Colonial Williamsburg, the Public Hospital of 1773 provides exhibits that document the treatment of mental illness from the hospital's founding in 1773 to its destruction by fire in 1885. It was built as the first medical facility in North America constructed solely for the treatment of the mentally ill. The current hospital was reconstructed by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 1985. The exhibition details the theory and practice of the treatments and doctor-patient relationships that were common in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Guests can sample coffee, tea or liquid chocolate as it was prepared in the 18th century.

Where Virginia patriots met to discuss independence in open defiance of the crown. Guests can join in political discussions or enjoy musical and comedy performances.

Visitors can experience the lifestyle of a tavern owner, his family, and the slaves who ran the business. Wetherburn's Tavern is an original colonial building.

The former home of John D. Rockefeller Jr. and Abby Aldrich Rockefeller is a part of the story of the restoration of Colonial Williamsburg. The house looks much as it did in the 1930s and 1940s when the Rockefellers restored and furnished it to be a comfortable family home. Bassett Hall reflects both its 18th-century heritage and the neighborly comfort that was part of the Rockefeller's 20th-century life in Williamsburg.

Guests can assist gardeners using period tools, and learn about the plants grown for food and ornamentation.

Home of Thomas Jefferson's teacher and friend, the attorney George Wythe. The George Wythe House is an original colonial building.

Site of a family's pewter and brass founding business. Visitors can participate in games, music and daily chores. The James Geddy House is an original colonial building.

Visitors might encounter Martha Washington, Mary Stith, or others. In her 1813 will Mary Stith freed the slaves in her household and left them her shop.

An "urban plantation." Peyton Randolph was the president of the First Continental Congress. His home demonstrates the contrast between the lifestyle of the white family and, behind it, the living conditions of the slaves they owned. The Peyton Randolph House is an original colonial building.

Visitors to the Powell house can experience what middle-class life was like in Williamsburg. The Powell House is an original colonial building.

This house serves as a donor reception center serving light refreshments for those who have donated $100 or more to the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. The St. George Tucker House is an original colonial building.

Thomas Everard arrived in the colonies as an orphan and rose to become a wealthy planter and civic leader. The house has been restored to its original appearance, including 18th-century antiques. The Thomas Everard House is an original colonial building.

The award-winning DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum houses the Foundation's renowned collection of British and American decorative arts dating from 1600 through 1830. These include the world's largest collection of Virginia furniture; one of the largest collections of southern, British, and American furniture; and the largest collection of English pottery outside England. Masterworks and period pieces acquired for Colonial Williamsburg's Historic Area exhibition buildings bolster the museum's holdings in furniture, metals, ceramics, glass, paintings, prints, maps, and textiles. The Wallace Museum, opened in 1985, features 15 galleries in of exhibition space, an auditorium, and a café.

This is the oldest institution in the U.S. dedicated solely to the collection and preservation of American folk art – features paintings, whirligigs, weather vanes, carvings, toys, embroideries and other folk works representing many diverse cultural traditions and geographic regions. John D. Rockefeller Jr. established the museum in 1957 in honor of his wife Abby and her love of folk art. Mrs. Rockefeller gave the core collection of 424 objects to The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in 1939. Today, the collection includes items dating from the 1720s to the present.

A ceremony that began in 1935 and occurs on the first Sunday of December. During the holidays Colonial Williamsburg is decorated for Christmas, and the Grand Illumination is a ceremony in which thousands of decorative lights are activated simultaneously.

Offers current films and live performances. On any given day, you might see a Colonial Williamsburg interpreter portray Patrick Henry or enjoy a jazz ensemble of talented students from the College of William and Mary. Fall 2006 films include Wordplay, Who Killed the Electric Car, The Great New Wonderful, and A Scanner Darkly.

Golf enthusiasts will find a sanctuary at Colonial Williamsburg's Golden Horseshoe Golf Club, a resort that offers 45 holes and was a top-100 resort golf course by Golfweek Magazine ine mid-2010s.