The Historic Area of Colonial Williamsburg recreates the atmosphere and lifestyle of Virginia’s colonial capital city. The Historic Area includes 89 original 18th-century buildings, as well as hundreds more buildings reconstructed based on historical records and archaeological research. Explore our community, interact with historic interpreters, and learn more about the daily lives of the diverse men and women who lived in Williamsburg before and during the American Revolution.
Government Sites
Explore sites where the founding principles of our government are established.
Family Homes
Visit the homes of the diverse community of 18th-century Williamsburg.
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Historic Site: Everard House
Visit the home of Thomas Everard, a wealthy planter and civic leader.
CW Admission
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Historic Site: James Geddy House
Experience the activities of an 18th-century family at the Geddy site.
CW Admission
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Historic Site: Peyton Randolph House
Take a guided tour to learn about the paradox of slavery in the Revolutionary period.
CW Admission
Handicap Accessible
Community Sites
Throughout the city, explore places where members of the founding generation gather to participate in day-to-day life.
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Historic Site: Charlton's Coffeehouse
Exchange ideas while sampling authentic versions of historic “hot liquors”: coffee, tea, and chocolate.
CW Admission
Handicap Accessible
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Historic Site: Market Square
Experience the hub of activity.
Open to the Public
Handicap Accessible
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Historic Site: Play House Stage
The Jug Broke Theatre Co. presents from their repertoire of plays, ballad operas, and music bringing the spirit of 18th-century theatre to you!
CW Admission
Handicap Accessible
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Historic Site: The Public Hospital of 1773
Visit the first American hospital devoted exclusively to treating the mentally ill.
Art Museums Admission
Handicap Accessible
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Historic Site: Presbyterian Meetinghouse
Visit the only authorized place of worship for dissenting Protestants in Williamsburg before the Revolution.
CW Admission
Handicap Accessible
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Historic Site: Raleigh Tavern
Discuss the meanings of liberty and equality.
CW Admission
Handicap Accessible
New Discoveries
Experts across the Foundation continue researching our past to better inform our future. Archaeologists, preservationists, researchers, and historians work to expand our knowledge of 18th-century life and, in doing so, have discovered new sites for you to explore soon.
More to Explore
Colonial Williamsburg is home to over 30 historic gardens. From flowering backyard pleasure gardens to our grand Governor’s Palace Garden and Grounds, our gardens offer insight into the ways colonists lived and worked as a community. You can also explore our Level 2 Certified Arboretum comprised of 18th-century tree and woody shrub varieties.
Enjoy authentic 18th-century fare reimagined for modern tastes at one of our historic dining taverns located in the Historic Area. From General George Washington’s favorite Christiana Campbell’s Tavern to King’s Arms Tavern, opened by Jane Vobe in 1772, delicious dining and the best in entertainments are certainly to be enjoyed.
For those wanting to experience period-inspired accommodation, look no further than our Colonial Houses. Scattered throughout the Historic Area these lodgings were once multi-room taverns for overnight stays or individual outbuildings that serviced the estates of Williamsburg.
Throughout the Historic Area you’ll discover period shops offering a variety of Williamsburg-inspired handcrafts, fabrics, toys, and games.