CW Planner

(re)educate

This theatrical performance explores the agency of free and enslaved students of the Williamsburg Bray School and the legacies of their lessons.

A Gown in a Day

Visit with the Mantua-makers at the Margaret Hunter Shop throughout the day to track their progress as they create a gown from start to finish in an eighteenth-century workday.

A Public Audience with the 1st First Lady, Martha Washington

Join Mrs. Washington as she speaks about being the first President’s wife and the expectations placed upon her while the new Nation watches on.

A Public Audience with the 1st President, George Washington

Meet with President Washington as he looks back over his long career in public service.

A Public Audience with the 3rd President, Thomas Jefferson

Meet with President Jefferson as he looks back over his long career in public service.

A Public Audience with the 4th President, James Madison

Join President James Madison as he reflects on the invention of the executive branch of the United States.

A Quilter's Story

Join us at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg and learn about the quilt and the maker, then enjoy a mini quilting project.

A Taste of Freedom

This performance tells the story of Americus Weston’s journey to freedom during the Civil War, developed to commemorate Juneteenth.

All Things are Possible

On September 5, 1791, Robert Carter III recorded an extraordinary document. Why did the largest slaveholder in Virginia do what most of his peers consider impossible?

American Indian Interpretation

Explore the diverse cultures of Native peoples striving to preserve their traditional way of life and learn about their roles in creating a new country.

An Apprentice Founder's Workday

Learn about the daily routine of an apprentice at the Geddy Foundry by completing a pewter spoon to take home from start to finish.

An Evening with the Presidents

Join George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison for a discussion of their experiences as president. Hosted by Alvin D. Hall.

Archaeology Behind the Scenes

Visit the Archaeological Lab for a guided tour and learn about a century of the archaeological discoveries of Colonial Williamsburg!

Armoury Activity Stations for Home Educators

Enhance your visit with our educational activity stations. Explore Anderson’s armoury compound and learn about the war’s demands on Williamsburg’s industry.

Art Stop

Drop by the Education Studio and create a work of art inspired by an object on exhibit.

At a Glance

Join us on a 20-minute guided tour and enjoy some Museum favorites at a glance.

Backstory

During this guided tour, explore the hidden stories behind the objects on display in our museums.

Behind Closed Drawers

Drop in and examine antique textiles, including clothing, accessories and household textiles.

Capitol Activity Stations for Home Educators

Enhance your visit with our educational activity stations. Learn about the founding principles of our government and your rights and responsibilities.

Capitol Freedom Tour for Home Educators

Students and their families are invited on an engaging and interactive tour of Virginia’s second capitol building.

Clothing Enslaved People in Colonial Virginia

This lecture will explore some of the complex relationships between apparel, labor, identity, and enslavement.

Cry Witch

Question witnesses, weigh evidence, and determine the guilt or innocence of "the Virginia Witch." Not appropriate for young children due to subject matter and intense emotion.

Disaster Strikes! The Cost of Dressing in 1769

While using a 1769-70 merchant's account book, the milliners and mantua-makers demonstrate the layers of a woman's everyday outfit and discuss the other pieces of her wardrobe.

Domestic Diversions

Listen to musical pieces best suited for the intimate settings of an 18th-century home on the organized piano in the Leckie Gallery.

Fire a Flintlock Musket

Fire live rounds at a target from two different reproduction 18th-century flintlock firearms used during the Revolutionary War.

Freedom's Paradox

Explore the paradox of the institution of slavery and the movement for independence in a 60-minute walking tour that begins and ends at the Randolph Yard.

Freedom's Paradox for Home Educators

Learn about the evolution of slavery, and how the institution impacted Williamsburg, the Colony of Virginia, and both the master and enslaved people.

From Excavation to Interpretation

Join a Nation Builder and a Colonial Williamsburg Archaeologist as they discuss important sites in Williamsburg from the 18th century to today.

From Freedom to Slavery

After making a free life for herself as an adopted Shawnee Indian, Methotaskee is brought back into slavery.

From the Ashes

As the ashes settle on Washington D.C., James and Dolley Madison struggle to find a path forward.

God is My Rock

Gowan Pamphlet, an enslaved man and popular local preacher, offers his perspective on slavery, religion, and freedom.

Good Stories about Great Stuff

Discover who created the object, who owned it, and how it ended up in our collection. A curator, educator, or conservator will examine an object each week.

How Did They Survive?

Join Ayinde Martin, Journeyman Carpenter, to discuss enslaved people in colonial Virginia and their survival techniques and skills.

Let's Get Crafty

Celebrate National Craft Month at the Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg.

Loquacious Lucy, Queen for a Day

When Lucy, a loquacious enslaved child, learns that her friend has been sold, her father must teach her hard lessons about slavery and instill in her the pride of her ancestors.

Nation Builders Discuss the Rights of Women

Join two Nation Builders to discuss how they viewed and debated the rights of women.

Order in the Court

After a short exploration of the Courthouse and its surroundings, participate in a local court session where lives, liberties, and property are contested.

Order in the Court for Home Educators

Participate in a local court session where lives, liberties, and property are contested.

Palace Activity Stations for Home Educators

Enhance your visit with our educational activity stations. Step into the palace gardens and participate in an interactive spotlight on loyalists.

Palace Freedom Tour for Home Educators

How did evolving definitions of freedom cause conflict between Great Britain and America?

Patriots at Play

Participate in the daily activities of an 18th-century family at the Geddy House.

Phillis Wheatley and the Music of Freedom

Join the Governor’s Musick in a musical exploration of the paradox of freedom as seen through the poetry of Phillis Wheatley, an enslaved person and well-known poet.

Pictures of West Africa

Join Harold Caldwell, apprentice carpenter, as he shares a pictorial of the connected 18th-century African and Virginian history, while tying it to a modern understanding.

Pop-Up Archaeology!

Stop by the Art Museums for a special pop-up exhibition of artifacts from Custis Square, First Baptist Church, and Powder Magazine archaeology sites!

Popular Science: Enlightenment for Home Educators

Engage in the 18th-century pastime of natural philosophy or scientific observation.

Public Hospital Visit

Tour the reconstructed Public Hospital of 1773 and chat with a historian about Mental Health Care in the 18th century.

Revolutionary Points of View

Step back in time to the eve of the American Revolution, and there are just as many opinions about war and independence as we hear about politics and religion today.

Salute to the Presidents

Fifes, drums, and cannons salute the Nation's presidents on Market Square, featuring Washington, Jefferson, and Madison.

She Had on When She Went Away

Explore the material culture and lives of self-liberated Black women in the 18th century and the society they inhabited.

The Art of Politics and Dining

Join Mrs. Washington as she discusses the art of dining and how influential a woman could be in a man’s world.

The Art of the Stuff Maker

Discover the popular fashions and typical construction techniques of late 18-century women's shoes that made women’s shoemaking a separate branch of the trade.

The Only Unavoidable Subject of Regret

Join Mrs. Washington in December of 1799 as she comes to terms with the General’s Last Will and Testament, and hear from George Washington on his evolution on slavery.

Thomas Jefferson and John Hemings: A Collaboration

After his retirement, Jefferson returned to Monticello, where he relied on his African American joiner, John Hemings, an enslaved woodworker, to build and decorate Monticello.

To Hang a Pirate

Join with us in a trial of a member of the crew of Blackbeard the pirate that actually occurred in Williamsburg in 1719. Hear the evidence and make a judgment!

To Purchase a Likely Man

Join Colonel and Mrs. Washington as they discuss the intricacies and complexities of purchasing a pair of enslaved brothers.

Visit a Nation Builder

Step into the past with a Nation Builder. Through stories, discussion, and questions, explore the hopes, choices, and challenges they faced.

Voices of Their Hands

Discuss the lives of enslaved tradespeople on this walking tour. Hear from our historic tradespeople discussing their experiences interpreting skilled laborers and their work.

Women at Work!

Join us for a walking tour discussing the often-surprising realities of women’s labor, skills, and rights in 18th-century Williamsburg and the Colonial Atlantic World.

Works By Black Artists and Artisans

Tour the museum galleries, including the “I Made This” exhibition, to explore decorative arts and folk art made by Black American artists and artisans. Free reservation required.