William and Mary College - Private Tour Wren & Historic Campus

Rear view of the Sir Christopher Wren building depicting the East and West wings

Sir Christopher Wren building with Lord Botetourt statute

Inside the 18th Century classroom at the Wren Building with one of your tour guides

The Wren Chapel including the eighteenth century English chamber organ situated in the balcony

Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved at the College of William & Mary

King William III and Queen Mary II, founders of William & Mary College in 1693

Queen Anne who partially funded restoration of the Wren Building after the fire of 1705

Sir Christopher Wren Building information regarding restoration and oldest academic building in use in the United States

One of the classrooms still in use in the Sir Christopher Wren building

The Blue Room of the Sir Christopher Wren Building

The Great Hall of the Sir Christopher Wren Building

The Hall of Leadership of the Sir Christopher Wren Building

Statute of James Blair, founder and President of the College of Mary from 1693-1747

A visitor strikes a pose with Thomas Jefferson's statute

Statute of James Monroe at the College of William & Mary

Duration1h

Free cancellationFull refund up to 24 hours before

Instant confirmationYour booking is confirmed right away

TicketMobile or paper ticket accepted

LanguagesEnglish

Private tourOnly your group will participate

Overview

Meet your certified guide in front of illy Caffè and walk to the College of William & Mary, founded in 1693 and the second-oldest college in America. Discover its remarkable role in America's story: Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and John Tyler studied here, while George Washington received his surveyor's commission from the College. Benjamin Franklin, the Marquis de Lafayette and King Charles III are among its honorary degree recipients.
When open, tour the historic Sir Christopher Wren Building, including the Colonial classroom, Chapel, Great Hall and other historic spaces. Saturday morning tours may include the complimentary 10:00 a.m. Wren Chapel organ recital.
Explore the Brafferton, an exceptionally rare surviving colonial Indian school; Hearth Memorial to the Enslaved, Sunken Garden, Tyler Garden and Echo Wall and, as time permits, Crim Dell Bridge.
This is an active university campus; access may vary due to classes, events or services. Comfortable walking shoes are recommended.

What's included

Map of the College of William & Mary for further exploration (e.g., Lake Matoka).

No food or drink is permitted inside the Wren building. The tour does not offer bottled water.
Gratuities - if your guide does an exceptional job, tips are appreciated.

What to expect

William & Mary
1h · Admission ticket included

Our certified tour guide will greet you in front of illy's and share some background information as you walk over to the College of William & Mary (Est. 1693). You'll tour the oldest academic building in the United States - the Sir Christopher Wren building and learn about the second oldest college in America and home to four United States Presidents. If the Wren building is open, there is usually an opportunity for a free organ recital on Saturdays at 10am in the Chapel. At other times, we can tour a Colonial classroom, the Chapel, the Blue Room, the Hall of Leadership, the Great Room and the classrooms that are still used today for religious studies. We'll also visit Brafferton, a former school for Virginia Indians, the Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved, and tour the Sunken Garden, visiting the James Monroe statute, the James Blair statute, Tyler Family Garden (aka "Echo Wall"), and the Thomas Jefferson statute.

Meeting and pickup

Meeting point

We will meet in front of the illy coffee shop in Merchant's Square. It's close to 2 (two) nearby parking lots with 2 hour free parking - lot between Henry St and Nassau St or large lot off of Francis Street (between S. Boundary St and Henry St).

End point

We will meet in front of the illy coffee shop in Merchant's Square. It's close to 2 (two) nearby parking lots with 2 hour free parking - lot between Henry St and Nassau St or large lot off of Francis Street (between S. Boundary St and Henry St).

Additional information

Wheelchair accessible
Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Cancellation policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Reviews

4.7 (10)