Private William and Mary Tour of Sir Christopher Wren Building and Campus

What your day looks like

Our certified tour guide will greet you in front of Illy's and share some background information as you walk over to the historic College of William and Mary (est. 1693), our "Alma Mater of the Nation." 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 may be an opportunity for a free organ recital on Saturdays at 10 am in the Chapel, and our morning tour time on Saturday is longer for the recital.   Points of Interest include:   Sir Christopher Wren Building - built between 1695 and 1698, all tours include touring the Colonial classroom, the Wren Chapel, the Blue Room, the Hall of Leadership, the Great Room, and academic classrooms that are still used today for religious studies. This was one of the first buildings preserved and restored by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and Reverand Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, and the College renamed it attributing its design to the famous English architect, Sir Christopher Wren, known for his work in rebuilding 52 churches in the City of London after the Great Fire in 1666, including his masterpiece, St. Paul's Cathedral completed in 1710.   Brafferton School - the first school to educate Native Americans and produce interpreters and liaisons who could aid Britain's colonial presence. At one time, the school included up to 22 (twenty-two) Virginia Native American youth.    The Hearth: Memorial to the Enslaved - memorial on the campus of William & Mary that was dedicated in 2022 to those enslaved by the College over 172 years.   The Sunken Garden - extending west from the Wren building, join us to visit the statute of James Monroe, James Blair, the Tyler Family Garden (aka "Echo Wall"), and the statute of Thomas Jefferson (this is a replica of the same statute at Monticello, the only UNESCO site in Virginia). The initial design of the Garden dates back to the early 1920s; however, budget concerns shelved the project until 1933 when a Civilian Conservation Corps camp had been assigned to the College.