The Governor’s Palace is the grandest building in Colonial Williamsburg and the one most first-time visitors put at the top of the list. It stands at the head of Palace Green, a wide lawn running north from Duke of Gloucester Street, and it was built in the early 18th century as the residence of the royal governors who ruled Virginia on behalf of the Crown. It was designed to impress. The entrance hall is lined with muskets, swords and pistols arranged in decorative patterns, a display meant to show colonists and visiting Native leaders that the Crown was well armed, and the rooms beyond are furnished to show how a governor entertained, negotiated and lived. The last royal governor, Lord Dunmore, fled in 1775 as the Revolution began, and the building then became home to Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson, the first two governors of the Commonwealth of Virginia. After the siege of Yorktown it served briefly as a hospital for wounded soldiers and was later lost to fire. The building you tour today is a reconstruction completed in the 1930s on the original foundations, and it is walked with a costumed guide. It is included with Colonial Williamsburg admission, which is where this page sends you.
How the visit works
The Palace is entered on a guided tour with a costumed interpreter, and it is covered by Colonial Williamsburg admission, so there is no separate ticket. Tours are paced through the day, and the Palace is one of the sites that draws a queue at busy times, so make it an early stop.
Look at the daily program when you collect your tickets at the Visitor Center, and if the Palace is not open at the time you arrive, build the rest of your morning around it. Not every building is open every day, so look for the Grand Union flag outside.
What you will see
The tour moves from the arms display in the entrance hall through the formal rooms used for receiving guests and conducting business, then into the more private spaces and the working areas below stairs. Guides explain how the governor used the building as both a home and an instrument of royal power, and how the same rooms were turned over to the new Commonwealth.
Outside, the formal gardens, the canal and the holly maze reward a slow walk, and the kitchen garden is worth a few minutes. Interior photography rules can differ from room to room, so ask your guide.
Making the most of it
Pair the Palace with the Capitol at the opposite end of Duke of Gloucester Street, because together they show the two faces of 18th-century Virginia government, the Crown’s representative and the elected burgesses who often opposed him. Wear comfortable shoes, because the Historic Area is about a mile from end to end, and consider the shuttle from the Visitor Center if little legs are tired. In December the Palace is dressed for the season, and the surrounding lawn is a busy gathering point during Grand Illumination weekends.
What to expect
The experience
A guided tour of the reconstructed Governor’s Palace with a costumed interpreter, followed by a self-paced walk through the gardens.
Best time
Early in the day, before queues build, and before the tour programs get busy.
How long
About an hour including the gardens.
Tips
Collect the daily program at the Visitor Center, look for the Grand Union flag outside open buildings and allow time for the gardens and maze.
Quick picks
- Best for
- History lovers, first-time visitors and anyone who wants the grandest interior in the Historic Area.
- Families
- Children enjoy the muskets in the entrance hall and the holly maze in the gardens.
- Couples
- A beautiful walk along Palace Green, especially in the soft light of late afternoon.
- Pair with
- The Capitol at the other end of Duke of Gloucester Street, for the full story of colonial government.
- Time needed
- About an hour, plus time in the gardens.
Good questions
Do I need a separate ticket for the Governor’s Palace?+
No. The Palace is covered by Colonial Williamsburg admission, so a valid ticket for the Historic Area is all you need.
Is the Governor’s Palace the original building?+
No. The original, built in the early 18th century, was lost to fire after serving as a hospital following the siege of Yorktown. The building you tour is a reconstruction from the 1930s on the original foundations.
Who lived in the Governor’s Palace?+
Virginia’s royal governors lived there until Lord Dunmore fled in 1775. Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson then lived there as the first two governors of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Are the gardens free to walk?+
The gardens and Palace Green are part of the Historic Area, and the streets can be walked without a ticket, but the Palace tour needs admission. Check the day’s program for what is open.
How long does the tour take?+
Plan about an hour including the gardens, and more if you want to see the holly maze and kitchen garden at a relaxed pace.
