Colonial Williamsburg.

Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum in the historic district of Virginia’s former capital city, Williamsburg. After the city fell into decline following the relocation of the Virginia capital to Richmond during the American Revolution, much of Williamsburg’s colonial history was in danger of being lost. In the late 1920s, a group of organizers led by pastor and historian Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin set out to restore and reconstruct historic Williamsburg to preserve its colonial legacy. Their efforts ultimately led to the transformation of a deteriorating section of the city into Colonial Williamsburg, a sprawling historic area featuring hundreds of restored and recreated eighteenth-century buildings, as well several key exhibition buildings such as the Capitol, the Governor’s Palace and Gardens, the Public Gaol (jail), and Raleigh Tavern. To elevate the experience, live re-enactors in period costumes portray townspeople who lived during Williamsburg’s colonial era. Also in Colonial Williamsburg are art museums, shopping centers, restaurants, and onsite accommodations.