Architectural Research
Researching Williamsburg's Historic Structures
Architectural historians at Colonial Williamsburg are responsible for the care and scholarly interpretation of buildings in the Historic Area. This work includes preservation of historic structures, design of new reconstructions, and ongoing research on the city's built environment.
- What Our Architectural Historians Do - Designing reconstructions for Historic Area buildings is one of our main responsibilities. But doing it well requires an ongoing program of research. Besides documentary, technical, and field-based research on Williamsburg's historic buildings, our inquisitive reach extends into the surrounding region and beyond.
- Learn About the Buildings in the Historic Area - Our most visible work is all around you in the Revolutionary City. Find out more about some of the structures you can see when you visit.
- History of Architectural Research at Colonial Williamsburg - Because so many of Williamsburg's early buildings did not survive into the 20th century, architectural research is one of the oldest jobs at Colonial Williamsburg. The approach to reconstruction design and research that our predecessors pioneered in the 1920s still informs our work today.