dewitt wallace decorative arts museum

Fantastic collection of everything related to colonial life. Art, antiques, quilts, musical instruments. You name it, they have it. Plus, it's a nice way to spend a rainy day at Colonial Williamsburg.

Beautiful and educational. Convenient café. Excellent guide for a free afternoon tour. Fun afternoon.

I wasn’t sure what to expect at this museum. I was interested in the exhibit they had about the evolution of harpsichords and pianos, but there is so much more to see. There are actually three museums in one building here: the Public Hospital, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum, and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum.I recommend taking the shuttle bus to this location, which is a bit of a walk from the main section of Williamsburg. The shuttle drops you off right at the museum, so it is quite convenient. Admission is free if you have purchased a pass for Williamsburg. We entered the museum and were greeted by a friendly worker at the desk who informed us of what was on display in the museum and how to get to there. We started with the brief history of the building as a public hospital. There isn’t a great deal of things to see regarding the mental hospital, so if you are going just for this you may feel shortchanged. Some folks have complained about it being disturbing for children, which, you will have to gauge for yourself as to what they can handle. I didn’t find it disturbing, but very interesting to see how far we have come in dealing with mental health. There were some barbaric practices that were performed here, but for the colonial times, they didn’t really know how to deal with it. The art museum was a treasure trove of artifacts and very interesting. The instrument exhibit, which we had initially come to see, was fascinating. They had a good number of harpsichords and pianos on display and even had recordings of them, so you could hear how they sounded and how the sound changed with the different modifications made to their design. We even got a chance to hear a concert of colonial period music played on instruments of the time.There are several rooms with different kinds of artifacts, like furniture, silverware, quilts, folk art, etc. These types of things may not be of interest to everyone and children may be bored by it, but for me it was infinitely interesting.

The DeWitt Museum is a must see for anyone traveling to Williamsburg that loves the decorative arts -- period furniture, quilts, musical instruments, silver, dinner place settings, etc. It is all here. Great examples of furniture from throughout the South, as well as several examples from major northern furniture settings so that you can see the similarities, and of course, the differences. The Museum has a large and varied collection but few of the pieces would make it as a 'masterpiece' in a place like Winterhur. However, where this museum excels is in helping their patrons learn and understand what makes various pieces different but important. Why is a Low Country chest on chest important? Why makes pewter different from tin? How are stoneware and earthenware similar and different? Even someone with a rudimentary interest in decorative arts will find this information helpful and informative. The museum can probably be seen in a couple of hours, but you can spend as much as a day if you want to dive deep into any particular areas. There is a small cafe with basic fare -- nothing to write home about -- and easy access to the Abby Rockefeller Folk Art Galleries. It is out of its way on the back edge of WIlliamsburg, and has its own parking lot so you can drive/park there without going through the whole Colonial town. It is also close to the shops of Merchant Square. I recommend taking the time to visit the museum!

Went with family on Thanksgiving Day before dinner. Was a wonderful way to entertain everyone. I have been to the DeWitt a few times in the past and enjoy their exhibits and lectures. It is definitely a place to visit more than once.

While visiting the museum we stopped at the cafe for lunch. Although the serving line is cramped inefficient, the food was good, especially the crab soup.

You can find ceramics from 17th century very well kept. Many unusual pieces of folk arts. Good visit.

Fun for your average joe but anyone into furniture would be in heaven. A favorite for us was the doll houses.

When I first visited Williamsburg in 1969 much of what is in the museum was in the homes and the Governor's Mansion. Since then their collection has grown and they have many more prize period pieces that are well worth seeing. There is also a section for kids that will keep them happy for a bit.

Absolutely loved the DeWitt Museum. An absolute must see!!! I liked the silver, samplers and furniture parts of the museum best!

Probably one of the best folk art museums in the country. Not to be missed at Christmas. It is filled with art from handmade dolls to quilts two hundred years old. If that's not you cup of tea, the colonial china is very impressive. I love this museum and try to attend every exhibit they have.

A small, but lovely exhibit of quilts that compared and contrasted styles quite well paired with another exhibit of period textiles (more quilts, samplers, embroidery). Nice!

I only wish I had a week to spend here. As a collector this was a delight as it was more approachable than many of the enormous big city museums.

This museum can keep one occupied for a full day particularly if you're interested in silver, china, furniture, art, dollhouses, pianos and organs all during the colonial period. What is interesting each piece indicates how and where it was obtained most coming from the states of Virginia, Maryland, PA, and NC. The museum includes an excellent cafe with sit-down areas, an auditorium where performances are held daily and a gift shop. Suggest finding out what the performances are and buying tickets prior to when you plan to visit. If you're driving, plan to pay for parking in a lot nearby. It is conveniently located in the colonial area.

The museum displays were excellent. We took the tour offered on the history of quits ending with the opportunity to make a quiltd Christmas ornament. It was worth the time.