Attach to Form 990 or Form 990-EZ.
Go to
www.irs.gov/Form990 for instructions and the latest information.
| (i) Name of supported organization | (ii) EIN | (iii) Type of organization (described on lines 1- 10 above (see instructions)) | (iv) Is the organization listed in your governing document? | (v) Amount of monetary support (see instructions) | (vi) Amount of other support (see instructions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | No | |||||
|
Total |
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Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2015 | (b) 2016 | (c) 2017 | (d) 2018 | (e) 2019 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grant.") .. | ||||||
| 2 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf.... | ||||||
| 3 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge.. | ||||||
| 4 | Total. Add lines 1 through 3 | ||||||
| 5 | The portion of total contributions by each person (other than a governmental unit or publicly supported organization) included on line 1 that exceeds 2% of the amount shown on line 11, column (f).. | ||||||
| 6 | Public support. Subtract line 5 from line 4. | ||||||
Calendar year
(or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2015 | (b) 2016 | (c) 2017 | (d) 2018 | (e) 2019 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 | Amounts from line 4.. | ||||||
| 8 | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources... | ||||||
| 9 | Net income from unrelated business activities, whether or not the business is regularly carried on.. | ||||||
| 10 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.).. | ||||||
| 11 | Total support. Add lines 7 through 10 | ||||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2015 | (b) 2016 | (c) 2017 | (d) 2018 | (e) 2019 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gifts, grants, contributions, and membership fees received. (Do not include any "unusual grants.") . | 39,728,293 | 42,411,940 | 53,939,050 | 41,514,268 | 37,605,515 | 215,199,066 |
| 2 | Gross receipts from admissions, merchandise sold or services performed, or facilities furnished in any activity that is related to the organization's tax-exempt purpose | 59,275,974 | 55,527,321 | 48,469,936 | 35,436,016 | 35,302,465 | 234,011,712 |
| 3 | Gross receipts from activities that are not an unrelated trade or business under section 513 ..... | -5,262,600 | -5,601,531 | -4,112,488 | -14,976,619 | ||
| 4 | Tax revenues levied for the organization's benefit and either paid to or expended on its behalf... | 0 | |||||
| 5 | The value of services or facilities furnished by a governmental unit to the organization without charge | 0 | |||||
| 6 | Total. Add lines 1 through 5 | 93,741,667 | 92,337,730 | 98,296,498 | 76,950,284 | 72,907,980 | 434,234,159 |
| 7a | Amounts included on lines 1, 2, and 3 received from disqualified persons | 1,462,539 | 5,808,366 | 8,362,562 | 5,156,457 | 2,522,616 | 23,312,540 |
| b | Amounts included on lines 2 and 3 received from other than disqualified persons that exceed the greater of $5,000 or 1% of the amount on line 13 for the year. | 1,082,079 | 1,064,010 | 1,142,777 | 946,713 | 949,762 | 5,185,341 |
| c | Add lines 7a and 7b.. | 2,544,618 | 6,872,376 | 9,505,339 | 6,103,170 | 3,472,378 | 28,497,881 |
| 8 | Public support. (Subtract line 7c from line 6.) | 405,736,278 | |||||
Calendar year (or fiscal year beginning in) ![]() |
(a) 2015 | (b) 2016 | (c) 2017 | (d) 2018 | (e) 2019 | (f) Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9 | Amounts from line 6... | 93,741,667 | 92,337,730 | 98,296,498 | 76,950,284 | 72,907,980 | 434,234,159 |
| 10a | Gross income from interest, dividends, payments received on securities loans, rents, royalties and income from similar sources.. | 12,202,033 | 12,217,780 | 13,006,700 | 13,727,799 | 18,102,505 | 69,256,817 |
| b | Unrelated business taxable income (less section 511 taxes) from businesses acquired after June 30, 1975. | 0 | |||||
| c | Add lines 10a and 10b. | 12,202,033 | 12,217,780 | 13,006,700 | 13,727,799 | 18,102,505 | 69,256,817 |
| 11 | Net income from unrelated business activities not included in line 10b, whether or not the business is regularly carried on. | 0 | |||||
| 12 | Other income. Do not include gain or loss from the sale of capital assets (Explain in Part VI.) .. | 2,264,153 | 1,845,509 | 2,974,491 | 3,993,194 | 3,965,732 | 15,043,079 |
| 13 | Total support. (Add lines 9, 10c, 11, and 12.).. | 108,207,853 | 106,401,019 | 114,277,689 | 94,671,277 | 94,976,217 | 518,534,055 |
| Section A - Adjusted Net Income | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
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| 1 | Net short-term capital gain | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Other gross income (see instructions) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Add lines 1 through 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Depreciation and depletion | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Portion of operating expenses paid or incurred for production or collection of gross income or for management, conservation, or maintenance of property held for production of income (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Other expenses (see instructions) | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Adjusted Net Income (subtract lines 5, 6 and 7 from line 4) | 8 | ||||
| Section B - Minimum Asset Amount | (A) Prior Year |
(B) Current Year (optional) |
||||
| 1 | Aggregate fair market value of all non-exempt-use assets (see instructions for short tax year or assets held for part of year): | 1 | ||||
| a | Average monthly value of securities | 1a | ||||
| b | Average monthly cash balances | 1b | ||||
| c | Fair market value of other non-exempt-use assets | 1c | ||||
| d | Total (add lines 1a, 1b, and 1c) | 1d | ||||
| e |
Discount claimed for blockage or other factors (explain in detail in Part VI): |
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| 2 | Acquisition indebtedness applicable to non-exempt use assets | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Subtract line 2 from line 1d | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Cash deemed held for exempt use. Enter 1-1/2% of line 3 (for greater amount, see instructions). | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Net value of non-exempt-use assets (subtract line 4 from line 3) | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Multiply line 5 by .035 | 6 | ||||
| 7 | Recoveries of prior-year distributions | 7 | ||||
| 8 | Minimum Asset Amount (add line 7 to line 6) | 8 | ||||
| Section C - Distributable Amount | Current Year | |||||
| 1 | Adjusted net income for prior year (from Section A, line 8, Column A) | 1 | ||||
| 2 | Enter 85% of line 1 | 2 | ||||
| 3 | Minimum asset amount for prior year (from Section B, line 8, Column A) | 3 | ||||
| 4 | Enter greater of line 2 or line 3 | 4 | ||||
| 5 | Income tax imposed in prior year | 5 | ||||
| 6 | Distributable Amount. Subtract line 5 from line 4, unless subject to emergency temporary reduction (see instructions) | 6 | ||||
| Section D - Distributions | Current Year | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Amounts paid to supported organizations to accomplish exempt purposes | ||
|
2
Amounts paid to perform activity that directly furthers exempt purposes of supported organizations, in excess of income from activity |
||
| 3 Administrative expenses paid to accomplish exempt purposes of supported organizations | ||
| 4 Amounts paid to acquire exempt-use assets | ||
| 5 Qualified set-aside amounts (prior IRS approval required) | ||
| 6 Other distributions (describe in Part VI). See instructions | ||
| 7Total annual distributions. Add lines 1 through 6. | ||
|
8
Distributions to attentive supported organizations to which the organization is responsive (provide details in Part VI). See instructions |
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| 9 Distributable amount for 2019 from Section C, line 6 | ||
| 10 Line 8 amount divided by Line 9 amount | ||
| Section E - Distribution Allocations (see instructions) |
(i) Excess Distributions |
(ii) Underdistributions Pre-2019 |
(iii) Distributable Amount for 2019 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Distributable amount for 2019 from Section C, line 6 | ||||
|
2
Underdistributions, if any, for years prior to 2019 (reasonable cause required-- explain in Part VI). See instructions. |
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| 3 Excess distributions carryover, if any, to 2019: | ||||
| a From 2014....... | ||||
| b From 2015....... | ||||
| c From 2016....... | ||||
| d From 2017....... | ||||
| e From 2018....... | ||||
| fTotal of lines 3a through e | ||||
| g Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| h Applied to 2019 distributable amount | ||||
|
i
Carryover from 2014 not applied (see instructions) |
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| j Remainder. Subtract lines 3g, 3h, and 3i from 3f. | ||||
| 4Distributions for 2019 from Section D, line 7: | ||||
| $ | ||||
| a Applied to underdistributions of prior years | ||||
| b Applied to 2019 distributable amount | ||||
| c Remainder. Subtract lines 4a and 4b from 4. | ||||
|
5
Remaining underdistributions for years prior to 2019, if any. Subtract lines 3g and 4a from line 2. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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|
6
Remaining underdistributions for 2019. Subtract lines 3h and 4b from line 1. If the amount is greater than zero, explain in Part VI. See instructions. |
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|
7 Excess distributions carryover to 2020. Add lines 3j and 4c. |
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| 8 Breakdown of line 7: | ||||
| a Excess from 2015..... | ||||
| b Excess from 2016..... | ||||
| c Excess from 2017..... | ||||
| d Excess from 2018..... | ||||
| e Excess from 2019..... | ||||
| Facts And Circumstances Test |
|---|
| Return Reference | Explanation |
|---|
| Software ID: | 19009920 |
| Software Version: | 2019v5.0 |
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.
Go to www.irs.gov/Form990 for the latest information.
| Return Reference | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Client Note 1 | Client Note 1 - Charitable Contributions Carryforward Schedule:2014 Charitable Contributions Expiring 12/31/19 $408,1672015 Charitable Contributions Expiring 12/31/20 88,7202016 Charitable Contributions Expiring 12/31/21 46,3522017 Charitable Contributions Expiring 12/31/22 1,0652019 Charitable Contributions Expiring 12/31/23 51,025 595,3292014 Charitable Contributions Expiring 12/31/19 (408,167)Amount Available for Carryforward at 12/31/19 187,162 |
| Client Note 2 | Client Note 2 - Line 4: Average Acquisition Debt Principal Balance 1/1/2019 12/31/2019 Average College Corner 6,904,186 6,904,186 6,904,186 Vehicle Maint 3,897,472 3,897,472 3,897,472 Leased Prop 181,776,725 181,663,712 181,705,219 Tax Credit 35,248,946 35,248,946 35,248,946 Line 5: Average Adjusted Basis Principal Balance 1/1/2019 12/31/2019 AverageCollege Corner 4,030,987 3,865,883 3,948,435 Vehicle Maint 2,221,137 2,095,940 2,158,538 Leased Prop 92,355,662 74,501,097 83,428,380 Tax Credit 22,053,752 21,176,220 21,614,986 |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 2: Description of Business or Family Relationship of Officers, Directors, Et | Mitchell Reiss, Mark Hileman, Carly Fiorina, Conrad Hall, John A. Luke, Jr. and Thurston R. Moore have a business relationship with a related party. Mitchell Reiss and Mark Hileman have a family relationship with a related person. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 11b: Form 990 Review Process | Form 990 is prepared by the Foundation's finance staff with assistance from other members of management as needed to ensure completeness and accuracy. The entire form and all schedules are reviewed during preparation and after completion by the Controller, followed by higher-level reviews by the Vice President of Finance and the Chief Financial Officer. Prior to filing with the IRS, a copy of the Foundation's final Form 990 (including required schedules) is provided in paper or electronic format to each member of the Board of Trustees. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 12c: Explanation of Monitoring and Enforcement of Conflicts | Trustees receive and sign a conflict of interest disclosure form annually. Any conflicts that might arise during a member's Board tenure are disclosed to and addressed by the Board. Additionally, any trustee with a conflict in connection with any matter before the Board is required to disclose the conflict and is not permitted to take part in any vote with respect to the matter. Members of management receive a copy of the Foundation's conflict on interest policy and sign a disclosure form annually. The Foundation's General Counsel reviews management's annual conflict on interest disclosure forms to assure that compensating controls are put in place to mitigate or eliminate any identified conflict. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 15b: Compensation Review and Approval Process for Officers and Key Employees | Compensation of the CEO and other officers of the organization is determined by the Human Resources Committee of the Board of Trustees. In its review and approval process, the members of the Human Resources Committee considered the report of an independent compensation consulting firm that was retained to compare the compensation of the CEO and other officers with that of incumbents in similar positions at comparable organizations. The compensation consulting firm produced a detailed report based on its review of data from compensation surveys, including one specific to not-for-profit organizations that include data from organizations similar to Colonial Williamsburg in mission and size. The review and approval process of the Human Resouces Committee is documented in the minutes of the Committee's meeting. |
| Form 990, Part VI, Line 19: Other Organization Documents Publicly Available | In compliance with federal and state disclosure requirements. |
| Other Changes In Net Assets Or Fund Balances - Other Increases | Change in value of Split Interest Agreements = $2184799 |
| Other Changes In Net Assets Or Fund Balances - Other Decreases | Eliminate FAS 158 Adjustment = -$27356220 |
| Additional information | Colonial Williamsburgs Institute for Teacher Professional Development celebrated its 30th anniversary and its 10,000th participant among more than 500 educators from across the country taking part in the 2019 sessions in Williamsburg. The Teacher Institute presents stories of American history and citizenship through online and on-site programming and the distribution of media to general public and K-16 education audiences. The Colonial Williamsburg Education Resource Library provides interactive history lessons to elementary, middle, and high school classrooms nationally and internationally. This free online media library supports planning and classroom instruction through age-appropriate cross-curricular materials, activities, and lessons. The Resource Library has over 200 resources covering American history from 1607 through the Civil War, with more resources added monthly.The Idea of America is a comprehensive digital American history and civics curriculum based on the notion that America is at heart a great debate among four sets of valuesprivate wealth and commonwealth, unity and diversity, freedom and equality, and law and ethics. Many of the issues that American citizens faced as they built the Republic are linked to the issues we face today in national and global contexts. These issues, and historical events, can be framed within one or more of these sets of value tensions. Programs for secondary school students and the general public are designed to use American history to engage audiences today with their responsibilities as citizens. |
| EDUCATION, RESEARCH AND HISTORICAL INTEPRETATION | The Historic Area is a 301-acre outdoor history museum with over 600 original and reconstructed houses, outbuildings, shops, taverns, and public buildings. In or next to the Historic Area stand 89 original structures including the Presidents House, the Brafferton, and the Wren Building at the College of William and Mary, the Courthouse on Market Square, Bruton Parish Church, the Powder Magazine, and Wetherburns Tavern. The George Wythe House, the Peyton Randolph House, the Thomas Everard House, the James Geddy House, and the St. George Tucker House are other surviving 18th-century structures. Fifty major buildings and over 450 smaller structures have been rebuilt on their original sites of which the Governors Palace, the Capitol, and the Public Hospital are prime examples. The reconstructed Raleigh Tavern, which opened in September 1932, was the first fruit of the archaeological, architectural, and historical research that informed their replication. Charltons Coffeehouse, a 1760s establishment that catered to Williamsburgs elite, rebuilt on its original foundations opened in 2009 and celebrated its 10th anniversary. James Andersons Blacksmith and Public Armoury site of 1776-1780, which includes a large blacksmith shop, forge, tinshop, kitchen, workshop, privy, and several storage buildings opened in 2012. In 2015, the Foundation opened the Market House, located next to the Magazine. The Market House holds auctions and sells goods that would have been for sale during colonial times. Ninety acres of gardens and greens fashioned to 18th-century forms showcase the buildings. In addition, the Historic Area is surrounded by 2,800 acres of greenbelt owned or used by the Foundation.In 2016, the Foundation instituted a new Military Outreach Program, including the Liberty Lounge, which has, to date, hosted more than 200,000 military guests and their families. New programming introduced in the Historic Area in 2017 includes: ox cart rides and an expanded carriage program; candlemaking; a Native American encampment with program interpretation; two new Nation Builders a young Thomas Jefferson and a young Martha Washington; and the Colonial Musket Range where participants can fire two different reproduction 18th-century flintlock firearms commonly used during the Revolutionary War period and learn about the history of those firearms.A new interpretive site opened in 2017- Caesar Hopes Barber Shop. There guests meet John Caesar Barber Hope, a man who secured his freedom from slavery and eventually became a small business owner. Also new in 2017 was the debut of Patriots at Play, a new program located behind the Peyton Randolph House where our young guests learn about 18th-century life through hands-on activities. We also launched an ax-throwing range, providing another engaging site for older children and adults to learn about and experience this popular 18th-century pastime. Additionally, the Junior Apprentice Program introduces a new Historic Trades training program that provides STEM-based career opportunities for students. Finally, the Raleigh Tavern porch was reconstructed in 2017 based on meticulous architectural, archaeological, and historical research and by using traditional period construction methods and materials. The new porch further complements the sites existing interpretative offerings and serves as a popular venue to explore important events and topics of 18th-century life. Several years ago the Foundation launched initiatives to encourage more interaction between guests and interpreters portraying individuals who played important roles in the founding of our nation and development of our societynot only political leaders such as Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, and Patrick Henry but also ordinary men and women, free and enslaved, of Williamsburg. In 2018, new Nation Builders, Ann Wager and Clementina Rind, were added to allow us to explore with the guests the unexpected roles that women had to take on and their part in helping shape the course of the nation. Actor-interpreters portray a variety of Williamsburg residents at the time immediately prior to and during the American Revolution, including the gentry, politicians, military personnel, merchants, housewives, enslaved African-Americans, and Native Americans. A new ensemble theater piece, Created Equal, debuted on July 4th examining the unfilled promises of the founding documents for African Americans. A talented cadre of historical interpreters and subject matter experts offer on-going programs in the houses, taverns, and public buildings, such as the Governors Palace, Capitol, Powder Magazine, and other prominent sites. One of the best ways to spark excitement in young guests, we have discovered over the years, is to greet them with their costumed 18th-century counterparts. Therefore, the junior interpreter program continues to be a critical-and growing- part of Colonial Williamsburgs effort to help our youngest visitors develop a love of American history. Our junior interpreters participate in specialized training to enhance their knowledge of how to get families involved and give them the best possible Colonial Williamsburg experience. 2019 marked the 40th anniversary of African American interpretation at the Foundation. For many years, black employees worked in a variety of costumed positions, but it was not until 1979 that costumed interpreters began to share stories of the enslaved and free black population of Williamsburg from a first-person perspective. A powerful exhibition at the Raleigh Tavern titled Revealing the Priceless: 40 Years of African American Interpretation introduced thousands of guests to our efforts to bring stories of these men, women and children to life. A series of panel discussions featuring the African American interpretive programs founding members and current staff gave insight into the creation and implementation of such revolutionary programming in Virginia. In over twenty Historic Area trade sites, artisans practice trades with the tools and methods of the period. These highly skilled craftspeople, some in nearly extinct trades, include printers, bookbinders, tailors, joiners, cabinetmakers, carpenters, coopers, masons, milliners, shoemakers, wigmakers, foundry workers, tinsmiths, blacksmiths, gunsmiths, silversmiths, weavers, historic foodways experts, artists, and wheelwrights. Historical integrity is critical to Colonial Williamsburgs credibility and worldwide reputation. In order to serve historical accuracy, the Foundation supports a specialist research library that is open to the public by appointment. The John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library houses over 75,000 circulating books, 50,000 manuscripts, 12,000 rare books, 5,000 reels of microfilm, 60,000 architectural drawings, and 400,000 photographs and slides. In 2016, the Foundation launched a free, online Educational Resource Library. In addition, research departments are devoted to training and Historical research, including on-going professional development for employees, and lively Fellows programs that draw to Colonial Williamsburg research scholars from across the world. Drawing from a collection of over 72,000 objects, Colonial Williamsburg furnishes, maintains, and interprets over 200 18th-century period rooms and craft shops. The Historic Area remains a residential community. Employees have the opportunity to rent houses and live in the Historic Area. The employees duties, representational role in the Foundation, and familiarity with sound conservation practices are some of the factors used in the assignment of a Historic Area Residence. During special events, employees may allow their homes to be open to the general public for tours. All Historic Area Residences are decorated for the Foundations annual Grand Illumination celebration. In 2019, employees rented 67 homes. |
| MUSEUMS, PRESERVATION AND HISTORIC RESOURCES | Colonial Williamsburg's wide-ranging collections, acquired over the past 90 years, provide the art, objects, artifacts, and buildings necessary to accurately recreate the environment of 18th-century Williamsburg. The archaeological and architectural collection include 500,000 whole archaeological artifacts from excavations in and around Williamsburg as well as 60 million fragments (probably the largest single archaeological holding relating to 18th-century America), some 19,000 architectural fragments, and over 600 original and reconstructed buildings. The collections of British and American art and antiques include 77,000 objects, among them ceramics and glass, costumes, household accessories, furniture, musical instruments, numismatics, games and toys, kitchen equipment, paintings and drawings, prints and maps, scientific equipment, silver and base metals, textiles, tools and machines, and weapons. The Foundations holdings in southern furniture, American folk art, English silver and pewter, English porcelain, numismatics, tools, and several other categories are considered to be the most comprehensive in the nation. The Foundations extensive collections are researched by curators, archaeologists, and architectural historians and cared for by a staff of conservators and historic preservation professionals, all of whom oversee their display and care in the Historic Area and at the Art Museums. The Foundation is widely recognized for its expertise in colonial Virginia history and professionalism of its staff.The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum features regularly changing thematic exhibitions drawn from Colonial Williamsburgs collections of British and American fine art and antiques. Highlights from its recent exhibitions include the following: English and American silver; British pottery and porcelain; paintings by Gilbert Stuart, Thomas Sully, John Wollaston, Charles Willson Peale, Godfrey Kneller, Peter Lely, and others; clothing and accessories from the late 17th through the mid-19th centuries; British and American needlework; weapons of the American Revolution; historic upholstery; coins and currency of early America; and examples of nearly every type of household furniture made and used in the American colonies. The Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum, the nations leading center for research, preservation, and exhibition of American folk art, is adjacent to the DeWitt Wallace Museum. Through a series of regularly changing thematic exhibitions, Colonial Williamsburg displays its collection of nearly 7,000 examples of American folk art. This collection is designed to foster an appreciation for the aesthetic quality and educational value of American folk art and includes paintings, watercolors, pastels, calligraphic drawings, needlework, ceramics, musical instruments, three-dimensional carvings and sculptures, painted furniture, household ornaments, quilts, coverlets, and a wide array of other materials. Together, the DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum and the Abby Aldrich Rockefeller Folk Art Museum opened two new exhibitions in 2019: To Arm Against an Enemy: Weapons of the Revolutionary War and Textile Arts of Britain: A Commodity for the Colonies. In support of exhibitions and historic area installations and programming, the Art Museums provide hundreds of school and family programs, lectures, tours, and musical and theatrical performances throughout the year in the galleries and Hennage Auditorium. The Art Museums also made substantial progress on a three-year, 65,000-square-foot expansion and renovation. Fully gift funded, the project will be completed in early 2020.Bassett Hall, a restored 18th-century residence near the Capitol, is exhibited as Mr. and Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr. furnished it for their personal use in the 1930s and 1940s. Over 125 objects of American folk art collected by Mrs. Rockefeller are displayed there. The Colonial Revival gardens and grounds also reflect the Rockefellers early 20th-century design. There guests may view native Virginia flora and fauna in the woods beyond the house. The Foundations pioneering and long-standing, archaeological research program is nationally and internationally recognized. Assembled over ninety years, its collections are at the core of historical archaeology in the United States and have long served as the national type collection for identifying and dating artifacts from North American sites of the colonial period. Active archaeological excavations are on-going. In 2018, excavations continued at the 1727 Robert Carter House as part of the joint Colonial Williamsburg/College of William & Mary Summer Field School. In March, we broke ground at Custis Square, site of the early 18th-century home and garden of John Custis IV. Through extensive research and archaeology, we hope to learn more about his elaborate landscape and estate, illuminating the lives of the free and enslaved people who lived and worked there. During the months of excavation in 2019, the archaeology staff recovered and cataloged more than 70,000 artifacts. These run the gamut of human occupation at the site and include projectile points made and used by American Indians about 4,500 BCE, a Spanish silver coin from the 17th century that is now the oldest of its kind in the archaeological collection, and early 18th-century wine bottles featuring Custiss seal. Custis was perhaps best known for his extensive pleasure garden and passion for botany. In 2019 crews located what may be the remains of that garden, discovering planting holes that likely date to the early 18th century. |
| Statement of Program Service Accomplishments | MISSIONThe Colonial Williamsburg Foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt educational organization established in 1928 to preserve and restore 18th-century Williamsburg, Virginia, which served as the colonial and Revolutionary capital of Virginia from 1699 to 1780. Responsibility for the Foundation rests with a Board of Trustees. The Foundation is organized and operated exclusively for charitable and educational purposes. Within that limitation, its principal purposes are to preserve, restore, reconstruct, or otherwise maintain historical structures, objects, works of art and locations and to promote, encourage, and carry on any historical, interpretive, research, or educational activities related thereto. The Foundation strives to feed the human spirit by sharing Americas enduring story by preserving and restoring 18th-century Williamsburg and engaging, informing, and inspiring people as they learn about this historic colonial capital, the events that occurred here, and the diverse peoples who helped shape our nation. During 2019, over 533,000 ticketed guests were able to take part in its educational programs.The Foundations activities include historical research, archaeological research, preservation of artifacts and buildings, interpretation of exhibition buildings and historic trades, re-creation of historic events, creation of educational museum exhibitions, publication of scholarly and popular works, educational outreach including teacher training, distance-learning programs, curriculum development, websites, and conservation and exhibition of art and antiques.Support for Colonial Williamsburgs operations comes from such sources as admission fees, contributions, sales of trade products and licensed reproductions, taverns and restaurants, publications, property rentals, and hospitality and convention services. In accordance with board of trustees policies, support is provided annually from the Foundations endowment for educational and museum programs, as well as Historic Area preservation and restoration. In 2019, almost 90,000 donors made gifts and grants to the Foundation. |
| TAVERNS AND COLONIAL HOUSES | Colonial Williamsburgs taverns and colonial houses operate in the Historic Area providing visitors with an interactive experience unique to the 18th-century. Ideal for guests who wish to fully immerse themselves in the 18th-century, Colonial Williamsburg offers authentic period accommodations in the Historic Area where our founding families once lodged. The Colonial Houses offer accommodations in colonial style at 28 guest houses, some as small as one room within a tavern and others as large as 16 rooms. Furnished with authentic period reproductions and antiques, each Colonial House has a unique history and appeal of its own, offering a rare way to experience the restored 18th-century capital of Virginia. Servers in the taverns are in period dress and interpret the 18th-century dining experience. |
| Software ID: | 19009920 |
| Software Version: | 2019v5.0 |