Raleigh Tavern

The Raleigh Tavern is a colonial-era tavern with white weatherboard siding and eighteen dormer windows located on Duke of Gloucester Street near the Capitol Building. Its main feature is the spacious Apollo Room, which functioned as a banquet hall and meeting space.

The building was originally constructed in 1716 and served as an important meeting point for colonial assemblies for decades. After a fire destroyed it in 1859, the structure was later reconstructed and opened to the public in 1932.

The Apollo Room functioned as a social gathering space where influential figures met over meals and conversation that shaped colonial political thought. Today visitors can observe how this room reflects the social life of the era.

The tavern is located in the center of Colonial Williamsburg and is easily reached on foot while visiting the nearby Capitol Building. It remains accessible year-round and offers a good introduction to colonial life for visitors of all ages.

The entrance of the original building was marked by a lead bust of Sir Walter Raleigh, after whom the tavern was named. This bust was lost in the fire of 1859 that destroyed the structure.