Virginia Guides Service

The Virginia Guides Service is a student-run, volunteer tour organization offering free historical tours of the University of Virginia. Our tours explore more than 200 years of UVA’s history, from its founding and construction through the Civil War and the Civil Rights era, highlighting stories of change, resistance, and community that continue to shape the University today. Tours navigate the outdoor grounds of UVA’s UNESCO World Heritage–listed Academical Village and are researched and written by students following a semester of intensive training, historical research, and critical reflection.

Our standard history tours are free of charge, one hour long, and depart from the lawn side of the Rotunda steps at 11:00 a.m. every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday during the academic year. All guides are trained to accommodate accessibility needs and can provide alternate routes as needed.

In addition to our regularly scheduled tours, we offer free Specialty Tours by request that focus on specific aspects of UVA’s history, including the history of African Americans, women at UVA, children’s tours, garden tours, and more. To ensure guide availability, specialty or large group tour requests should be submitted two to three weeks in advance.

Visit our new website to learn more about our tours, register for a free tour, or submit a specialty tour request. We look forward to welcoming you to Grounds.