university of virginia tours

With its blend of historic buildings and new, innovative research and learning spaces, the UVA School of Engineering and Applied Science is beautiful and inspiring. We welcome visitors to walk Engineers Way, take a tour or visit faculty and classes. And while you're here, enjoy the full University and Charlottesville experience.

Take an In-Person Tour

During the academic year, engineering tours are offered Monday - Saturday (**with exceptions). Tours for the Fall 2024 semester will begin on Tuesday, August 27, 2024.

• Tours are once a day at 1:00 p.m .
• All tours last about 50 minutes. 
• No reservation is required. 
• Visitors wishing to take a tour should meet at the entrance of Thornton Hall's A-Wing .  

**Please note: Tours are NOT available for home football game days and when classes are not in session .

For questions, contact the Engineering Guides at [email protected] Official University tours are conducted by the University Guide Service.

Driving Directions

From I-64: Following signs to the UVA Information Center, get off at exit 118B for the Route 29/250 Bypass. Go approximately 2 miles and take the off ramp for Route 250 East Business (Ivy Road). Turn right off the exit ramp and follow Ivy Road. At the fourth traffic light, turn right on Route 29 Business/Emmet Street. Continue 1/2 block just past the blinking light. Turn left into the University of Virginia Central Grounds Parking Garage at 400 Emmet Street South (hourly fees), which is directly in front of Newcomb Hall.

From I-66 via U.S. Route 29 North: Take I-66 from Northern Virginia past Manassas. Take the exit marked “Route 29 South - Gainesville.” Proceed to Charlottesville, where Route 29 becomes Emmet Street. Pass University Hall basketball arena on the right. Proceed straight through the traffic light at the intersection of Route 250 Business (University Avenue/Ivy Road). Continue 1/2 block just past the blinking light. Turn left into the University of Virginia Central Grounds Parking Garage at 400 Emmet Street South (hourly fees), which is directly in front of Newcomb Hall.

Getting to the Engineering Complex: From the University of Virginia's Central Grounds Parking Garage at 400 Emmet Street South (hourly fees), take the elevator up to the bookstore level. Walk on Newcomb Road toward McCormick Road and make a right on McCormick. Walk across the overpass/bridge. Thornton Hall is the first building on the left. Engineers Way is to the right of Thornton Hall and leads to the rest of the Engineering School complex — with the exception of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, which is housed near the Medical School.

The nearest public parking to the Engineering School is available for an hourly fee in the University of Virginia Central Grounds Parking Garage at 400 Emmet Street South .

To see other UVA visitor parking, click here.

Navigating the Engineering School - Map

UVA Engineering strives for a welcoming and accessible experience for visitors. See our map for details of buildings and amenities, such as restrooms and elevators.

Contact an Engineering Department

Faculty, staff and students are eager to share information about their departments. Contact your department(s) of interest to learn more.

While You're Here, See Lovely Charlottesville

There's good reason why the U.S. Bureau of Economic Research ranked Charlottesville the happiest city in American, and why Travelers Today ranked it the top college town. Charlottesville has it all : history, culture, nature, educational opportunity and proximity to the nation's capital.

Places to Stay in Charlottesville

There are many lodging options available throughout scenic Charlottesville and Albemarle County.

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Office of Undergraduate Admission

Group tours.

In-Person Admission Tours Are Back at UVA

Two rounds of tours are offered daily, in groups of 10. 

How to Visit the University of Virginia in Charlottesville

By: Author Katie

Posted on Published: November 11, 2023  - Last updated: July 12, 2024

Whether you are a visitor to Charlottesville, VA exploring the city’s history or a prospective student of UVA looking at college campuses, a visit to the University of Virginia is a must.

The good news is that visiting the campus is free and easy to do. Here are all the details you must know.

Is the UVA Campus Open to Visitors?

Yes, the UVA campus is open to anyone who wants to visit.

In fact, the campus is a very short walk from some of the best restaurants in Charlottesville , making it a great after-dinner stroll.

Can You Walk Around the UVA Campus?

Yes, you can walk around the entire UVA campus. There are historic buildings to see during a walking tour, as well as modern day places of interest such as the sports stadiums or college bookstore.

UVA Charlottesville is considered one of the prettiest college campuses in Virginia .

Walking will be your best option, rather than driving, because parking is very limited. We suggest parking in one place and then walking everywhere.

How Do I Get a Tour of UVA?

There are a variety of ways to tour the University of Virginia campus.

Historical Tours

Visitors are encouraged to sign up for a historical tour of the UVA campus. These students-led tours are about an hour long and go through the University’s Academical Village and gardens.

On these tours, you will learn about the history of the University of Virginia, from the founding to today, from the architecture and founding ideals, to the enslaved laborers, activists, students, and community members that have changed the university over the centuries.

Each tour starts at 11 a.m. every day during the  academic year  (except  home football game days ). Meet your student guide at the Lower East Oval Room of the Rotunda.

Self Guided Tours

You are more than welcome to explore the UVA campus with a self-guided tour any time of the year, even if classes are not in session.

Download the walking tour for a map and information about the main buildings you will see.

Prospective Student Tour

The Dean’s Welcome and Tour are designed for students and their families who are considering going to UVA. In addition to learning about the admissions process, you will enjoy a student-led tour of the campus.

In addition to general campus tours, there are guided tours for specific schools on campus, such as the Architecture school, as well.

Specialty Tours

A variety of specialty tours are available for a more in-depth focus on the university campus. These tours are not offered every day and must be requested at least two weeks in advance .

History of African-Americans at UVA

History of African-American tours run approximately an hour and grapple with our University’s complicated racial legacies of slavery and discrimination. Topics covered will include slavery, integration, and even a discussion of the modern racial climate at UVA.

Memorial to Enslaved Laborers (MEL) Tour

MEL tours discuss the history of enslaved laborers’ resistance and resilience at the University and the advocacy by community members and students to fully acknowledge and memorialize their labor. MEL tours were designed by the Descendants of Enslaved Communities (DEC-UVA).

Tours are available from a University Guide or from a Descendant.

History of Women at UVA

This hour-long tour focuses on the integration of women at the University of Virginia, from the lives of the first women on Grounds in the 1820s to the acceptance of women into the student community.

Garden Tours

Learn about the importance of the gardens in the early days of the University, and how they have transformed into the modern day spaces of today. This 45 minute guided tour gives a look into the Pavilion gardens.

Children’s Tours

Especially great for homeschoolers, schools and day camps, these children’s tours share exciting stories about UVA geared for kids age Pre-K to Fifth grade. During the hour-long tour, children learn about the Thomas Jefferson, early life at the University, and the burning of the Rotunda in 1895.

Parking is hard to come by at the University of Virginia for visitors without a parking permit. We had a hard time finding any place to park that didn’t require specialty parking permits, and we visited when classes were not in session.

There aren’t a lot of parking lots and you can’t just park on the street for free.

You will need to pay for parking in most cases. Payment is through the ParkMobile app.

The Central Grounds Garage is considered the best place to park on the UVA campus for visitors.

When we visited the art museum, we were able to get a free parking pass to use their parking lot across the street. However, this was during a time when classes were not in session, so I’m not sure how well that would work during the school year.

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What Is There to See at UVA for Tourists?

Visiting the University of Virginia campus is unlike most college tours. As history buffs who love architecture, we always take a tour of UVA when in Charlottesville! It’s one of the best things to do in Charlottesville !

UVA was founded by Thomas Jefferson in 1819. Yes, the Thomas Jefferson who would later become President of the United States!

Here are some of the historic places you will see on the University of Virginia campus:

The Rotunda

Designed by Thomas Jefferson, it is modeled after the Pantheon in Rome. Jefferson designed this building to the the heart of his “Academical Village.”

Inside, you can take a self-guided tour (maps are provided) or sign up for their free guided tours. You will visit the library upstairs with a stunning domed roof.

Helpful Tip: Bring a book or borrow one of the many books in the library collection and enjoy some quiet time reading in this historical place. It’s also a great place to bring your laptop for remote working.

Memorial to Enslaved Laborers

An estimated 5,000 enslaved African Americans worked on the grounds of UVA starting with construction in 1817 up to the end of the Civil War in 1865.

The memorial, maid of local granite, formally acknowledges the work and lives of the individuals who built the University and kept it running.

Running from the Rotunda to Old Cabell Hall, this huge expanse of green grass is a central hub for students and faculty. You will often see students having class on The Lawn.

The Fralin Museum of Art

A small art museum on the University campus, The Fralin Museum of Art is always free admission.

As frequent visitors of art museums, we thought the museum was nice, but nothing to schedule your day around. However, there were several exhibits closed during our visit, so maybe it would be better if everything was open.

What we did like is the Little Art Gallery outside. This was a project started in the pandemic for people to have access to art. You can view miniature handmade pieces of artwork and take a small piece of art or leave one for others.

We were able to get a free parking pass to use in a lot across the street, however I’m not sure if that option is available during the academic year.

Where to Stay Near When Visiting UVA

If you want to be close to the university for a campus visit or to attend a game, these are the best hotels near UVA:

• Kimpton Forum An elegant and spacious hotel located on the grounds of the University of Virginia. Everything you love about Kimpton hotels can be found here, including daily Happy Hour reception, bikes to rent, a fabulous restaurant and bar. (We personally had a horrible experience at this property and won’t be staying there again, but your experience might be different.) See our video of our room and a property tour.
• Graduate Hotel A fun and energetic hotel brand that has locations near popular University campuses. Each hotel is themed to the destination, so expect to see profiles of Thomas Jefferson as decor elements. The Graduate is located just outside the gates to UVA among the dining and shopping district.

So Hoos Asking: What’s the Deal With Grounds Tours?

September 6, 2024 • By Brian Coy, [email protected] Brian Coy, [email protected]

• Brian Coy, [email protected]

(Photo by Matt Riley, University Communications)

A recent social media post by the University Guide Service, a student-run organization delegated by the University of Virginia to run a share of the University’s admission tours for prospective students, announced that the organization won’t be giving tours this fall so that it can focus on the completion of a performance improvement plan. 

The announcement raised questions about the reasons for the suspension and prompted a variety of hot takes about the University’s relationship with the University Guides and where it’s going from here. 

To get to the bottom of these questions, we brought them to UVA Vice Provost for Enrollment Steve Farmer. 

Q. What is the relationship between the U Guides and the University?

A.   The University Guides is a student group with a long and proud tradition of giving tours to prospective students on behalf of the University. Unlike contracted independent organizations, which act independently of UVA, the guides are a “special status organization,” which means they’ve agreed to perform a function delegated to them by the University, and which requires that they work closely with a University adviser. Over the last few years, in the case of tours for prospective students, the guides have worked with several advisers in the admission office, with colleagues in Student Affairs, and with me.

Q. What led to the decision to suspend the University Guides’ ability to perform tours on the University’s behalf? 

A. Toward the end of the pandemic, as prospective students started to visit us again, we heard concerns about the experience we were offering them. Some concerns involved the negative tone of the tours that some of the guides were leading. I think in some cases the tone was understandable, given all that our students had been through. But those tours didn’t really achieve their purpose, which was to help prospective students understand what they might expect as UVA students and make informed decisions about whether to pursue (or accept) admission. 

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At the same time, we wanted to offer more tours, because we already weren’t offering enough to meet the full demand, and because we wanted to increase demand by encouraging more students from traditionally underserved parts of the commonwealth to visit. As a result, we began working with leaders of the guides to help them improve the organization’s performance, and we created new opportunities for paid student interns in the admission office to welcome prospective students to Grounds, including by giving tours. 

Last year, and especially last semester, the University Guide Service struggled to get guides to sign up for the tours the organization had agreed to provide, and guides sometimes didn’t show up for tours they had committed to give. As a result, the admission office had to cover these tours with interns at the last minute and reduce the number of tour slots allotted to the guides. Although many of the guides who did sign up and show up gave excellent tours, others continued to struggle, and the admission office continued to receive some negative feedback from prospective UVA students and their families.   

Several of us in enrollment, admission and student affairs have met regularly with leaders of the guides to share our concerns and to offer our support in addressing them. As challenges persisted, we told the leaders last February that we wanted to work with them to help the guides thrive as an organization after spring semester, and that our doing so would require that we consider alternatives to the current special-status agreement. In the end, it was clear to us that the guide service needed time to improve its reliability and consistency as an organization. As a result, we asked the guides to work with us on a performance-improvement plan, and to pause giving University-delegated tours until the plan is completed.

Q. What role did tours’ mention of the University’s history of slavery play in this decision?  

A.   We didn’t take this step because the guides were mentioning our history of enslavement. Our admission officers talk about our history when they welcome prospective students, and they’re often asked about it. As an institution, we haven’t always done the best job of telling our complete history – including the story of the enslaved laborers who built the University – but I think that’s changed for the better. Our students and faculty members, and the UVA descendant community, have been crucial. 

Where the guides are concerned, in addition to raising fundamental concerns about capacity and attendance, what we we’ve asked the guide service to do is to respond constructively to the persistent (if intermittent) complaints about what a wide variety of guests have described as excessive negativity. The goal of every admissions tour is to welcome prospective students warmly, answer their questions and help them understand as much as they can about the UVA experience. There’s a way to talk honestly about our history, and about the overall student experience, that leaves guests feeling respected, inspired and affirmed. These things are crucial to our ability to recruit and encourage students from all walks of life, and they’re crucial to the functions we’ve delegated to the guides through their special-status agreement.

Q. What is next for the relationship between UVA and the University Guides? 

A.   Over the past two years, we’ve met many times with the leaders of the guides. Even as they’ve confronted challenges, they’ve taken their responsibilities seriously and they’ve demonstrated that they truly care about the University Guide Service, its members, and the University. They have a very hard job, and they deserve respect, not the uninformed and unfair criticism they’ve sometimes received. 

This pause will give us a chance to work together to improve the capacity, reliability and consistency of the organization, and to reach a common understanding about how to meet the needs of our prospective students, including the need for honesty about our history. I’m optimistic that we’ll get to a better place for everyone involved.

Media Contact

[email protected] 703-477-8222

Article Information

September 11, 2024

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What? University of Virginia Suspends Campus Tour For Acknowledging Founder Thomas Jefferson...Owned Slaves

The tours were led by university guide service for years..

The University of Virginia has come under fire for suspending campus tours that acknowledged founder Thomas Jefferson’s history of owning slaves. According to NBC News, the tours—which were completed by University Guide Services— have been riddled by a lack of “consistency” in content, school officials have stated.

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However, conservative alumni group Jefferson Council have been rallying for the tour program to end because of how the volunteers discussed Jefferson. Apparently, slaveowner isn’t a title they want associated with him...even though that’s literally what he was.

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Oh, the caucasity.

Council president Thomas Neale, who graduated from the University of Virginia in 1974, stated that the tours shouldn’t erase Jefferson’s past as much as it should contextualize it. Jefferson was also this nation’s third president as well as the author of the Declaration of Independence.

The news comes about two months after a new set of appointees—chosen by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin—confirmed his administration’s control of the university’s governing board of trustees. Currently, his appointees now fill 13 of 17 seats.

“He’s (Jefferson) quoted by every country in the modern era having started a democracy,” Neale said . “There are many commendable things about him. Of course, mention he was a slave owner. That’s not hidden.”

Neale also wants the tour to add that Jefferson signed a law that made importing slaves illegal in 1807, though it was poorly enforced.

In a statement made Wednesday on social media, the University Guide Services said it wants to work with administrators to make the tours “an honest and complete account of UVA and its history.”

University Guide Services added: “To our stakeholders, collaborators, community members, and fellow students, we are deeply sorry that we cannot fulfill our mission to the fullest extent this semester.”

Specialty Tours

Specialty tours.

History of African-Americans at UVA : History of African-American tours run approximately an hour and grapple with our University's complicated racial legacies of slavery and discrimination. Topics covered will include slavery, integration, and even a discussion of the modern racial climate at UVA.

Memorial to Enslaved Laborers (MEL) tour:  MEL tours discuss the history of enslaved laborers' resistance and resilience at the University and the advocacy by community members and students to fully acknowledge and memorialize their labor. MEL tours were designed by the Descendants of Enslaved Communities (DEC-UVA). If you would like to receive a MEL tour from a University Guide, use the  specialty request form  on our website. If you would like to receive a MEL tour from a Descendant, click here . For more information on the MEL, visit  mel.virginia.edu .

History of Women at UVA : History of Women tours run approximately an hour and focus on the process of gradual integration of women at the University of Virginia. Tourists learn about the lives of the first women on Grounds in the 1820s and the gradual acceptance of women into the student community.

Garden Tours : Garden Tours run approximately forty-five minutes and give tourists an inside look into the Pavilion gardens at the University. The tours explore the role of the gardens during the early University and their transformation to the modern day spaces students enjoy today.

Children's Tours : Children's tours run approximately an hour and introduce various exciting stories about the University. Children will learn about the founder of the University, Thomas Jefferson, early life at the University, and the burning of the Rotunda in 1895. The content of these tours is geared toward young children from Pre-K to Fifth grade. Older student groups should request a traditional historical tour. For more resources for educators, see this Google folder .

Grace Tabor (CLAS '21) and Jake Libby (CLAS '20) team up to lead a Children's tour.

Zach Schauffler (CLAS '19) calls on eager Children's tour participants.

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