The Road to the Rotunda Open House

The University of Virginia’s iconic Rotunda, designed by UVA founder Thomas Jefferson and closed for two years while undergoing renovation, will be open for visitors on Saturday and Sunday.

On both days, the building will be open for community members to tour from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with student ambassadors available to answer questions.

“We want to have a low-key open house for people who want to sneak a peak before we open for business as usual on Monday,” said Sheri Winston, the interim Rotunda manager.

Visitors will see the new historical display room on the ground floor, which includes an exhibit of the chemical hearth found in the wall of the Lower East Oval Room and artifacts uncovered during the renovation. John Emmet, the first professor of natural history at the University, designed and used the hearth. In the Dome Room, they will see an open gallery level, carved mahogany capitals on the interior columns, a new acoustic plaster ceiling, and a new oculus in the copper dome roof.

Classrooms in the southeast wing and the Lower West Oval Room will also be open. Combined with the study lounges in the Dome Room and on the main floor, these spaces are designed to increase student activity in the Rotunda.

Below, see some of the images from the restoration process.