Things to Do

Calendar of Events

From exhibits to speakers, concerts to athletic events, there is always something happening on campus. Our online calendar will keep you informed of upcoming events.

Arts and Culture

The Lenfest Center for the Arts

Washington and Lee's long relationship with the arts dates back to its most illustrious early donor and first namesake, George Washington. In making an important gift to a struggling school in 1796, the first President noted, "To promote literature in this rising empire, and to encourage the arts, have been among the warmest wishes of my heart. And if the donation is likely to prove a means to accomplish these ends, it will contribute to the gratification of my desires."

W&L's Lenfest Center for the Arts plays host to numerous annual student productions, as well as a wide range of professional touring productions through the Concert Guild Series, Sonoklect and the Lenfest Series. The facility is the setting for over 127 public performances each year.

Lee Chapel and Museum

Lee Chapel was named a National Historic Landmark in 1961, and from 1962 to 1963 the chapel was restored with the support of the Ford Motor Company Fund. A major renovation of the Lee Chapel Museum was completed in 1998, commemorating the University's 250th anniversary in 1999.

The chapel remains an integral part of Washington and Lee's campus today. Concerts, lectures and other University events take place regularly in the 500-seat auditorium on the main level.

A state-of-the-art museum is housed in the lower level and includes Lee's office, a portrait gallery displaying the Washington-Custis-Lee Collection, an exhibition tracing the history and heritage of Washington and Lee University and a museum shop.

University Collections

The University possesses major art collections, including the Washington-Custis- Lee portraits, the Vincent L. Bradford collection of 19th-century American paintings, the Thomas F. Torrey II collection of landscape paintings, the Stan Kamen collection of Western art, the Sydney and Frances Lewis collection of 20th-century art, and the Jacob and Bernice Weinstein collection of modern art. In 1967, the University received 4,000 ceramic objects from Mr. and Mrs. Euchlin D. Reeves, including an important collection of 17th-, 18th-, and 19th-century Chinese Export porcelain. This collection and the paintings of Mrs. Reeves (Louise Herreshoff) are housed in the Reeves Center, a research and exhibition center on campus.

Recent additions to the art collections of the University include Chinese, Japanese, and Korean ceramics, bronzes, and jades on exhibit in the Watson Pavilion for Asian Arts, which opened in 1993. The Watson Pavilion also houses an authentic Japanese tearoom.

University Athletics

Washington and Lee offers 24 varsity sports, 12 for men and 12 for women. All sports compete at the NCAA Division III level and most participate in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). All athletic events are free and open to the public. For a complete schedule, visit generalssports.com

Local Attractions

Washington and Lee is fortunate to be situated in a historic small town with a thriving arts community. The campus of Virginia Military Academy, adjacent to Washington and Lee, offers the George C. Marshall Museum, while downtown Lexington is home to the Stonewall Jackson House and the Lexington Carriage Company, which offers horse-drawn carriage tours of the city. The Virginia Horse Center hosts equestrian events every weekend, while the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway is only a short drive from campus.

To learn more about what Lexington and Rockbridge County have to offer, visit www.lexingtonvirginia.com.