Wake Forest University
Founded in 1834, Wake Forest University is a private university located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. In September 2020, U.S. News & World Report ranked Wake Forest as one of the top 30 national universities for the 25th consecutive year. The University’s motto, Pro Humanitate (For Humanity), calls for students, faculty, and staff, to use their knowledge, talents, and compassion to better the lives of others. The Reynolda Campus, which encompasses the House, Gardens, and Village, is a part of the University’s main campus.
In the late 1940s, Mary Reynolds Babcock and Charles Babcock donated a large portion of the Reynolda estate for the construction of the Reynolda Campus. In 1956, Wake Forest College — now Wake Forest University — relocated to Winston-Salem, following an offer of land and an annual gift from the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation. Thomas Hearn, President Emeritus, later wrote, “Wake Forest is now known as the small school, which the Z. Smith Reynolds Foundation and the Reynolds family have made into one of the great private educational institutions in the South.”
In 2002, Reynolda House Museum of American Art officially became an affiliate of Wake Forest University. Reynolda House Founder Barbara B. Millhouse noted at that time that the affiliation would enhance both institutions and now, close to two decades later, that sentiment still rings true. The Museum’s collection of American art is complemented by the University’s prominent art collections and its commitment to incorporating art and creativity into every aspect of campus life. There’s a myriad of opportunities for arts engagement at Wake Forest. To learn more, visit Wake the Arts.
Wake Forest students can get involved at Reynolda House through the Reynolda House Student Advocacy Council, volunteer and internship opportunities, and class projects. For more information, view our College Students and Faculty webpage, or contact Reynolda’s Manager of Community and Academic Learning, Amber Albert, at amber@reynolda.org.
At Reynolda Gardens, Wake Forest students and faculty engage in research throughout the estate’s 134 acres of Formal and Greater Gardens available for exploration, recreation, and relaxation, which is always free of charge.
Wake Forest students, faculty, and staff can quickly reach Reynolda by taking the Reynolda trail to Reynolda Village Shops & Restaurants from the University’s campus or via the shuttle upon request.
Reynolda Benefits for WFU Faculty, Staff, and Students
- Free Museum admission for students
- Free Museum admission for faculty and staff, plus one guest
- Free Museum admission for Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center employees, plus one guest
- Discounts in the Museum store
- Free or discounted admission to Reynolda programs and events
- University departments may schedule events at Reynolda House and Reynolda Gardens. To request a Gardens reservation, submit this form. To learn more about options at the Museum, contact amber@reynolda.org.
For the Curious
VIEW EVENTS CALENDAR
Currently on View
This exhibition presents archival objects, news articles, and other primary sources to lay bare the mystery in all its fascinating complexity.
Feb 22, 2022 — Dec 31, 2024
Discover the lives of the Black women and men who helped shape Reynolda as it evolved from a Jim Crow era working estate into a museum.
Nov 18, 2023, 1:30pm
All are welcome to visit Reynolda “on the house”! Go on a self-guided tour of Smith and Libby: Two Rings, Seven Months, One Bullet and the historic house, enjoy light refreshments, live jazz by Ma…
Ongoing, 3:30pm
Gather in the Reception Hall of the Historic House to share the Christmas cheer through song and community. While pre-registration is encouraged, it is not required — nor is singing experience! …
Dec 7, 2023, 2:00pm
Gather in the Reception Hall of the Historic House to listen to familiar Christmas songs played on the 1917 Aeolian Organ. Free with general museum admission. Pre-registration is encouraged, though no…
Ongoing, 5:00pm
Note: Tours begin every 15 minutes and last one hour. More information can be found at the registration link below. Join us this holiday season for a special Christmas tour at Reynolda House. Docents,…