Is the tile included?

Yes — one custom tile is included; it will be glazed, kiln-fired, and shipped to you.

Does the ticket include a house tour?

No — this ticket covers the archaeological collection access and workshop only; Interpreter Guided House Tours require a separate ticket.

How long is the workshop?

The session runs approximately 1.5 hours on April 18, 2026.

Do I need prior ceramic experience?

No — the workshop is beginner-friendly and guided by professional ceramicist Janette Wall.

Advance registration is required through the provided booking link; space is limited.

Are there age restrictions?

The listing does not specify a minimum age; contact the organizer via the booking link for details on age policies.

Paint History: Blue & White Tile Workshop at Drayton Hall, Charleston | Workshop | Museum

At Drayton Hall in Charleston, South Carolina, a compact workshop turns shards of the past into something you can hang on your wall. Archaeology Meets Art: Blue & White Tile Painting Workshop brings together Drayton Hall Staff Archaeologist Nicole Houck and ceramicist Janette Wall for a one-and-a-half-hour session that mixes a behind-the-scenes look at the site’s archaeological collection with guided tile painting. The experience begins with a curated view of pottery fragments and decorative motifs unearthed on site. Those pieces—cracked rims, hand-painted slips, and salt-glazed fragments—are the design seeds for your tile. Participants move from the collection display to a hands-on studio led by Janette Wall of Carolina Creamware, learning traditional blue-and-white techniques and personalizing a ceramic tile. The finished piece is glazed, kiln-fired, and shipped to you, so the craft survives the drive home. This workshop is small in scale but big in local impact. Drayton Hall’s archaeology program reveals Lowcountry craftsmanship and everyday objects that tell stories about labor, trade, and domestic life along the Ashley River. Sitting in the same space where those artifacts were catalogued makes the painting feel less like a craft class and more like a conversation with history. For visitors who came for Charleston’s streets and waterways, the workshop offers a close cultural counterpoint to outdoor exploration—a way to touch region-specific material culture without straying from the city. Practical details are straightforward: the session runs 1.5 hours on April 18, 2026; advance registration is required; tickets are $85 general admission and $75 for Friends of Drayton Hall. Those who want a house tour should book separately—this ticket does not include an Interpreter Guided House Tour. The tile is included, as are expert instruction and access to the archaeological collection. Why book it? It’s a tactile souvenir created under the guidance of people who study and make the objects that inspired it. Artists and history‑minded travelers will appreciate how the workshop interlaces scientific context with practical technique. The setting at Drayton Hall, with its artifact-rich collection, turns a short creative session into an interpretive encounter with the Lowcountry’s material past. Bring curiosity, a camera for detail shots, and clothes you don’t mind getting a little paint on. Space is limited; book early to secure a seat at a class that blends scholarship, craft, and a keepsake you’ll actually use. Whether you’re traveling solo, with a partner or family, this workshop accommodates beginners and provides an approachable way to connect with Charleston’s material history. It’s ideal as an afternoon diversion between waterfront walks and plantation grounds. Spaces are intentionally limited to preserve the quality of the lesson and collection access; reserve early; allow time to explore the Drayton Hall grounds before or after your session.

About Drayton Hall Preservation Trust

Drayton Hall Preservation Trust stewards Drayton Hall, a nationally significant historic property located on the Ashley River in Charleston, South Carolina. The Trust preserves America’s earliest unrestored Palladian house—often described as the nation's oldest preserved plantation house—and interprets its architectural, cultural, and archaeological stories for the public.

Programming includes daily and seasonal guided tours such as the one-hour Signature Experience Tour that visits the cellar, main, and second floors and features the Steven and Laura Gates Exhibit Gallery and the Lenhardt Courtyard Garden. Educator-led Student House Tours provide 45–60 minute curriculum-based experiences exploring African American history, architectural preservation, and onsite archaeology. Evening offerings range from Candlelight Tours that illuminate 18th-century spaces to special events like Drayton Hall at Night with live lawn music and archaeological presentations. Seasonal and community events include the popular Annual Deck the Hall Oyster Roast, holiday concerts such as African American Spirituals with Ann Caldwell and The Magnolia Singers, and hands-on workshops like the Wreath Building Workshop led by local florist Lela Solomon. The Trust also collaborates with nearby institutions to offer combination itineraries—for example, joint tours and package days with Middleton Place and Charleston Strolls walking tours—giving visitors economical ways to experience Lowcountry gardens, houses, and historic streets. Interpreters and guides emphasize preservation, authenticity, and historical context. Many ticketed experiences have limited capacity, so visitors are encouraged to book in advance to secure a place.

Public programming supports conservation of the house, landscape, and archaeological collections through admission and membership, and community engagement efforts nationwide.