Thirteen years before the Pilgrims arrived at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, a group of 104 English men and boys arrived in Virginia after a 4 1/2 month voyage across the ocean. The year was 1607 and the group was sent to the New World by the Virginia Company to make a profit for its shareholders. The new arrivals quickly realized that survival in the harsh land, currently inhabited by Native Americans, would provide its own unique challenges.
Today, Jamestown is set up as a living history museum. Divided into two parts, Jamestown Settlement and Historic Jamestowne, visitors can explore life as it was in Colonial America.
Admission Packages for Jamestown, Virginia
Jamestown makes up one point of the Historic Triangle. Williamsburg and Yorktown are the remaining points and all three are easily connected with travel on the Colonial Highway. There are several admission packages available for visitors. Ordering tickets in advance via phone or internet offers some discounts and it saves time waiting in lines. Combo tickets include passes to Jamestown Settlement and Yorktown Victory Center at a 20% discount if purchased together. The areas are about 30 minutes apart and passes may be used on different days within a 7-day period. Another combo ticket allows visitors unlimited access to all three historic city sites (Jamestown Settlement, Historic Jamestowne, Colonial Williamsburg, Yorktown Battlefield and the Yorktown Victory Center) at $78.25 for adults and $32.75 for ages 6-17 for seven consecutive days.
Those visiting only Jamestown, will need to purchase tickets to Jamestown Settlement ($14 for adults and $6.50 for children 6-12) and Historic Jamestowne ($10 for adults, free for those under age 15). Each area offers its own unique experience.
Visit Jamestown Settlement
The museum at the Settlement offers a film, shown daily every 30 minutes. 1607: A Nation Takes Root, describes the beginnings of the company that decides to fund an excursion to the New World with the hopes of high profits. Through the film, viewers learn about the hardships faced by the new settlers and the truth behind legendary names like John Smith, Pocahontas and John Rolfe, who successfully grew tobacco in the New World.
Exhibition galleries are located throughout the rest of the indoor museum. Hundreds of artifacts show common items used in America in the 1600's.
The remaining exhibits of the Settlement are located outdoors, a short walk from the museum. Visitors can walk through a Powhatan Indian ViIlage as well as a colonist fort. Replicas of the three ships that brought the first settlers, the Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery, are docked nearby and can be boarded. A colonial church, school and guard house are some of the other buildings open to visitors.
Costumed historic interpreters demonstrate and describe life in colonial times throughout the Settlement. The interpreters are open to questions and allow visitors to gain a hands-on experience in activities such as corn grinding and weaving.
Visit Historic Jamestowne
Historic Jamestowne is the actual site where the settlers first landed. Located adjacent to Jamestown Settlement, active archeological digs continue today as artifacts are discovered from the first colonists. There is a visitor center with numerous exhibits and a short film. Visitors may also tour the reconstructed 17th-century Jamestown Memorial Church and original 17th-century church tower. The Glasshouse features a colonial-clad glassblower at work . There are directions for a driving tour for visitors to experience the wilderness and wildlife the first settlers encountered.
Allow a full day to explore all that Jamestown Virginia has to offer. Children and adults will be amazed to become part of what has been described in history books about the early beginnings of America.
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