Jamestown Settlement Facts for Kids

This page is about the living history museum. For the historic settlement and town, see Jamestown, Virginia.

Quick facts for kids
Jamestown Settlement
Recreated interior of James Fort
Established	1607
Location	Jamestown, Virginia
Type	Living history museum
Public transit access	Williamsburg Area Transit Authority Route 6

Jamestown Settlement is a cool living history museum in Virginia. It was first opened in 1957 to celebrate 350 years since Jamestown was founded. At the museum, you can explore a recreated James Fort from the early 1600s. You can also visit a Powhatan Native American village. Plus, you can see and even board copies of the three ships that brought the first English settlers: the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery.

The museum is right next to Historic Jamestowne, which is the actual spot where the first English settlement in North America began on May 14, 1607. This original site is managed by the National Park Service and a group called the Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation. Together, these places help you learn about early American history. Other nearby history sites, like Colonial Williamsburg and the American Revolution Museum in Yorktown, tell more of Virginia's story. The Colonial Parkway connects all these important historical spots.

Why Jamestown Settlement Was Created
Celebrating Jamestown's History
- Jamestown's 400th Anniversary
What You Can See and Do
Gallery
See also

Why Jamestown Settlement Was Created

People became very interested in Jamestown's history in the late 1700s. They wanted to protect the old site. In 1893, some land on Jamestown Island was given to a group called Preservation Virginia. This included the old church tower. In the early 1900s, a wall was built to protect the area around where the original "James Fort" was thought to be. For a long time, people believed the fort was underwater.

In 1907, a big event called the Jamestown Exposition celebrated 300 years of Jamestown. But this celebration happened in Norfolk, Virginia, because it was easier to get there. Jamestown became famous again in 1940 when the Colonial National Historical Park was created. Then, in 1996, archaeologists from the Jamestown Rediscovery project found the actual old fort!

Celebrating Jamestown's History

By 1957, it was possible to hold a big celebration right at Jamestown for its 350th anniversary. New attractions were built by the National Park Service and the state of Virginia. These included a rebuilt Glasshouse, a Memorial Cross, and a visitors center. The Colonial Parkway was also finished in April 1957. This road connects the important historical places of Jamestown, Williamsburg, and Yorktown. It even included a land bridge to Jamestown Island.

The 1957 celebrations lasted from April 1 to November 30. More than a million people visited, including important guests like the British ambassador and U.S. Vice President Richard Nixon. Full-size copies of the three ships that brought the colonists were built. These ships, the Susan Constant, Godspeed, and Discovery, were then moved to a spot near the festival. On October 16, 1957, nearly 25,000 people visited the park. A big highlight was when Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited and gave a speech. Queen Elizabeth even brought a copy of the Magna Carta for everyone to see!

Jamestown's 400th Anniversary

An old Exposition Hall built for the 350th anniversary in 1958

President George W. Bush talks to a reenactor during the 2007 celebration

The Jamestown Settlement museum got much bigger and better in the early 2000s. This was for the Jamestown 2007 celebration, which marked 400 years since Jamestown was founded. A special exhibit called "The World of 1607" was created. It showed what Virginia was like in the 1600s and had rare items from museums around the world. New permanent exhibits were also added, and old ones were updated. A new movie was made to introduce visitors to the museum.

Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip visited Jamestown Settlement again on May 14, 2007, as part of their trip to Virginia. They also visited the state capital in Richmond, Colonial Williamsburg, and Historic Jamestown. About 1,200 invited guests, school groups, and community members were there to see them. The main celebration of Jamestown's 400th anniversary was held right in Jamestown, Virginia.

What You Can See and Do

Museum Galleries

The galleries at Jamestown Settlement have many interesting items from 17th-century Virginia. The museum collects objects that show the cultures of the Powhatan Indians, Europeans, and Africans who lived in Virginia in the 1600s. More than 500 artifacts are on display at any time in these galleries.

Stepping Back in Time

In the Living History areas, you can "journey to the past"! You can explore recreated versions of a Powhatan Indian town and the colonial fort from 1610-14. You can also go aboard the copies of the three ships that sailed from England in 1607. Outside, people dressed in old-fashioned clothes, called historical interpreters, show and explain what daily life was like in early Jamestown.

The museum carefully rebuilds old structures like warehouses, chapels, and guardhouses. Guides dressed in period clothes show how soldiers lived, cooked, and cared for the sick. The fort's staff also performs military drills from the 1600s. You can even smell history! In the smokehouse, bacon is cured using old methods, making a smoky, savory smell. In the cider cellar, apple cider is made, giving off the scent of fermented apples.

Special Events

Jamestown Settlement often holds special events related to colonial times. These include military reenactments, old-fashioned trade fairs, talks, and anniversary celebrations. For example, Jamestown Day was held in mid-May 2017 to celebrate the 410th anniversary of the settlement's founding. Also, Pocahontas Imagined happened in July 2017 to remember 400 years since Pocahontas passed away. The American Indian Intertribal Powwow was held there in October 2017.

Nearby Historic Sites

On Jamestown Island itself, the National Park Service and Preservation Virginia manage Historic Jamestowne. This is where many artifacts have been found by the Jamestown Rediscovery project. Archaeological work is still happening there, with ongoing digs, reconstructions, and repairs (like at the Jamestown Church). It's also next to the Jamestown Glasshouse, where you can see glassblowing.