Roanoke Island Festival Park facts for kids
Roanoke Island Festival Park is a special place in Manteo, North Carolina, on Roanoke Island. It's a North Carolina state historic site where you can step back in time! The park features a recreated 16th-century sailing ship, people dressed in old clothes showing how people lived long ago, a museum, and different art shows and performances. Your ticket lets you explore the main attractions and is good for two days.
What Can You Discover at Roanoke Island Festival Park?
Roanoke Island Festival Park offers many exciting things to see and do. It's a great way to learn about history and art in a fun, hands-on way.
Explore History at the Roanoke Adventure Museum
The Roanoke Adventure Museum is an exciting museum where you can learn all about the history of Roanoke Island and the Outer Banks. Inside, you'll find exhibits about the first English settlers and the Native Americans who lived here. You can also learn about old ships and sea travel, the American Civil War (including a local community called a Freedmen's Colony), and even see what a general store looked like around the year 1900. Many parts of the museum let you touch and interact with the displays, making history come alive!
Step Aboard the Elizabeth II Ship
The Elizabeth II is a full-size replica of a 16th-century sailing ship. It's named after one of the ships that Sir Walter Raleigh used when he brought the first English colonists to Roanoke Island in 1587. This impressive ship is 69 feet long and has three masts. When you visit, you'll meet guides dressed in old-fashioned clothes. They pretend to be the sailors and colonists who traveled on ships like this long ago.
The Elizabeth II was built for a big celebration in 1984. This event marked 400 years since the first English ships arrived in North Carolina. The ship was launched in 1983 and became a State Historic Site on July 13, 1984.
Experience Life at the Settlement Site
At the Settlement Site, you'll find people dressed up as colonists from the past. They show you what life was like when the island was first settled. You can watch them work as blacksmiths or carpenters, and even try some colonial games. You'll see how the colonists lived, farmed, and cooked their meals. Soldiers also show off the old weapons and armor they used to protect the settlement. Other crafts you might see include shoemaking, leatherworking, and working with canvas.
Discover Art at the Gallery
The Roanoke Island Festival Park Art Gallery always has something new to see! Each month, the gallery features a different art exhibit. You can see amazing works by artists from the local area, across the region, and even from other countries.
Watch "The Legend of Two Path" Film
In the park's Film Theater, you can watch a special 50-minute movie called "The Legend of Two Path." This film tells the story of the English colonists arriving from the point of view of the Algonquian Native Americans. It helps you understand their thoughts and feelings about the new arrivals. The movie was made by the School of Film Making at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts and is shown several times each day.
Visit the American Indian Town
On the park grounds, there's also a recreated American Indian settlement. This village shows what a typical Native American town would have looked like when the Roanoke Colony was founded. It's similar to the homes of the Croatan people, who were native to this area.
Learn More at the Outer Banks History Center
The Outer Banks History Center is a research facility located in Manteo, North Carolina, just across from Roanoke Island. It's a great place to learn even more about the history of the Outer Banks. The Center has both permanent and changing exhibits about local history and is open on weekdays. It's part of the North Carolina State Archives and holds many old materials like books, magazines, old papers, photos, maps, and recordings of people's stories.
External Links
- Roanoke Island Festival Park Official Website: http://roanokeisland.com/default.aspx
- American Indian Town
