The family and I visited the Jamestown settlement on Memorial day weekend. It was a great way to experience our first post-COVID vacation. I would recommend wearing comfortable shoes as there is a good bit of walking. Both the interior and exterior exhibits are awesome. When looking at the outdoor exhibits make sure to talk to all of the costumed staff. They provide unique and really non Wikipedia information. We did the outside first then the inside, this was great as it was very hot and humid and going into the ac last was great. Also it started raining towards the end of our visit so it ended up being a great idea. Definitely recommend if you have kids of all ages. read more

See all

This museum will always hold a special place for me, for it was on the docks I found out I had an job interview for a position I really wanted. How that worked out is another story, but it made the visit even more exciting. It's not where the real Jamestown was, but gives a good idea of how it was set up and the conditions the settlers lived in. The best part were the re-enactors, who are well versed in the era and made it interesting to listen to. read more

See all

My 2 soon to be 3 year old wanted to see where "Pocahontas lived" for her birthday! Due to covid alot of areas that was allowed to be walked around was closed. They do enforce mask wearing and social distancing. Hand sanitizers are available throughout nthe settlement. read more

Jamestown Settlement - Time machine. - Museums Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

Was very happy that I had gone right about the time school started for the year so no summer crowds and school field trips hadn't started yet. Was a relaxing day and I was able to see all of displays and the employees/cast were knowledgeable, informative and they seemed genuinely happy to be working, which made the day so enjoyable. I especially enjoyed the ships fantastic for getting a feel of what life was like back then. read more

See all

I'm a history loving person. This place was a B12 history shot. All of the information and things to reed and see along with the commentary from Ms. Charlotte. What a great day! read more

See all

Another reviewer stated this experience perfectly by saying this is the Disneyland/world version of Jamestown. I'm not saying this is a bad thing, but this site is a recreation of the original. The recreated site is fine, and there are plenty of activities for folks to do. If you take in every single thing, then the tour should take about 3hrs, but we managed to finish the tour in about 1.5 hours. The settlement is pretty well maintained and nicely organized. Outside of the actual building, there are quite a few re-enactments. I'm not sure if the outdoors portion of the 'settlement' is open during the colder months. During our visit, visitors had a chance to train as a mini militia to fight the Spanish. I did appreciate that the settlement had sections and information about the presence of Africans and Native Americans. I was a little confused with Caucasians playing Native Americans in one of the outdoor exhibits. All in all, it is a decent enough, fun experience. If you want something a little more hardcore, historically, then you should check out the original site. It's kind of cool that many of the workers are actually volunteers; and overall, all of theme were pretty nice and friendly. read more

See all

I wanted to love this place but I ended up just liking it. I was hoping for more interactive demonstrations and costumed staff. It was a great afternoon but left me wanting more. The gift shop and cafeteria were great! The cafeteria had historic and local foods. They also did a great job having gluten-free choices!! The gift shop was huge and lots of cute designs that were happy to wear outside of the site. It also needs to get more comfortable with the complicated past of early settlements. It's hard to address but we've seen better inclusion of slave and Native American stories & voices at other historic re-enactment sites. read more

See all

Super interesting for a history nerd like me. Even if you're not into history this place offers a lot of cool things to look at. My favorite parts are the settlement buildings and ships. This place really brings you back in time. It's a great way to kill 3-4 hours if you're willing to pay $18 per ticket. read more

Jamestown Settlement - Museums Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

See all

One of the big 5 historic attractions in the Williamsburg area, this one is basically a large museum and some outdoor recreations of James Fort , and Indian village, and the 1607 ships. The museum presented the Jamestown experience through the eyes of colonists, indigenous peoples, and early slaves. Super-comprehensive if not overwhelming. Several highlights were the Pocahontas exhibit (clears up very muddy "facts"), and the guided tour of the outdoor exhibits including period ships. Look for discounts associated tickets that cover admission to multiple attractions in the area. Regardless, the admission fees are $s well spent. read more

This is a recreation of the original Jamestown fort with historical interpreters. The actual site of Jamestown fort is at another site called Historic Jamestowne and it's not within walking distance. We saw a small Native American village, reconstructions of the first 3 ships that settled here but only one ship was open for tourists, and the jamestown fort. The fort was roughly accurate, but they said there were actually more buildings inside and smaller walkways between them. It's a very interesting historical attraction despite its small size. read more

Jamestown Settlement is so much fun for adults and kids. My kids loved looking at the museum and then going outside to explore the Indian camp, the fort and the ships. In the Indian camp you can watch Indians making different things and explore their longhouses. In the fort, you can explore the houses, see how the settlers lived, where they slept, ate and even worshiped. There was a man in one of the houses that showed us the surgical kit they used, I'll stick to my modern day hospitals, . The blacksmith was there and making nails. Then we went down to the water and toured the ships. Definitely worth the admission price. read more

See all

We had a great time it was very casual and the ships they had were great got to go through the whole ship and there were people that were dressed in period costumes and told all about it the Indian village was really interesting as well I recommend you go esp if you've never been. read more

Great place to bring the kids to bring history alive and make it real...summers can be hot so hydrate especially with little ones! Love the hands on things for kids to do and the reality of what it was like during that time period! read more

Full disclosure: I volunteer at Jamestown Settlement as a gallery docent. Aside from a few perks (such as a discount in the snack bar and the gift shop), I am not a paid employee. Jamestown Settlement is a great complement to the site at Historic Jamestowne, which I make a point to recommend to inquisitive guests. Jamestown Settlement is a place that encourages guests to really get involved in the history of the area. In the galleries inside, there are lots of exhibits not only to see, but to touch and interact with. These exhibits do a fantastic job of highlighting the similarities and the differences between the three cultures that came together at Jamestown: the English, the Native, and the African cultures. Outdoors in the Indian village and the English fort and on board the ships (working replicas of the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery which are not to be missed during your visit), the history is even more tangible. You'll interact with employees in period garments. You'll learn about life in Virginia in the 17th century and walk away with a healthy respect for those who came before us. read more

See all

The tickets are not expensive, but in comparison to what there is to see, it really isn't a bargain. Most of everything is just replicas of the original. There are some really cool ships, a museum and some recreations. I would say that younger kids would be most appreciative of a trip to Jamestown. My husband and I got married locally at a B&B and went here on our honeymoon. We bought the combo ticket for Yorktown, but ran out of time and were only able to see Jamestown. There are some interesting facts to read about and some short videos to watch in the museum and I did leave learning something new. All in all, I give it a 3 star...it is just okay. Nothing spectacular, but worth the time if you are looking for someplace to visit. read more

See all

So there are some trails you can follow by foot or car, but the vast majority is through a guided tour which is 90 minutes and about $18 per person or a combo ticket which adds entry to the yorktown museum for $26 a person. We weren't expecting it to be quite so much per person as there were very limited times of guided tours and it was the only way to actually see the settlement! We were sort of expecting there to be some sort of real artifacts or something during the guided tour, but everything was re creation. They did a good job of making everything realistic and they had it sectioned off well, but knowing that it was all fake was a little bit of a bummer. The musket demo was really cool and I think depending on the tour guides it might be better or worse. They did let us take pictures but after touring any buildings or section they immediately moved on and closed doors behind so no one could linger behind, I do understand why but it did make it challenging to get good pictures of everything. Overall it was a fun experience and I would reccomend friends that have an extra day and cash to check it out, but we definitely preferred Colonial Williamsburg! If you do check our the Jamestown Settlement, be sure to check our the Glasshouse after, it did not disappoint!!! You get to see super up close how they make glass products and they have things to buy in great price ranges! read more

See all

Happy Sunday and greetings from Virginia. Only a mile away from the actual Jamestowne site in 1607, we visited the Jamestown Settlement. Created in 1957, this is a living history museum operated by the Commonwealth of Virginia with historical costume interpreters. For some of us, this was our first time and were very impressed. Due to the current situation, there weren't any lines. We got to walk through the Jamestown settlement with sample houses and buildings called James Fort , onto one of the ship replicas called the Susan Constant, and through a small Powhatan Indian village . We even got to see a musket firing. The museum was packed with fun and historic information. Between the parking lot and the front of the building, there was a nice size lawn with picnic tables to set up for lunch. We took that opportunity as we packed sandwiches and water. This is a wonderful destination not only for families but also great for adults, so all can learn about our early history and founding of this Nation. read more

See all

Cool place. Not part of the national parks--this is privately owned. Buying a ticket here also gives you a discount to their location in Yorktown. It's a nice place, with a standard museum area, deli, and souvenir shop. The best part about the settlement is the people they have in costumes and the interactive things they offer. They have people making items, cooking, wearing animal skin as clothes, firing guns, and working. They were very friendly and answered any questions we had. They also had a really cool boat that you could get on and tour. Overall the entrance fee was a little pricey, but worth it. I would recommend going! read more

See all

I was really impressed at the friendliness of the staff here. Everything was clean and organized. I was also really shocked at how well thought out their COVID precautions were. I mean really they have went above and beyond! The place was practically floating in hand sanitizer and the 1600s settlers were even wearing masks. Great day with family! Go on a day that has nice weather because it would be boring if you could only be inside. read more

See all

Jamestown Settlement can be part of your Historic Triangle Pass. You get to check out America's first permanent English colony that was founded in 1607. There are gallery exhibits and introductory film at the Visitor Center, and you can check out the board replicas of the 3 ships that sailed from England to Virginia. The life-size re-creations of the colonists' fort and the Powhatan Village are also neat to see. I especially liked the latter as you learn about how the Powhatans grew and prepared the food, how they processed animal hides, made tools and pottery, and how they wove natural fibers into cordage. You can try grinding corn as well as play a game of corncob darts! :D Cool place to check out if you're in the area! +Powhatan Village +corncob darts read more

See all

What a wonderful place! Visited with six god children. Aged 1-10 as well as four adults. Social distancing and masks enforced. A Amazing display of artifacts and informative displays for youth and adults. Outdoors in the living village, the docents are very informative and loved to talk and interact with adults as well as children. Encourage a visit. read more

Love the info in the museum. The outdoor part is intriguing and well staffed with characters dressed up as you would have seen in the 1600s. They are very interactive and answer questions you might have. Great for kids of all ages. read more

This was a cool interactive experience! We really enjoyed ourselves. Make sure you leave yourself several hours to go, especially if you have kids. We didn't know that they closed at five until we were told around 4:50, so we didn't get to see all the exhibits inside and felt a little gipped, but it was a good day! There were several people in costume who shared a lot of information anyways that made it fun to learn. We got to go on three replicas of ships that settlers would have used to come to America and that was a big highlight! read more

Jamestown Settlement - A demo comparing shooting a musket to shooting a long bow... They talked about accuracy, speed, and benefits/drawbacks to both weapons. - Museums Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

We came to visit the Jamestown Settlement, sadly this is not the real Jamestown though, which is actually about 1 mile away from this place and is on private land. General ticket admission to the museum for adults is $17 and $8 for child, which can be pretty high for a larger family. They sell some items in the gift shop that were reasonable in price. Overall, honestly we were not that impressed. [Review #511] (96th Review of 2017) read more

The Jamestown Settlement was a fascinating real-life depiction of the Powhatan Indian life and the establishment of the first British Colony. There were live replicas in the water of the British ships. You could board the ship and walk through the vessel. People dressed in traditional Native American attire as well as British colonist attire were presenting live demos.. There was also a great 25 minute introductory video and a gallery with all sorts of things to see. I learned a lot about Pocohontas! I'm not one into history and I may not have gone to the Jamestown Settlement if my bf was not interested. I'm so glad we went. We both really enjoyed it. You need about 2 1/2 to 3 hours to cover everything. And the ticket is only $17, which is relatively inexpensive considering all there is to see. Must see if in the area. read more

See all

This is not what I was expecting and not what I wanted when I came to Jamestown. I wanted to go to the site, and I was confused about the difference. That being said the museum was one of the best I've been in. It had a great mix of historical artifacts and information. There were interactive portions that were nice too. Outside was ok. I wish the boardwalk had been open. The reconstructions were nicely done. I didn't have a chance to get on the ships. There were just too many kids at that part for me to will myself in the heat to be around. The musket demonstration was very informative. read more

This place should not be confused with the national park site of Historic Jamestowne. This is the recreated living museum next to the original site, but NOT the original site itself. When you get there this can be confusing. This recreated settlement has a very nice museum to go through before you head outside. It is one of the better museum's I have been in. They have interactive displays (probably many more outside of CoVId times). The Bacon's Rebellion theater is amazing! The outside living history portion is so cool! There is a replica Powhatan native village, replica ships, and a replica fort. In each, there are many people dressed up that add to the atmosphere of feeling like you've walked back in time. Even though it is COVid, they have plenty you can do and see! My children loved this place! We recommend this place! read more

See all

We live within 45 minutes of Jamestown Settlement so we keep season passes for our family, the kids enjoy going time after time and its a fun place to take out of town guests. My teenage daughter and niece spent the majority of our most recent visit speaking with one of the reenactors about historic medical practices and it really made their day, the gentleman they spoke with was very engaging and knowledgeable. The girls have been discussing their new found knowledge all week. Another time, our whole group got to assist in lowering sails on one of the ships, my 5 year old nephew still talks about it a year later and even remembered some of the terminology we learned that day. If you want education along with entertainment and hands on activity, you will enjoy Jamestown. read more

Went to do some personal research and learn about this settlement area. The staff were quite nice, particularly in the cafe area on the grounds and the bookshop in the annex building. Will surely return. read more

We really enjoyed the Jamestown settlement! It was one of the main things I wanted to see in the historic area. I didnt have much time as I was there for work. The employees were amazing! They even offered vouchers as we only had about an hour before close. It would let us come back the next day if I could squeeze a little freetime. The ships were my favorite piece of the facility! They were incredible and gave a good idea what life was probably like aboard these tiny vessels. The workers looked like they really enjoyed being a part of the program as well. All of the outdoor displays are incredible and the indoor museum was simply beautiful! read more

Positively beautiful and interactive museum. The inside of the museum is high tech with gorgeous architecture and lovely artifacts giving a diverse and inclusive look at what the Americas were like when the British colonists were arriving. The re-enactors were very knowledgeable and very passionate about their roles. A great place to bring the kiddos for a hands on experience. For me, the museum was fantastic. It's filled to the brim with artifacts, information, and interactive sections to test your knowledge and learn more about the different subjects. Furthermore, the Tenacity special exhibit was beautifully done. read more

See all

Great museum on a regular basis, but especially spectacular for Military Through the Ages, an event we attend every March! Reenactors from all different times and places are here to share their love for history and it's just amazing. Even if you don't come for a special event, there's so much to do. We always bring visiting relatives and friends to see it. Plus it's one of the less expensive options in Williamsburg. read more

See all

We bought the combo tickets for the Jamestown Settlement & American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. We really liked both museums. They were very informative and interactive. The museums are divide into time periods and have videos and displays that can be interacted with to learn more. They also have an outdoor section with people dressed in period friendly costumes to explain the life and times of early settlers. Everyone is very friendly. We had a great time. It took us two full days to see it all, a day for each museum. read more

See all

There really isn't anything like visiting the actual place where some of the most important history of all time took place. It may not be as fun for kids without actors, but my kids enjoyed our 1.5 hour visit. read more

We loved this place. Very cool exhibits and friendly staff along with a nice cafe. Skip colonial Williamsburg all together and come to this place you will not be disappointed particularly if you are a history buff like myself. There is ample parking here at least on the day that we were visiting and that was very helpful. read more

It was amazing what has been recreated. I especially like the ships. The displays were nice but not always interesting. The three monitors with the female Indian, make slave and English settler was truly innovative in the information presented. The cafe was so so. The fort and Indian village were ok but the explanation was dependent on you being able to speak to the actors. Who asked us to write to the Virginia legislature to give them a pay increase. The National Park was I felt was better and a better value. read more

Jamestown Settlement - Museums Near Me - Williamsburg, Virginia

This was my second time visiting Jamestown and have to say they made so much improvements since last time I went there when I was young. The museum is amazing and the people are friendly and very informative. Going outside and seeing recreation what it might of look like back in the 1600's is amazing. I tell you I after visit this place, I had to go home and do more research and learn more about Jamestown and Native Americans read more

See all

The place was so LARGE! We didn't have enough time to explore everything, it's definitely a two day excursion. The Costumed people were amazing!! The fort, boats and the Powhatan village was breathtaking! I LOVED the wooden Indians in a circle. WAY COOL! Only have a few complaints. 1. It would have been nice to be able to have an option to only pay for the fort area, not all the museum. 2. We were watching a lady make baskets and another costumed performer came up and the two of them were talking (complaining) about getting caught doing something wrong, very unprofessional. And I felt so uncomfortable. 3. I wish the buildings were marked at what they were and what part they played read more

See all

I love visiting Jamestown. All the exhibits were great and the people they have to reenact are very knowledgeable when you have questions or just providing information in general. I love the ships that they have on display. The village part is really great also. They have numerous walking areas and I love driving on the side roads that they have set up. read more

See all

This could be described as the "Disney" version of Jamestown. It's on private land and has some interesting, although somewhat less convincing historical recreations. It's a good place to take kids, but if you're an adult you might appreciate the government-run center down the street. This Jamestown site has a large, internal museum and a few separate outdoor exhibits. The indoor exhibits largely featured movies, statues and story boards recounting Jamestowns's history. There were also historical and cultural artifacts sprinkled about. The most interesting part of the outdoor exhibit was the recreated fort. It included replica homes, shops, meeting houses, and even a musket demonstration. The Native American villiage portion of the outdoor exhibit was mildly offensive. It featured Caucasian actors playing Native Americans, including one man who was inexplicably shirtless in 40 degree weather. (Were leather and fur not a thing back then?) The recreated ships were an improvement, providing a taste of what travellers experienced crossing the oceans 400 years ago. All in all, it was an interesting experience, but not a showstopper. read more