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Jamestown Settlement, Williamsburg, VA

Photo: Pi3.124, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

MuseumsHistory BuffFamily FavoriteRainy-Day Pick

Jamestown Settlement

2110 Jamestown Rd · Williamsburg, VA

Why you should go…

Jamestown Settlement is a living history museum run by the Commonwealth of Virginia next to Historic Jamestowne, founded in 1957 as Jamestown Festival Park. You can climb aboard full-size replicas of the Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery, the ships that brought colonists in 1607. Costumed interpreters work in a recreated James Fort and Powhatan village, and the galleries show more than 500 artifacts.

  • #living history museum
  • #colonial history
  • #ship replicas
  • #native american history
  • #historic triangle

Good to know

General museums guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Check the special exhibition separately

    Touring shows usually carry their own ticket and their own opening hours, listed apart from general admission.

  • Look for the free window

    Many museums run community days, member evenings, or discounted late openings. It is worth a look before you pay full price.

  • Travel light through the door

    Large bags and backpacks often have to go to a coat check, and lines for it move slowly at opening.

  • Weekday mornings beat weekend afternoons

    School groups clear out by early afternoon midweek, while weekends stay busy from late morning on.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Jamestown Settlement, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    History Buff

    Historic Jamestowne

    $25–$50

    Walk the site of the 1607 James Fort, see the 17th-century church tower and watch archaeologists at work.

    1.0 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Colonial Williamsburg

    $25–$50

    Walk an 18th-century capital where costumed interpreters work trades and restored buildings line Duke of Gloucester Street.

    6.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Busch Gardens Williamsburg

    $50+

    Ride coasters like Loch Ness Monster, Griffon and Pantheon in a theme park laid out as European hamlets.

    7.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Museums
    Free

    Chrysler Museum of Art

    Free

    A free art museum spanning 5,000 years, with one of the largest glass collections in America and live glassmaking demos.

    37 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    History Buff

    American Civil War Museum

    Under $25

    Two floors of Civil War exhibits and artifacts on the grounds of the old Tredegar Iron Works beside the James River.

    42 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Free

    Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

    Free

    Browse a state-run art museum with free general admission, from ancient and African art to Fabergé's Imperial Easter eggs.

    44 mi awayMore like this