Jamestown Day
May 10 @ 10:00 am – 4:00 pm
Jamestown Day – May 10, 2025 at Jamestown Settlement
Mark the anniversary of the 1607 founding of Jamestown with family friendly programs, military salutes, maritime and interpretive demonstrations at Jamestown Settlement. The Godspeed, one of the three re-created ships that brought English colonists to Jamestown in 1607 will sail in the James River announced by an artillery salute – as long as the weather is favorable!
Visitors can board the Discovery. This is an interactive adventure where your whole family will learn how sailors navigated the seas in the 17th century through a special program on celestial navigation.
The outdoor section of the Jamestown Settlement includes a rebuilt James Fort and Paspahegh Town, as a visitor, you can take part in a variety of hands-on demonstrations, including English and Powhatan trade and Powhatan food. Learn how the English made beer and how they cooked, and find out about English and Powhatan weaponry and military tactics. Don’t miss the pike drill and the firing of a 17th-century falcon.
| JAMESTOWN DAY 2025 DEMONSTRATIONS | ||
|---|---|---|
| Approximate Time | Location | Description |
| 10 a.m. – late afternoon | Ships’ Pier | Godspeed Sets Sail An artillery salute from the ships’ pier signals the departure of the Godspeed, Jamestown Settlement’s re-created ships, to demonstrate sailing maneuvers. (Weather permitting) |
| 10:30 a.m. & 2:30 p.m. | James Fort | Musket Demonstration The matchlock musket became a critical weapon for defense of the colony in the early years. See how the soldiers loaded and fired the weapon. |
| 11 a.m. | Ships’ Pier | Supplying the Colony Help sailors as they haul critical cargo out of the hold of the Discovery. |
| 12 p.m. | James Fort | Defending the Colony Calling all musketeers, pikemen & targeteers! Help defend the colony against forces of the Spanish Empire & Powhatan Chiefdom |
| 1 p.m. | Ships’ Pier | Navigation Take a “noon sighting” & learn how English sailors navigated across the ocean in the 17th century. (Weather permitting) |
| 2 p.m. | Paspahegh Town | Bounty of the Chesapeake Spring is fishing season! See how Powhatan people prepared the abundance of fish & seafood. |
| 3 p.m. | Ships’ Pier | Sail Handling Handling the sails was a necessary skill for a 17th-century mariner. Join our crew in working the sails. (Weather permitting) |
| 4 p.m. | Outside James Fort | Artillery Join in and drill with a 17th-century artillery crew, then step back and cover your ears as historical interpreters fire the weapon. (Weather permitting) |
Indoor gallery exhibits & outdoor living history
Indoors at the Jamestown Settlement, visitors can view “1607: A Nation Takes Root”, a docudrama shown every 30 minutes in the museum theater. The film traces the evolution of the Virginia Company that sponsored the Jamestown colony, examines the relationship between the English colonists and the Powhatan Indians, and chronicles the arrival of the first recorded West Central Africans in 1619. Immersive gallery exhibits feature artifacts, interactives and films.
Museum Admission:
- FREE for Locals*
Local Residents enjoy free admission every day at Jamestown Settlement & the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, including College of William & Mary students. *Check Qualifying Zip Codes. - FREE for Military on Jamestown Day*
In honor of Jamestown Day, members of the military* (veteran, active duty, reserve and retired military personnel and up to three direct family members) will receive free admission to Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown with military identification. - FREE for children 5 and under
- Admission tickets can be purchased online or in person. Jamestown Settlement admission is $20.00 for adults and $10.00 for ages 6-12. A value-priced combination ticket with the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown is $34.00 for adults and $17.00 for ages 6-12. Children ages 5 and under are admitted free. Tickets
