History gets hands-on in Williamsburg

There’s instruction–and then there’s immersion. 

Whether you’re behind a desk as a student in a classroom or leading the charge a la George Washington at the front, perhaps no lessons are as indelible as those that enhance those lessons outside of four walls, transporting you to a different time. 

In Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown, history comes alive with active archaeological digs, hands-on explorations of cities and settlements that look as they did four centuries ago, and interpreters whose captivating interactions never break character to cast–and keep–a spell. Whether it’s a two-day jaunt back in time or a full four days that spans historical highs and literal ones on roller coasters that give new context for physics lessons, the choice is yours. 

Day one: Start at ‘the beginning’

Those who really want to travel back in time should start chronologically at Historic Jamestowne, the site of the first permanent English settlement in America. Kids will dig archaeological tours that dish the dirt on ongoing excavations and then get hands-on with real 17th-century artifacts. The science here is all 21st century, however, and kids can learn more about today’s multidimensional geographic mapping technology in the Ed Shed (“education shed”). 

Students can also watch sparks fly during a blacksmith demonstration with storytelling or try their hand at a kid-appropriate halberd. The weapon (in this case, a faux version) was preferred by Captain Brewster, who was appointed in 1610 as the leader of the troops defending the settlement. He’ll regale groups with what it was like to live four centuries ago while teaching them proper drill techniques and answering questions. And for kids who want to set the record straight on everything they thought they learned watching Disney’s “Pocahontas,” a Powhatan walking tour awaits. Stroll the grounds with a historian who will shed light on trade and interactions of all ilks between English colonists and the Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom.

Add even more dimension and context to living lessons at Jamestown Settlement, where guided or independent field trips are customized for age groups and interests (many also adhere to National Standards for History, National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies, and Common Core, and STEM objectives). Some of the many highlights here include the opportunity to step aboard re-creations of a trio of ships that, in 1607, changed the course of history forever. The living history museum artfully blends interpretations of life between the indigenous Powhatan Indians, English, and West Central Africans. At the re-created Paspahegh Town, re-enactors bring to life the fascinating arts of pottery and weaving, and means of survival like hunting and fishing. 

Day two: Segue into the next century

Whether you’ve got a half-day, one day, or several, Colonial Williamsburg has options to tailor experiences for individual classroom needs--whether you want to focus on history, math, English, or science. 

Full immersion about what life was like for the founding families of the 1700s starts from the first step off the bus into Virginia’s colonial capital city. The clop of horses’ hooves, fife and drum music, and games like hoop rolling will have kids flipping the switch off on their Nintendo Switch. Professional guides can engage in lessons more broad like 18th Century Daily Life, or focus on topics like Women in 18th Century Williamsburg, or Colonial Government and the Birth of Democracy. 

History gets really unforgettable after dark in Williamsburg when Historical Ghost Walking Tours bring to life the personalities that made the colonies. Bring hidden history out of the shadows when you choose from in-depth, fact-checked research, including the personalities who lived here during the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, colonists and their relations with Native Americans, and the legacy of the College of William and Mary. For those headed to university, the experience is particularly enriching – the lessons learned can be used for assignments that satisfy many U.S. K-12 curriculum requirements.

Day three:  Talk about a Revolution

Revolutionary ideas yield unforgettable experiences for those who visit the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Yesteryear meets the special effects of tomorrow with a 4-D experiential theater that transports visitors to the 1781 Siege of Yorktown battlefield, complete with wind, smoke, and the thunder of cannon fire. That dimensional experience isn’t the only one in store – students will learn more about the complicated relationship between England and North America with immersive activities both indoors and outdoors. Galleries here host one of the country’s largest collections of maps, weaponry, and arts related to the colonies’ founding and fight for freedom (and the museum has meeting spaces for school groups and groups of up to 1,000 people). There are also exhibits on those who had to fight for their freedom even longer: the West Central Africans brought to help farm the colonies in the early 1600s. Many of them played pivotal roles in the Revolutionary War, but there are few places besides the American Revolution Museum where students can get the full context of that underrecognized contribution. 

The living history hubs here outside focus on what it’s like to live in someone else’s shoes, pretty literally. Ever wonder what garments were made from the roof of a whale’s mouth? Why men wore stockings and heels, or how the art of how the Powhatan people wove feathers into clothing? The answers are at the Revolution Museum, where a period farm and Continental Army in full regalia (with musket demonstrations) await. 

What’s onscreen in 4-D comes to life at Yorktown Battlefield. National Park Service rangers lead the charge here on walking tours that cover the pivotal 1781 surrender of British forces to General George Washington. The field tents our nation’s first president used are on display with many other wartime artifacts, but Rangers also share more about what it was to simply live “back in the day” in an 18th-century town. Students can step inside the Nelson House, for instance. home to a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

Day four: Freedom to explore and kick back/Learn 21st-century science

Amusement parks are more than exciting–they’re enriching if you add Busch Gardens Williamsburg to your itinerary. The park has science curriculum and programming to complement the area’s robust history units, including Launch Into Physics. Want your students to know more about how roller coasters work before getting into one? Local college professor Dr. David Wright hosts the interactive show seasonally using creative props and performs experiments with help from his audience. Other programming includes Coasters 101 and experiences with endangered animals at the theme park zoo. Teens and tweens can get together with their pack to hit up Wolves Encounter, and students as young as 3 years old are welcome to meet and greet feathered and furry friends through Animal Connections programming.