In the Trenches Tours are conducted at 10:00 am on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, April through October. NOTE: There are NO In the Trenches tours in August.

Join a small inside and up-close group tour of the Lost 1607 James Fort led by Dr. William Kelso, Director of the Jamestown Rediscovery Archaeological Project since 1994. Your reserved place in this special group allows you to come under the ropes to walk the surface of the ground once trod by Captain John Smith, Pocahontas and Queen Elizabeth II -- now the very soil being dug by Historic Jamestowne archaeologists. You share the once in a lifetime "moment of discovery" as a part of America's birthplace sees the first light of day in over 400 years.

Tour members must purchase a tour ticket online in advance or in the museum store by 9:30 a.m. on the day of the tour.

Tour members must dress according to weather predictions. Reservations and tickets are valid only on the date specified. There will be no refunds unless the tour is canceled by Preservation Virginia.

Cost includes a one-day pass to Historic Jamestowne. Tickets can be purchased here.

Curator's Artifact Tours are conducted at 3:00 pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month beginning May 23 through October. Tours start from the Pocahontas statue.

Senior archaeological curator Bly Straube provides an intimate, behind-the-scenes tour of the artifact collection of James Fort. This 90-minute guided program begins with a brief overview of the Jamestown Rediscovery project and offers a rare glimpse of the vault where more than one million artifacts recovered during excavations are housed. Straube will highlight important finds and discuss how artifacts tell the story of Jamestown's early years. After the tour, guests will have time to explore the Nathalie P. and Alan M. Voorhees Archaearium where galleries of selected archaeological artifacts are displayed.

Note: Due to limited space and the fragile nature of artifacts in the laboratory, this tour is restricted to 10 people. Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

Tickets can be purchased here.

Spend an evening at Historic Jamestowne exploring the story of Fort Pocahontas, one of five forts constructed on Jamestown Island during the Civil War. Join Jamestown Rediscovery Senior Archaeologist Dave Givens as he discusses the excavations of a Confederate bomb shelter and other fascinating findings from Fort Pocahontas.

At the beginning of the Civil War, Captain William Allen owned and farmed Jamestown Island. In April 1861, Allen’s slaves and troops raised at his own expense built much of the earthworks that became “Fort Pocahontas.” The Confederate Army stationed more than 1,200 men there in the summer of 1861 in hopes of blocking Federal ships from moving up the James River toward Richmond, the capital and industrial center of the Confederacy.

Along with numerous Civil War-ear artifacts, archaeologists have uncovered the remains of a Confederate bomb shelter and powder magazine that were part of the fort. Archaeologists first explored the fort and earthworks in 2004-‘05. Last summer, the archaeologists have uncovered sandbag markings and wooden beams that supported the roof of the bomb shelter. The shelter was about 12 feet wide and at least 18 feet long. The fort never came under attack, but soil markings and lots of nails pointing downward indicate the shelter collapsed at some point. The fort was abandoned without a fight on May 3, 1862, and the troops retreated to a position nearer to Richmond after burning the powder magazines and gun carriages.

In the Trenches Tours are conducted at 10:00 am on the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays, April through October. NOTE: There are NO In the Trenches tours in August.

Join a small inside and up-close group tour of the Lost 1607 James Fort led by Dr. William Kelso, Director of the Jamestown Rediscovery Archaeological Project since 1994. Your reserved place in this special group allows you to come under the ropes to walk the surface of the ground once trod by Captain John Smith, Pocahontas and Queen Elizabeth II -- now the very soil being dug by Historic Jamestowne archaeologists. You share the once in a lifetime "moment of discovery" as a part of America's birthplace sees the first light of day in over 400 years.

Tour members must purchase a tour ticket online in advance or in the museum store by 9:30 a.m. on the day of the tour.

Tour members must dress according to weather predictions. Reservations and tickets are valid only on the date specified. There will be no refunds unless the tour is canceled by Preservation Virginia.

Cost includes a one-day pass to Historic Jamestowne. Tickets can be purchased here.

Archaeology is going to the dogs! Dogs are invited to join their owners for an evening archaeology walking tour at Historic Jamestowne, in partnership with the Heritage Humane Society. This canine-friendly tour will highlight the rediscovery and on-going excavations of the 1607 James Fort. An archaeologist will be on hand to discuss the latest discoveries at the fort site. Barkaeology tours begin at 6 pm, but tour participants are welcome to arrive early to enjoy a picnic dinner by the river. Carrot Tree Kitchens will remain open, serving food and beverages until 6 pm at the café especially for this event. Dogs are welcome on the café patio and special dog treats will be available for purchase. Dogs must have current shots, mix well with others and remain on a leash. Owners will be responsible for cleaning up after their pet. Tour tickets are $14 per person. Dogs are free but limited to 2 per person. Space is limited and reservations are required. Tickets can be purchased on the Historic Jamestowne website.

Tickets can be purchased here.

During “Governor Berkeley Laments the Rebellion," meet with Governor William Berkeley as he recounts his time in Virginia and the unhappy circumstances that led to Bacon’s Rebellion and the burning of Virginia’s 17th-century capitol at Jamestown. This program is presented at 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3 pm in the Memorial Church.

The one-hour special evening tour, “The Beginning, Progress and Conclusion of Bacon’s Rebellion,” takes visitors through the colonial town site and presents the events leading to the burning of Jamestown. Details of this dramatic event unfold as visitors experience the conflict through the “eyewitness” account of Thomas Matthew, a Burgess in 1676. Controlled fires re-create the burning of Jamestown as it occurred on Sept. 19, 1676. The tour begins at the Tercentennial Monument overlooking the James River at 7 pm.

The Dale House cafe will be open until 6:45 serving food and beverages.

Curator's Artifact Tours are conducted at 3:00 pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month beginning May 23 through October. Tours start from the Pocahontas statue.

Senior archaeological curator Bly Straube provides an intimate, behind-the-scenes tour of the artifact collection of James Fort. This 90-minute guided program begins with a brief overview of the Jamestown Rediscovery project and offers a rare glimpse of the vault where more than one million artifacts recovered during excavations are housed. Straube will highlight important finds and discuss how artifacts tell the story of Jamestown's early years. After the tour, guests will have time to explore the Nathalie P. and Alan M. Voorhees Archaearium where galleries of selected archaeological artifacts are displayed.

Note: Due to limited space and the fragile nature of artifacts in the laboratory, this tour is restricted to 10 people. Children under 16 years of age must be accompanied by an adult.

Tickets can be purchased here.

Join us for ShinDIG at Jamestown to benefit the Jamestown Rediscovery Project. Enjoy bluegrass music with our very own Archaeology Director Bill Kelso and the Who Ever Shows Up Band from 6:30 - 8:00 pm at the Dale House Café on Jamestown Island. Gates open at 6:00

The Williamsburg-based band features eight musicians including Bill Kelso, banjo; Doug Burgoyne, guitar; Jack Cowardin, fiddle; Rob Foos, dobro; Bobby Hornsby, bass; Rennie Howard, banjo; Ellen Kelso, bass; and Steve Robertson, guitar.

Soak in the views of the James River while you enjoy music and a BBQ dinner provided by Carrot Tree Kitchens. Beer and wine will be available for purchase. All proceeds benefit the archaeological research, educational programs and operations of the Jamestown Rediscovery Project at Historic Jamestowne.

Tickets are $27 per person and include the BBQ dinner. Tickets must be purchased online in advance. An email confirmation will be sent after the ticket purchase is made. Tickets will NOT be mailed to participants. There will be no refunds unless the concert is cancelled by Preservation Virginia.