4/11/2026
9:00am - 5:00pm
Senior Staff Archaeologist Anna Shackelford gives a tour of the excavations at James Fort.
Archaeology Opening Day
For over 30 years, archaeology has revealed the incredible history of Jamestown, from the true location of James Fort to the site of the First General Assembly. See archaeology in action and help us kick of the 2026 excavation season with family-friendly activities, walking tours, and more!
Archaeology Opening Day events are included with admission to the Preservation Virginia portions of Historic Jamestowne. In the event of bad weather, programs will be moved indoors to the Archaearium or Memorial Church.
SCHEDULE
All Day Events
The Buried Truth: Archaeology in Action – Witness the moment of discovery at the original 1607 James Fort. Meet Jamestown archaeologists and learn about ongoing excavations and the latest discoveries near Statehouse Ridge. (Weather Permitting)
In the Footsteps of Democracy – Visit the Memorial Church and see the re-interpretation of the site’s original 1617-18 church and its foundations – which was the meeting place for the first representative government in English America. Stand on the exact spot where the first General Assembly was held in 1619 and where our nation’s democracy began. At the Memorial Church.
From Fort to Port: Legacies of 1619 – Explore the tobacco boom in Virginia, Jamestown’s development from a fort to a port, as well as the exploitation of Africans, Virginia Indians, and indentured servants in this new gallery exhibit at the Natalie P. and Alan M. Voorhees Archaearium Museum.
Activities & Living History: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
The Powhatan Indians – Meet Dan Firehawk Abbott of the Nanticoke people of Maryland’s Eastern Shore and learn about the material culture and life ways of the Tidewater Algonquians and their interactions with the settlers of Jamestown. At James Fort
Forged in Iron – Blacksmithing was one of the earliest trades to be practiced at Jamestown. Join the blacksmith for demonstrations and a discussion of the types of work that went on at the site of the original James Fort Forge. At James Fort
“Pales, posts, and railes” – Building a fort proved a necessity for the colonists within a month of their 1607 arrival. Carpenters and tradesmen will demonstrate the tools and methods used by the first colonists to build everything from the fort walls to the buildings. At James Fort
Special Tours
Archaeology Walking Tour of James Fort – Join an archaeologist for an in-depth tour of the 1607 fort site and learn about this season’s excavations and new discoveries. Offered at 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. At the Pocahontas Statue
An Audience with Captain John Smith – Though he’s famous for saving Jamestown, John Smith actually arrived on these shores in chains. Learn why and hear about his experiences exploring the Chesapeake Bay, his interactions with the Powhatan, and what happened when he finally became president of the council in September 1608. 12:15 p.m. At the Memorial Church
The Powhatan & the English Walking Tour – Join Public Historian Mark Summers for a tour discussing the interactions, trade and conflict between English colonists and the Powhatan Paramount Chiefdom based on the archaeological evidence. 1:00 p.m. At the Pocahontas Statue
