Celebrations, demonstrations & special events

Celebrate America’s momentous 1781 Revolutionary War victory at Yorktown on October 17 & 18 with artillery firings, exhibits and interpretive programs examining the pivotal siege.

Interpretive demonstrations

At the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown visitors to the Continental Army encampment will discover aspects of military life, from enlistment to troop supplies and flintlock muskets to 18th-century medical care. Throughout the day, visitors can discuss military tactics and learn about life in the Virginia colony.

Artillery demonstrations, showcasing the varied roles of the artillery crew, will take place in the outdoor amphitheater at 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.

Farm visitors can learn about typical life of a Revolution-era farming family. Special demonstrations will explore 18th-century foodways and the convergence of cultures through food at the farm kitchen and enslaved people’s quarters.

Special event activities at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown are made possible in part by the York County Arts Commission and the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Inc. Annual Fund.

Films & Exhibits

At the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, stories of citizens and soldiers unfold daily through immersive films, exhibition galleries and interpretive programs in outdoor re-creations of a Continental Army encampment and Revolution-era farm.

Daily indoors, visitors can take in the award-winning “Liberty Fever” introductory film and tour immersive exhibition galleries, including a 4D-experiential “Siege of Yorktown” theater that transports visitors to the Yorktown battlefield in 1781, with wind, smoke and the thunder of cannon fire. Actors portray allied Generals Washington and Rochambeau and British General Cornwallis as well as Joseph Plumb Martin, a member of the Continental Army’s Corps of Sappers and Miners who helped build fortifications at Yorktown, and Sarah Osborn, who followed the Continental Army with her husband and served food and coffee to the troops, as well as Alexander Hamilton in his first military role in the Continental Army and his famous words – “Rush on boys!” – as the militia secures Redoubts 9 and 10.

Visiting Historic Yorktown

Catch the Revolutionary spirit in Historic Yorktown, where visitors can enjoy several outdoor activities, such as sails aboard the Schooner Alliance at the Riverwalk Landing piers as well as bicycle, paddleboard and kayak rentals and Segway tours from Patriot Tours & Provisions.

For more information about Historic Yorktown events and programs, call (757) 890-5900 or visit visityorktown.org.

Commemorating America's 250th Anniversary

The Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, an educational agency of the Commonwealth of Virginia accredited by the American Alliance of Museums and commemorative partner of the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission, is presenting exhibitions and events to celebrate America's 250th anniversary. Learn how you can join in the celebration.

About the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown

The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days) and located on Route 1020 near the Colonial Parkway in Yorktown. The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown tells the story of the nation’s founding. Comprehensive indoor exhibits and outdoor living history areas capture the transformational nature and epic scale of the Revolution and its relevance today.

Admission tickets can be purchased online or in person. Plan your visit today or call (757) 253-4838 for more information. Parking at the museum is free for museum visitors. A free shuttle service is available to Historic Yorktown on the Yorktown Trolley.