What are the origins of your favorite foods? The Columbian exchange introduced food and crops to new peoples around the world. Explore how scarcity, trade and culture shaped the dishes we eat today.

Dig into the foodways of colonial Virginians from various cultural backgrounds. Learn how people preserved and cooked food without refrigeration or electricity. And maybe show off your cooking skills by trying out a historical recipe at home!

Join in the revelry this holiday season! Explore Christmas customs the English may have observed in the early days at James Fort. And discover how 17th-century Virginians celebrated the winter season, long before Christmas trees and holiday lights.

One British officer claimed, “Washington did not really outfight the British. He simply out-spied us.” Spying was risky business during the American Revolution; they gathered intelligence, protected secrets, passed along intel using a variety of techniques. Put your decoding skills to the test!

Sometimes art can be a key to unlocking information about the past. Drawings, paintings and pottery reveal clues about people of the past and their everyday lives. Bring your pencil and detective hat to explore and examine the art and culture of various societies in the 17th century.

Laundry is a never-ending task today and during the times of Jamestown and the American Revolution. Discover the science behind how it worked and how this chore shaped the role of women. Be warned – you may get a little wet!

Clothes make the man or at least historic clothing and adornment can reveal clues about someone’s culture, social standing or even personal beliefs. Learn how people of the past made their outfits practical and fashionable. You may even find your own fashionable style!

Land ho! The 1607 voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to Jamestown was only a first step in the English exploration of Virginia. Discover the tools and techniques sailors used to investigate the Chesapeake watershed.

Summer is almost here! Take a break, and join us for some colonial games. Games were more than a way to pass the time. Investigate how games could teach skills, lessons or pass on traditions.

Tickets available beginning May 14.