Virginia’s landscape is the setting for many historical events that shaped America. Perhaps one of the most iconic of these is the Jamestown Settlement Museum. You can visit the birthplace of America itself and relive the time period. An exhibit displays many artifacts recovered from the site. These relics of the past originate from either colonial, Native American, or African culture. There are also videos and movies that detail certain subjects about Jamestown. One of the mini-films I watched there was about Bacon’s rebellion, the first colonial revolt in North America. The small theater incorporates real special effects like smoke, light, and sound over the stage that make you feel like you are in that moment of history. The screen is also cut into multiple projections that each show a different scene. For example, if the characters are having a conversation, the wider screen will show the whole group while the smaller projections may show individual characters. This makes for a visually attractive and breath-taking experience about a topic not heavily discussed nowadays. When you finish the exhibit, you may step outside to visit the Native American village, Jamestown fort, and the colonial ships including the Mayflower. You can actually enter the huts of the village, board the colonial ships, and examine the buildings in the fort! I cannot go into a brief history of Jamestown as it will not do credit to the endless history the museum so astonishingly presents. You will have to find out yourself!
- Antonin Ducroux - USA (East Coast)