There’s no doubt about it – the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown is for history lovers. The museum features a dynamic gallery exhibit, films, interactive displays, and re-creations of a farm and an encampment where interpreters tell you everything you want to know about living in the 18th century.

If you’re a kid (at heart), you’re going to enjoy the list of must-see/do films, galleries, and artifacts we put together to be on the lookout for when touring the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Download a printable version here.

• Watch “Liberty Fever,” a short film featuring stationary silhouettes and moving shadow puppets scrolling by on a large “crankie.” The compelling animation is interwoven with live-action film segments featuring the stories of five people who lived during the American Revolution. Which character’s story did you like the most and why?
• Tour the Reign & Rebellion special exhibit (through September 5, 2023), which transports guests through the legacy of the Stuart Era. 
  1. Find the interactive screen in the Reign section to learn about the significance of William & Mary’s Brafferton School and the Bray School, recently relocated to the Colonial Williamsburg Historic area. 
  2. In the Rebellion section, track down George Washington’s gorget and take a picture. What is a gorget and what did Washington engrave on it?
  3. See if you can find vocabulary words like “colony,” “empire,” and “enslavement” on the exhibit walls. 
• In the main American Revolution gallery, find the embosser and stamp your museum map. Read about the Stamp Act and what an embossed stamp proved on paper.
• Watch the 4D/180-degree film “The Siege at Yorktown.” Write a mini review of the film. What did you learn about the Siege of Yorktown? What special effect did you like best and why?
• Take a tour of the encampment. 
  1. Explore the different tents. Note the variation of sizes and purposes for each one. 
  2. Travel to the kitchen. Why is it separate from the house? Who runs the kitchen and what foods do they hang from the ceiling?

• Find the Liberty Tree lantern display in the museum galleries. Type what liberty means to you and see your answer appear on one of the lanterns hanging from the tree branches up to the ceiling.  

Extra credit: On your way back to the car, snap a selfie with George Washington’s statue. Share your pic on social media and be sure to tag @VisitYorktown in your post!

The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown (200 Water Street) is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Days.  General admission to the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown is $18 (ages 13 & over) and $9 (ages 6 to $12). Tickets for both the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown and Jamestown Settlement are $30.00 for adults and $15.00 for ages 6-12. Residents of York County, James City County, and the City of Williamsburg are free.