Discover Virginia through the lens of the Stuart monarchy, whose royal foothold impacted and influenced early America and shaped the struggles and determination of those who lived in the colony in the 17th and 18th centuries. 

“Reign & Rebellion,” a special exhibition at the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, will span the centuries across both museums and make connections between the past and our present, to illuminate how the Stuarts — and their legacies in Virginia — are closer than you think.

The exhibition will explore how the legacies of the Stuart era contributed toward Virginia’s distinct American identity, resulting in formerly loyal Cavaliers fighting for independence from Great Britain. The exhibit will also intertwine groundbreaking moments in Virginia’s history, provocative personal stories and showstopper artifacts that lay the path of Virginia’s road to Revolution. With the approach of the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, the exploration of the Stuart dynasty through “Reign & Rebellion” has never been more relevant.

Among some of the special items featured at the Museum:

• Fragments of a Brick Cartouche from the John Page House site with the letters P and A, the date 1662 and a heart, Middle Plantation, Virginia. 
• “The Inauguration of Washington,” Oscar de Mejo, United States, circa 1977. 
• Blanket Box or “Dower” Chest, Germany, 1764. 
• Nottoway Indenture, Robert Scholar, 1740. 
• Copper Gorget belonging to George Washington, circa 1774. Collection of the Massachusetts Historical Society. (pictured right)  
• Charles II Teapot, Unknown, near Staffordshire, England, 1755-1765.  
• Shells, shards and remnants of items used by enslaved Africans.
• A crash course history video will connect with Jamestown Settlement's 17th-century story and its evolution in the 18th century.

The special exhibition is included with general admission to Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.