11 Immersive US Sites That Bring America's Past to Life

8. Historic Jamestowne, Virginia

Historic Jamestowne stands on the original footprint of the first permanent English settlement in America, dating back to 1607. Visitors wander active archaeological excavations, with scientists at work unearthing clues in real time. Costumed guides and engaging park rangers help connect the dots between what’s found in the earth and the stories those artifacts reveal. Alongside original church towers and fort outlines, reconstructed glassblowing workshops and palisade walls conjure up dangers and daily routines of Jamestown’s first arrivals. Regular living history performances, dig-site activities for kids, and museum galleries combine to create an ever-changing window into a defining moment in US history—one that’s still being rewritten with every new discovery.