Much like Jamestown, Yorktown also has two areas (three if you count the modern town of Yorktown): Yorktown Battlefield and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.
American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
The American Revolution Museum at Yorktown is one that you can’t really do in one day. Like its counterpart, Jamestown Settlement, it consists of two areas; an expansive indoor exhibit area, with artifacts from pre- and post-colonial American history, and outdoor exhibits.
One of the highlights of the museum was the main hallway. It hosts a detailed timeline ranging from the settlement of Jamestown to the end of the revolution. It goes on to detail the displacement and pacification of the Native Americans inhabiting what would become the midwest of the United States.
Inside the American Revolution Museum
Inside exhibits of the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown feature an amazing short film. The film is about the siege of Yorktown. It is in an immersive theater with multi-sensory effects. The boy, unsurprisingly, was drawn to the displays of muskets, rifles, and other weaponry. Regrettably, most of the displays are on loan from private collections and prohibit photography.
Another area of displays that reminded us of the National Archives building at Washington DC was a rotunda dedicated to the Declaration of Independence. Mom enjoyed an interactive display that lit up the Declaration of Independence. It split the document into 3 sections: the Preamble, the list of grievances, and what the 13 colonies of North America intended to do about it.
Another feature was a battle simulator they had just outside the siege theater. Both kids kept coming back to it. It inspired me to re-install one of my favorite historical battle games “Empire: Total War.” I challenged the kids to complete the “Road to Independence” campaign. The Boy gave it a few hours, but The Girl got bored fairly quickly.
While we were there, both the American Revolution and the Jamestown Settlement had exhibits about the Jacobite risings in Europe. The risings, in addition to the blending of cultural influences of the native peoples and enslaved immigrants, shaped the colonies, and eventually the United States.
Outside the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
Outside the museum, they had two main areas. A recreation of a colonial army camp had reenactors and interpreters answering questions. They even had a demonstration of a flintlock musket. There was also a recreation of a medium-sized revolutionary-era farm based on the record left by the original owner.
An interesting observation we made at the farm that illustrates the changing nature of history was the loom and spinning wheels at the farm. While chatting with the interpreter, they shared that many people were making their own fabric during the revolution. This was because supply lines from Europe had been cut off. However, just days before, we were in Colonial Williamsburg. There we learned that it was not economical or cost-effective to make one’s own fabric. The interpreter said it took 10 spinners to keep a single loom fed. Also, the technology in the colonies was old and slow. Britain disallowed the export of modern equipment in an effort to protect their main export of textiles. There was some domestic production, but it accounted for very little of the total need in the colonies, and its production was more in protest than filling any needs.
Different Interpretations at Different Sites
The difference in information between the interpreters at the American Revolution Museum and Colonial Williamsburg brings home the lesson of checking one’s sources. Williamsburg is a living history museum dedicated to the preservation of the old way of production which has made it the industry’s main source of historical replicas. The American Revolution Museum’s goal is to present the past in an attractive, digestible way.
Overall, it was a great museum, and much deeper than we thought it would be. It’s definitely worth your time if you’re visiting the Historic Triangle.
Yorktown Battlefield
The Yorktown Battlefield is another story. Compared to the American Revolution Museum, the Yorktown battlefield was underwhelming.
The location consisted of a small museum. There were some artifacts of note, including one of the few surviving camp tents used by George Washington. It was otherwise unimpressive.
The main feature of this park was two “driving trails” accompanied by a webpage or mobile app with audio presentations at key points.
Of the earthworks and redoubts that were preserved or re-built, all had fallen back into disrepair.
This whole park felt like an afterthought, which is sad considering the historic significance of the battlefield.
The audio tour app for the park is free, and there doesn’t seem to be any patrolling of the driving tour. However, that is a less-than-legal way to visit the park. If you’d like to learn about the battlefield, you’d be better served by visiting the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.
However, if you have a national park pass (or a 4th grader!), it’s worth a visit. It was cool to see the actual earthworks, even if they had overgrown. Maybe if enough people visit, they’ll be able to dedicate funds and time to maintaining them.