Jamestown Settlement

A state-run living history museum a mile from the original site, and the easier of the two Jamestowns to enjoy — reconstruction rather than ruins, staffed by costumed interpreters who let you handle things.

Three elements make it: a re-created Powhatan village where you can scrape hides and grind corn; the palisaded James Fort with its blacksmith, armoury and church; and, moored on the river, full-scale replicas of the Susan Constant, Godspeed and Discovery, the three ships that carried 104 men and boys across in 1607. Going below decks on the Discovery, which is roughly the size of a large caravan, does more to explain the crossing than any placard. The indoor galleries cover Powhatan, English and West African cultures in parallel before the collision.

Practical: open daily, around $20, or a combination ticket with the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown. Two to three hours minimum. Considerably better for children than Historic Jamestowne — if you have kids and time for one, this is the one.