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.

This two-fold special exhibition extended through September 19, 2023 at both Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown spans the centuries and makes connections between the past and our present, to illuminate how the Stuarts — and their legacies in Virginia — are closer than you think.

At Jamestown Settlement, the exhibition considers how the reign of the Stuarts in the 17th century solidified Virginia’s identity as the Old Dominion, which had lasting impacts not only for the 18th century but for the world we live in today. At the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown, the exhibition explores 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.

Reign & Rebellion intertwines 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 has never been more relevant.

A convergence of cultures in the Stuart era

When colonists arrived in Tsenacommacah and established the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown, they brought with them English history, culture and attitudes that entwined with those of Virginia’s Indigenous population and individuals forcibly brought from Africa.

This convergence during the Stuart era prompted turbulent engagements with ideas about class, religion, the role of government, and evolving constructs of race. Reign & Rebellion explores the complex legacies of the Stuart’s rule in Virginia through the personal stories of those who lived it.

Rare artifacts weave a tapestry of personal stories and historical events

The Rolfe Family Bible. A mourning ring of Charles I with a secret message. Indigenous and English objects reflecting religious and political authority. Shells, shards and remnants of items used by enslaved Africans.

Along with the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation’s collection of 17th- and 18th-century objects, the two-part special exhibition features more than 125 artifacts on loan from more than 25 international and national institutions and private collections.

Explore the Reign & Rebellion special exhibition through dynamic events

Join us for a series of public lectures, after-hours performances and interactive events that complement this special exhibition across both Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown.

Special programs are sponsored by Dominion Energy.

Our interactive explores 'America's imperfect fabric'

Do you have what it takes to overcome the Stuart legacy? Interact with key themes in Reign & Rebellion by completing a set of six activities online - from religion and community to government and the transition of power.

The interactive was produced by Trivium in partnership with the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation.

About the Stuarts

Queen Elizabeth I, the famous Virgin Queen and last of the House of Tudor, led the monarchy that reigned England from the 15th century. She is the namesake of the colony of Virginia, but her death without an heir in 1603 begat the reign of the House of Stuart. Elizabeth died childless, so the right to rule England transferred to James Charles Stuart, King of Scotland and son of Mary, Queen of Scots (Elizabeth’s first cousin, once removed). King James ruled Scotland, England, and Ireland until his death in 1625. While these years proved formidable for colonial ventures, such as Jamestown, the House of Stuart, which continued its reign over England and her colonies until 1714, not only shaped Virginia, but lit the slow-burning fuse which ultimately exploded into Revolution in 1775.

The Stuarts are easily identifiable with Jamestown, where Stuart monarchs, their colonial agents and turbulent events of the 17th century impacted European settlement of Virginia, colonial relationships with Virginia Indians, the rise of the slave trade and the often volatile relationship between Virginia’s haves and have nots.

The Stuarts, whose namesake adorns geographic regions and educational institutions — Jamestown, the College of William & Mary and Williamsburg itself, also extend to Yorktown. The royal House of Hanover — the dynasty most associated with America’s colonial discontent — was plagued and distracted by Stuart pretenders to the throne, leaving increasingly independent-minded colonists to pay for costly wars and campaigns at home and abroad, many of which were direct results of Stuart-era policy, empire building and challenges to the throne.

Reign & Rebellion included with museum admission

Reign & Rebellion is included with general admission to both Jamestown Settlement and the American Revolution Museum at Yorktown: $30.00 for adults and $15.00 for ages 6-12 with a combination ticket. You also can explore each chapter of this special exhibition with individual museum admission. An annual pass offers year-round access to the special exhibition, along with daytime programs and events.

Residents of James City County, York County and the City of Williamsburg, including William & Mary students, receive complimentary admission to both museums with proof of residency. Parking is free.