General Information for
Planning School Group Visits

Museum Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (until 6 p.m. June 15-August 15). Closed Christmas and New Year’s days.

Location: Jamestown Settlement is located at Route 31 South at the Colonial Parkway, just 10 minutes from Colonial Williamsburg. Take I-64 to Exit 238 or 242A. The Yorktown Victory Center is located on Route 1020 near the Colonial Parkway in Yorktown. Take I-64 to exit 247. Both museums are easily accessible from I-64, the Colonial parkway or Williamsburg. The driving distance between the two museums is about 30 minutes.

Reservations: To book your group call 757-253-4939 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday-Friday. Reservations are subject to availability and should be made as soon as travel dates are selected. We recommend making reservations at least two months in advance for fall and winter trips, and up to four months in advance for trips in the spring. Reservations for programs and guided tours are required at least 72 hours in advance. They are requested for self-guided groups.

Final Counts/ Cancellation Policy: Please confirm your travel plans 30 days in advance. Final counts are due 72 hours prior to arrival. No-shows will be billed.

Chaperones/Complimentary Policy: Chaperones are required to stay with their group at all times and to maintain appropriate student behavior. Student groups are eligible for one complimentary chaperone admission with every 10 paid students. Bus drivers receive complimentary admission.

Payment: Payment must be made in advance or on the day of your visit. One person must handle payments for all tours and programs. Cash, Visa, MasterCard and pre-approved checks made payable to the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation are accepted. A group is 15 or more paid admissions with one form of payment. Date of visit, reservation number, group/school name, the contacts name and phone number must appear on check. Check should be sent to the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Finance Department, P.O.Box 1607, Williamsburg,
VA 23187-1607

Parking: Complimentary parking is available for cars, motorcoaches and school buses. Buses should park in the bus parking lot off of Jamestown Road. Cars should use the visitors lot off of Route 359.

Day of Arrival Tour Tips: Plan to arrive at least one-half hour before your scheduled visit time to register and use the facilities. Designate one person responsible for payment procedure. One payment is required for the entire group. Please leave backpacks and lunches on bus; they are not permitted in the exhibit areas or gift shop. Proceed to the museum lobby/group check -in to register and pay for the visit unless otherwise directed. If your group is scheduled for a guided tour or program, an educational instructor will meet you at the bus drop-off area. Please bring your confirmation letter.

Gift Shops: Jamestown Settlement and the Yorktown Victory Center gift shops offer a selection of books, reproductions, souvenirs, teacher resources, and other items. To order pre-packaged educational souvenirs, call the Jamestown Settlement Gift Shop at 757-253-7308, the Yorktown Victory Center Gift Shop at 757-888-6537, or shop on-line at www.shophistoryisfun.com.

Food Service: The Jamestown Settlement Café, operated by JCM, Inc., offers a varied menu that includes breakfast foods, freshly prepared salads and sandwiches, hot entrees, beverages and desserts. Call 757-253-2571 for student box lunches to go. Call 757-253-1711 for private dining, including student parties, for up to 50 people during museum hours and up to 240 people outside museum hours. Visit www.jamestowncafe.com for order form and menu options. Cash, Visa, MasterCard and checks made payable to the Jamestown Settlement Café are accepted. At the Yorktown Victory Center, vending machines are supplied with snacks and drinks. Box lunches can be ordered from the Jamestown Settlement Café for pickup at the Yorktown Victory Center.

Outdoor picnic tables are available at both museums on a first-come, first-served basis. Food and drinks are not allowed inside the museums or in the outdoor living-history areas.

Museum Rules: For your safety we ask that you follow the directions of the museum security officers. Chaperones should stay with their groups throughout the visit. Photography is not permitted in the museum gallery. It is permitted in the outdoor areas. Food, drinks, gum, or smoking are permitted only in the designated areas. Most of the tour will be outdoors, so comfortable shoes and clothing suitable for all weather conditions are recommended.

Special Arrangements: Call for information about accessibility for students with disabilities. All areas of the museums, except on board the ships, are wheelchair accessible. A video tour of the largest ship, Susan Constant, is shown in the Jamestown Settlement gallery. Wheelchairs are available on a first-served basis. Open-captioned versions of the on-site films and assistive listening devices are available on request. Sign language interpreters are available with a minimum of two weeks advance notice. Licensed guide animals assisting visitors are allowed throughout the museums. The T.D.D. phone number (hearing impaired) is 757-253-7236.

Additional Information: If you need additional information, images, Web site linking instructions, results of surveys and studies about our educational programs, please call Outreach Education. Teacher resources are available, linked here.