What is an Archaearium?

Archaearium is a recently invented word that means “place of beginnings”. An archaearium is a dedicated archaeological museum. Artifacts from a particular site are displayed and are used to tell the story of a particular time in history in a particular place.

A recently opened example, indeed the first example, is the Voorhees Archaearium in Jamestowne, Virginia. This facility opened its doors in 2006, 399 years after the Jamestowne Colony was first settled. Exhibits are chosen and displayed to tell the story of the early days in Jamestowne, when mere survival was a day to day business.

Jamestowne was Britain’s first permanent settlement in the new world in 1607. It began as a commercial interest but failed for many years. It failed so badly that the fort was abandoned after what was called the “Starving Time”. Food was so scarce that some turned to cannibalism to survive.  Indians harassed the settlers at this time, thinking the colonists weak and vulnerable.

As the surviving 60 of the original 214 colonists were leaving the area, they chanced upon a reinforcement of people and supplies and were ordered to return. Jamestowne struggled on for many years after this. Finally, John Rolfe, who had been shipwrecked in the Bahamas for several years, made his way to the settlement. When he was able to introduce a tobacco species not found in the region, Jamestowne’s economy finally took off.

The Voorhees Archaearium is equipped with interactive virtual viewers. You cannot walk on the original site but with these viewers you can still take a trip through historic Jamestowne. Videos are included that show the excavation of artifacts, wells and buildings.