This facility recreates the life of both American Indians and British colonists in early 17C. The rise of the Age of Exploration is charted here, along with the difficulties encountered by the first colonisers and the culture of the coastal Powhatan tribe. In the Archearium, artefacts dating from the era of the settlers (tools, weapons, coins, personal belongings etc) give an insight into the harsh living conditions of the Indians. A reproduction of the palisaded James Fort surrounds the original rudimentary thatch-roofed houses.