Military History Buffs

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Military History Buffs

For Military History Buffs

See America’s biggest collection of 18th-century British military firearms, the Gunsmith Shop and then take aim for yourself at the Educational Musket Range.

Magazine

Listen to the stories of British and American military forces in Virginia as you explore the site where military equipment was stored. This building was constructed in 1715 as storage for the arms and ammunition dispatched from London for the defense of the colony. Just before the Revolution, it was the scene of a famous confrontation between Williamsburg residents and the royal governor, when his soldiers absconded with the colony's gunpowder.

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Lock, Stock, and Barrel

This exhibition is an outstanding display of military and civilian weapons exploring muzzle-loading firearms, ignition systems, and the evolution of the standing British infantry musket before 1800.

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The Necessity of Order in Battle

Magazine Yard
4:20 PM - 4:40 PM
Included with Admission

Public Gaol

Thieves, runaway slaves, debtors, and political prisoners once paced the cells of the Public Gaol as they waited to be tried - or hanged. Perhaps its most notorious inmates were several pirates who had served under Blackbeard and were captured with him in 1718. Self-guided exploration of the cells where prisoners were held as they awaited trial and punishment.

Foundry

The Geddys were a talented family. They included gunsmiths, cutlers, founders, and silversmiths among their number. On the spot where they lived and worked, watch founders cast and finish buckles, knobs, bells, spoons, and other objects in bronze, brass, pewter, and silver.

Gunsmith Shop

The work of a colonial gunsmith united many skills, from forging iron to working wood. A careful eye and steady hand ensured each firearm would work as expected once assembled. Today, our gunsmiths use the tools and techniques of their 18th-century predecessors to make rifles, pistols, and fowling pieces.