The story of the American Revolution unfolds.

To gain an understanding of events that led to America's war for independence and the impact of the war upon ordinary men and women, start your tour at the state-operated Yorktown Victory Center, a museum of the American Revolution.

Follow the Road to Revolution, an outdoor walkway to the main museum building. Exhibits along the "Road" describe events that resulted in the transformation of the mood in Britain's American colonies from acceptance of the status quo in mid-18th century to rebellion 25 years later.

The experiences of a diverse group of people who lived during the Revolutionary War are the focus of unique permanent exhibits indoors. Visually dramatic presentations explaining the living documents that marked the beginning and conclusion of the Revolution -- the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution and Bill of Rights -- anchor the exhibit space.

In a large gallery entitled Witnesses to Revolution, you will meet 10 individuals who lived during the 18th century and recorded their observations in letters, diaries, and pay and pension applications. The witnesses are characterized by life-size cast figures, graphics and artifacts representative of their lives, and spoken words excerpted from their own writings.

From Converging on Yorktown, you will descend to the lower floor to experience the fascinating story of Yorktown's Sunken Fleet, ships lost or scuttled during the Yorktown siege.

The exhibit A Soldier's Lot, explores the training, medical care and daily life of the men who fought in the Revolution. The Unfinished Revolution tells about the formation of the new national government and inauguration of George Washington as the first president of the United States.

A new long-term exhibition, "The Legacy of Yorktown: Virginia Beckons," examines how people from many different cultures, those in Virginia before the 1607 founding of Jamestown and those who arrived later, shaped a new society. With an emphasis on 1607 to 1830, the exhibit explores economic, political and religious motivations for immigration and how people from Europe and Africa and other places in America were changed by and shaped their new environment.

The Yorktown Victory Center's living-history program offers visitors the opportunity to experience Revolutionary era life firsthand. Outside the main museum building are re-creations of a Continental Army encampment and a 1780s farm where costumed interpreters re-enact and discuss daily life during and after the Revolution.

Hours: The Yorktown Victory Center is open daily from 9:00 a.m - 5:00 p.m., until 6 p.m. except Christmas and New Year’s Days.

Admission: $9.25 adults; $5.00 youth ages 6-12. Combination ticket with Jamestown Settlement, $19.25 adult; $9.25 ages 6-12

www.historyisfun.org