In the late 1580s, three decades before the Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock, a group of 116 British colonists disappeared without a trace from their Roanoke Island settlement. Were they killed off by drought? Did they run away with a Native American tribe? The fate of the 'Lost Colony' remains one of America's greatest mysteries. Explore their story in the visitor center.
One of the site's star attractions is the beloved musical, Lost Colony Outdoor Drama, staged between late May and August. The play, from Pulitzer Prize–winning North Carolina playwright Paul Green, dramatizes the fate of the colonists and celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2017. It plays at the Waterside Theater throughout summer. Other attractions include exhibits, artifacts, maps and a free 17-minute film to fuel the imagination, hosted at the visitor center. The 16th-century-style Elizabethan Gardens has a commanding statue of Queen Elizabeth I standing guard at the entrance.