Employing the latest photorealistic landscape visualization technology, Penn State University, the Smithsonian Institution and two major Chesapeake cultural institutions have teamed up to develop a powerful new web-based attraction focused on the 400th anniversary of John Smith's "Voyages of Exploration" through the Chesapeake region. A collection of Computer generated 3D images have been created to depict the Chesapeake as it would have been seen by John Smith and the native people of the region in 1608.

2007 marks the 400th anniversary of Captain John Smith's monumental exploration of the Chesapeake Bay. Between 1607 and 1609, Captain Smith sailed almost 3,000 miles, creating the first accurate map of the Bay.

The 3D scenes that depict the 17th Century Chesapeake have been organized into groups called Experiences. Each Experience is set of pages showing a 3D Scene with maps, quotes, interpretative text and links. Start an Experience, then use the Next Exhibit and Previous Exhibit links to move back and forth through the collection of Scenes. Choose one of the Experiences that fits the specific topic you are interested in or covers the region of the Chesapeake you would like to see from the viewpoint of John Smith and the native people of the 17th Century.

Legislation signed by the President on December 19, 2006, establishes the Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail as the first national water trail in the United States. Designated through an amendment to the National Trails System Act, the new trail will trace 3000 miles of historic routes taken by John Smith from 1607-1608.