Living history is an activity that incorporates historical tools, activities and dress into an interactive presentation that seeks to give observers and participants a sense of stepping back in time. Although it does not necessarily seek to reenact a specific event in history, living history is similar to, and sometimes incorporates, historical reenactment. Living history is an educational medium used by living history museums, historic sites, heritage interpreters, schools and historical reenactment groups to educate the public or their own members in particular areas of history, such as clothing styles, pastimes and handicrafts, or to simply convey a sense of the everyday life of a certain period in history.
A reenactress playing the role of Mary Queen of Scots at a Scottish fair in 2003.
Eastern German Living history at an "Indianistikmeeting" 1982 in Schwerin
The Guédelon Castle in France is a castle currently being built using only medieval construction techniques, tools, costumes and local materials.
1970 Mandan Indian real history event in Taucha, near Leipzig, Eastern Germany
Historical reenactments is an educational or entertainment activity in which mainly amateur hobbyists and history enthusiasts dress in historic uniforms and follow a plan to recreate aspects of a historical event or period. This may be as narrow as a specific moment from a battle, such as the reenactment of Pickett's Charge presented during the 1913 Gettysburg reunion, or as broad as an entire period, such as Regency reenactment.
Reenactors in period uniforms firing muskets in the Battle of Waterloo reenactment, in front of the wood of Hougoumont, 2011
The joust between the Lord of the Tournament and the Knight of the Red Rose, a lithograph commemorating the Eglinton Tournament of 1839
Modern reenactments of historical battles were held at Royal Tournament, Aldershot Tattoo. Pictured is the programme for the 1934 show, where the Siege of Namur was recreated.
A reenactor dressed as a Roman citizen.
