View Alexandria history on C-Span's American History TV. The series of seven videos originally aired March 16-18, 2013, exploring Alexandria's Archaeology Museum, the Freedmen's Cemetery, Lee-Fendall House, Fort Ward and Alexandria's role in the Civil War, as well as the importance of the city to the first president, George Washington.

The American Alliance of Museums has announced the Office of Historic Alexandria has earned accreditation as a museum system at the November 2012 meeting of the Accreditation Commission. Accredited status from the Alliance is the highest national recognition achievable by an American museum.The Office of Historic Alexandria is only one of eight municipal organizations across the country accredited for their museum systems.

Visit the Historic Alexandria Museum Store in the Torpedo Factory Arcade, 101 N. Union Street, for great Historic Alexandria products. The shop offers great gift ideas, a wide variety of Alexandria-related merchandise and the very best selections from all the Historic Alexandria museum stores. Your purchases support programming at Historic Alexandria's museums.

Witness to war and reunion, Alexandria's place in Civil War history is truly unique and to help tell the story of the City's Civil War past, the Office of Historic Alexandria is holding many special events and exhibitions throughout the Sesquicentennial, Download the new Civil War iPhone app, check out the Calendar of Events for the latest information, visit Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, explore Alexandria's Civil Defenses of Washington by bike, and find out about the Contrabands and Freedmen's Cemetery. To learn about Alexandria during the Civil War, Witness to War and Reunion brings together historic resources, including First Person Accounts, that provide some insight into the War and its effect on Alexandria and its inhabitants.

Explore Alexandria's Civil War heritage with a free iPHone app, find out about an array of historic and cultural attractions, go on a scavenger hunt, and walk or bike a part of the Alexandria Heritage Trail.

Groundbreaking has taken place on construction of the  Contrabands and Freedmen's Cemetery Memorial. The memorial park, scheduled to open in 2013, will honor the memory of the Freedmen, the hardships they faced, and their contributions to the City. Freedmen's Cemetery served as the burial place for about 1,800 African Americans who fled to Alexandria to escape from bondage during the Civil War. Freedmen's Cemetery was rediscovered in 1987 by City Historian T. Michael Miller. The City Archaeologists researched the possible boundaries of the cemetery. Wesley Pippenger published the names found in the cemetery's record book in 1994, after finding the document in the Virginia Library.

The Office of Historic Alexandria is engaged in an effort to study and preserve the historic resources of Fort Ward Park. Learn more about recent archaeological excavations in the Park including new work in spring 2012, the Stakeholder Advisory Group, and relevant archaeological and historical information.

Now online: The Fort Heritage Trail Brochure