Freedom House Museum

1315 Duke Street

The Freedom House Museum is what remains of a large complex dedicated to trafficking thousands of Black men, women, and children from 1828 - 1861. Slavery, race-based laws, and racial terror erased and diminished African American history and contributions from the national narrative. This Museum seeks to reframe white supremacist history.

This Museum honors the lives and experiences of the enslaved and free Black people who lived in and were trafficked through Alexandria. We invite you to visit the museum to learn, reflect, and advocate for change.

The Museum is part of the African American History Division. This division, formed in 2023, will ensure the continued inclusion of Black History in City museums and public programming, as well as advancing the City’s goal of building a welcoming community through equity and inclusion.

Open Weekends Only During Renovation of the Façade

The exterior rehabilitation of the Freedom House Museum is underway. The museum will temporarily close to weekday visitors while the front façade of the building is being stabilized and returned to its pre-1861 appearance. The museum will be open on Saturdays (11 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Sundays (1 to 5 p.m.). Group visits available by special appointment.

Learn more about the Rehabilitation Project.

About the Museum

The City of Alexandria is pleased to announce that the Freedom House Museum at 1315 Duke Street is now open Thursday - Monday, with three new exhibitions showcasing Alexandria’s Black history and the Black experience in America. See hours and how to reserve tickets.

Slave Pen, Price, Birch and Co., 1860s. Andrew Russel, Library of Congress

The Franklin and Armfield Slave Pen at 1315 Duke Street was one of the largest slave trading companies in the country and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

1315 Duke Street, Slave Pen, 1836 Anti-Slavery Society Broadside (LOC)

Read news articles from 2018 to present. The City purchased the property in 2020, in order to preserve and interpret this National Historic Landmark and ensure it is open to the public for future generations.

Slave Market of America broadside by American Anti Slavery Society, 1836 (LOC)

Support the preservation and interpretation of Freedom House, as we share the history of not only the site, but the larger African American story of Alexandria. Join us as we work to share the full history of Alexandria for all.

Historic Preservation of 1315 Duke Street

Drawing of front elevation showing proposed changes

The Office of Historic Alexandria has begun the process of rehabilitating the exterior of the Museum. This work is guided by extensive historical documentation of the building and was recommended in the Historic Structures Report and supported by the community in the Comprehensive Plan.

The Historic Structure Report (HSR) for 1315 Duke Street, the Freedom House Museum, was formally presented by SmithGroup on October 28, 2021 and finalized in 2023. Watch a video of the presentation, view the presentation slideshow, read the full report or view a summary.

The Office of Historic Alexandria engaged with the community and stakeholders to create the Comprehensive Plan for the Freedom House Museum at 1315 Duke Street. The Plan will provide a road map for the future use, interpretation, and preservation of the property.

Searching for Truth in the Garden

Gonzaga High School's groundbreaking research on slavery delves into the life of Gabriel, a teenager enslaved at Washington Seminary (now Gonzaga) in 1829. The traveling exhibit, "Searching for Truth in the Garden," was on view at the Freedom House Museum through April 15, 2024, and the panels can be viewed online.

More Information

Contact the Museum

Freedom House Museum
1315 Duke Street
Alexandria, VA 22314
Phone: 703.746.4702

Contact the Museum (Alex311)

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