“Alexandria Hospital: Women Mobilize the Community” is now open at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum. The exhibition marks the 150th anniversary of the founding of the Alexandria Infirmary – today’s Inova Alexandria Hospital. Women established and sustained the hospital by fostering community support, making it one of Alexandria’s most community-based enterprises. 

Julia Johns and a group of friends met to organize the Alexandria Infirmary in December 1872. They became the Board of Lady Managers and opened their first health-care facility March 1, 1873. This exhibit highlights the role of women’s activism in operating the hospital and marshalling the support of organizations such as the Colored Citizen’s Association, Hospital Auxiliary Board, The Twig Junior Auxiliary, business, churches, and schools so it would thrive. Artifacts featured include a circa 1900 Minute Book from the Board of Lady Managers, Dr. Henry M. Ladrey’s circa 1960 medical bag and stethoscope, and a candy striper uniform from the 1980s. 

The development of “Alexandria Hospital: Women Mobilize the Community” was supported by the Inova Health System, The Twig -- the Junior Auxiliary of Alexandria Hospital, and many individual donors. The exhibition will be on view through October 29, 2023. 

The Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum is located at 201 S. Washington Street, Alexandria. Hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 1-5 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is free for City of Alexandria residents. For more information see www.alexandriava.gov/Lyceum. 

The Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum is owned and operated by the City of Alexandria and administered by the City’s Office of Historic Alexandria.

For reasonable disability accommodation, contact jim.holloway@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.4994, Virginia Relay 711.

For inquiries from the news media only, contact the Office of Communications & Public Information at newsroom@alexandriava.gov or 703.746.3969. 

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This release can be found at Alexandriava.gov/go/4102.