This May, join the City of Alexandria in celebrating National Historic Preservation Month, a nationwide initiative led by the National Trust for Historic Preservation since 1973. The City’s Office of Historic Alexandria invites residents and visitors to explore Alexandria’s deep roots in preservation through free and ticketed events that showcase local landmarks and ongoing preservation efforts. Tickets and reservations for all events are available at AlexandriaVA.gov/Shop. 

From touring the city’s oldest buildings and archaeological labs to uncovering Alexandria’s Civil War history, the events highlight how preservation connects past and present. This year’s lineup includes:

• Specialty Tour: Peeling Back the Layers
  Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
  Saturdays in May (May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31), 10 – 11 a.m.
  $15 per person / $12 for Historic Alexandria Members or Volunteers
  Go behind the scenes to explore Gadsby’s Tavern Museum from top to bottom—including rarely seen spaces like the fourth floor. Please note: this tour involves multiple flights of stairs.
• Specialty Tour: Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site
  Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, 4301 West Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA 22304
  Saturday, May 17, 10 – 11 a.m. (Check-in at 9:45 a.m.)
  $15 per person / $12 for Historic Alexandria Members
  This guided walking tour highlights Civil War fortifications and the legacy of preservation through the story of veteran Lewis Cass White. Held rain or shine on outdoor paths.
• Friendship Firehouse Museum Day
  Friendship Firehouse Museum, 107 S. Alfred Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
  Saturday, May 17, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
  Free for Alexandria residents | $2 General Admission
  Founded in 1774, the Friendship Fire Company was the city’s first volunteer brigade. See the beautifully restored 1858 Rodgers Suction Engine and learn about Alexandria’s early firefighting history.
• Alexandria Archaeology Museum
  Torpedo Factory Art Center, 105 N. Union Street, 3rd Floor, Alexandria, VA 22314
  Tues–Fri: 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. | Sat: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. | Sun: 1 – 5 p.m.
  Free admission
  Explore archaeological finds and learn how residents, students, and City archaeologists work together to preserve Alexandria’s rich historical legacy. Don’t miss the exhibit “A Community Digs Its Past: The Lee Street Site.”
• Alexandria’s Treasures: Escape Room Edition
  Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington Street, Alexandria, VA 22314
  Friday, May 30, 7 – 9 p.m.
  $35 per person
  Uncover rarely seen artifacts from the City’s collection while solving preservation-themed puzzles in this interactive escape room-style event. Features curator chats and a cash bar.

Explore on Your Own
Take a self-guided adventure through Alexandria’s rich past. Download tours at: AlexandriaVA.gov/SelfGuidedTours

Free Museum Admission for Residents
City of Alexandria residents enjoy free entry to all City-owned museums. View a complete list and plan your visit: AlexandriaVA.gov/Museums

Celebrate the power of preservation this May with Historic Alexandria—a city where history lives.

About the Office of Historic Alexandria 
The Office of Historic Alexandria preserves and shares the history of the City of Alexandria with eight museums, historic sites, archives, archaeology, tours, exhibits and public programs. Through powerful storytelling and confronting the City’s past, Historic Alexandria enriches the present and inspires the future. We enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors and serve as a partner in the City’s equity and inclusion initiatives. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/Historic.

For reasonable disability accommodation, contact Nicole Quinn at historicalexandria@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.4554, Virginia Relay 711. 

If you prefer communication in another language, free interpretation and translation services are available to you, please email LanguageAccess@alexandriava.gov or call 703-746-3960.