AUGUST 25–31, 2025
What's New
FEATURED EVENT
Colored Rosemont Marker Dedication
Corner of Wythe and West Streets,1300 Block of Wythe St.
Saturday, September 13
3 - 4 p.m.
Free
R.S.V.P. online or call 703-746-4356
Attend the dedication ceremony for a Virginia State Historic Marker recognizing the Colored Rosemont neighborhood. The program will include remarks from Mayor Alyia Gaskins, Office of Historic Alexandria, VHDR, and the Colored Rosemont Descendant Group. Learn more about The Colored Rosemont Community History Initiative.
Upcoming Events
View the Historic Alexandria Calendar
Family Day with Young Historians
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal Street
Sunday, August 31
2 - 5 p.m.
Included in regular museum admission.
Junior Docents (4th through 6th graders) provide stationed tours throughout the two tavern buildings and operate special, hands-on activity stations about period clothing and chocolate making. It’s a unique and fun way to explore history for all ages. Don’t miss your last chance this summer to enjoy Family Day at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, where Junior Docents bring history to life! Don’t miss Family Day with Young Historians - this Sunday is the last of the season at Gadsby’s Tavern Museum!
Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace-Happy Hour
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 North Fairfax Street
Thursday, August 28
6 - 7:30 p.m.
$20 admission
Purchase tickets.
Join Friends of Carlyle House for a special outdoor yoga class on our picturesque Magnolia Terrace with themed mocktails to be provided afterwards!
Join a yoga instructor for an hour long Yoga class on Carlyle’s Magnolia Terrace. Afterwards, enjoy a mocktail with yoga participants and staff. Happy Hours are a fundraiser for new exhibit cases in the museum and sponsored by the Friends of Carlyle House.
Please bring water, a towel, and a yoga mat. Wear comfortable yoga wear. Please note that the terrace is bricked so please bring a thicker mat or double up with an extra mat or towel. Class may be canceled due to inclement weather, you will receive an email if class is canceled.
Specialty Tour: Fort Ward & Lewis Cass White
Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, 4301 West Braddock Road
Saturday, September 6
10 - 11 a.m.
$15 per person/$12 for Historic Alexandria Member or Volunteer
Purchase tickets.
Come explore the special exhibition, “Lewis Cass White: Preserving the Legacy of Fort Stevens," at Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site. The exhibition highlights the efforts of a Civil War veteran to recognize and preserve the site of Fort Stevens, where the only battle in the Defenses of Washington occurred. Personal accounts, documents, photographs, and veterans’ memorabilia are featured to tell this inspiring story. Then head outside to tour the earthwork remains and fully restored Northwest bastion of Fort Ward, the best preserved of the Union forts that comprised the historic defense system.
2025 Historic Preservation Workshop
Duncan Library Meeting Room, 2501 Commonwealth Avenue
Saturday, September 6
10 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Free
Registration & Information
The Del Ray Citizens Association’s Historic Preservation Committee will host a free workshop on how to further protect the Town of Potomac Historic District and possibly create a new, larger district to take in the rest of Del Ray. Learn about history, architecture, free resources from the City, possible tax incentives, property value enhancements, and more. The event is open to all, but seating is limited.
Carlyle House Family Fun Day: Read-a-Book Revel
Carlyle’s Magnolia Terrace, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Saturday, September 6
12 - 3 p.m. (first Saturday of the month from April - November)
Free (donations encouraged)
Learn more
Come join your friends on the Carlyle House Magnolia Terrace for Family Fun Day! From 12-3pm, you can sit in on story time that starts at the top of the hour and participate in crafts and other activities that relate to the theme of the month. This program is for all ages, though some of the crafts might be challenging for guests under 4.
Traditional Concert Series - Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira in Concert
The Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington Street
Friday, September 12
7:30 - 9:30 p.m.
$25/$15 ages 12-17
Purchase tickets online
Join Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira in concert at the historic Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum. Jocelyn Pettit & Ellen Gira are a dynamic fiddle & cello duo and 2024 Canadian Folk Music Award winners for Traditional Album of the Year!
Story Time for Little Historians
Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
Saturday, September 13
10 a.m.- 10:45 a.m.
Free
Dynamic storytellers use books written by and about African American people and other communities of color to engage with ages 5-8.
Discovering Alexandria Architecture Walking Tour
Tour begins at Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Saturday, September 13
10 a.m. - noon
$20
Register online
Alexandria has grown from a small town in the 18th century to a bustling small city in the 21st century. Join us for a tour of Alexandria as we explore looking at the various Architecture styles that adorn the city streets and make it one of the best places to live and work.
Reservations are required as space is limited. Please wear comfortable shoes for this 1.5 hour guided tour. The tour is held rain or shine unless there is severe weather. This program is non-refundable unless the museum cancels the program.
Support Historic Alexandria
Your gift fuels preservation, education, and programs that bring Alexandria’s past to life. Donations, special revenue, and grants make it possible to expand educational programs, conserve treasured collections, and support our dedicated staff. Your gift today helps preserve Alexandria’s history for generations to come.
Historic Alexandria Museum Hours
Alexandria Archaeology Museum
Tuesdays–Fridays, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 –5 p.m.
Alexandria Black History Museum
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m.– 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays, 1– 5 p.m.
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 – 5 p.m.
Fort Ward Museum
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 – 5 p.m.
Freedom House
Closed to Visitors During Front Door Restoration
Freedom House Museum is temporarily closed to visitors as the exterior restoration is completed. We plan to reopen in fall of 2025.
To learn more about the ongoing rehabilitation, visit the Freedom House Rehabilitation Project page. Project updates will be posted regularly on the Freedom House webpage.
Friendship Firehouse Museum
Saturday, September 27, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m.– 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays-Tuesdays, 1– 5 p.m.
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
Wednesdays–Fridays, 11 a.m.– 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays & Mondays 1 - 5 p.m.
Monday, September 1 - Labor Day 2025: Gadsby’s Tavern Museum and the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. All other Historic Alexandria museums will be closed.
2025 Historic Alexandria Holiday Ornament - Available Now in Historic Alexandria museum stores and in our online store!
Celebrate Alexandria’s 19th-century canal history with this beautifully crafted, American-made brass ornament. This year’s design honors the Alexandria Canal, featuring a canal boat exiting Lock No. 4 heading eastward toward the Potomac River, uncovered by archaeologists in the winter of 2025 on N. Pitt Street. The Alexandria Canal was in use from 1843 to 1886. Learn more here.
Full Time Museum Educator position open!
We’re looking for a full-time Museum Educator to spark curiosity, inspire learning, and share Alexandria’s stories. If you love connecting people with history, apply online today.
Explore with Ease – The New Museum Mobility Guide
Historic Alexandria and the Department of Transportation & Environmental Services (T&ES) have launched a colorful, easy-to-use map and guide connecting all of Alexandria’s museums via walking, biking, and transit. The guide also acts as a passport—visit every site and earn a prize! Available at museums, rec centers, public libraries, and more.
Visit our website and follow us on social media to discover new things about your hometown. For more information, visit alexandriava.gov/Historic. Admission to City of Alexandria museums is complimentary for city residents.
For reasonable disability accommodation, contact Nicole Quinn at historicalexandria@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.4554, Virginia Relay 711.
This Week in Alexandria's History
One August 26, 1948, the Alexandria Citizen’s Band was honored to win first prize in a competition held at the Virginia State Fireman’s Convention. The local band, a community organization comprising volunteer members who bring musical entertainment to Northern Virginia, Alexandria, and the DC Metro area, still plays a summer concert series annually at Alexandria’s Market Square and at community special events. The band was organized in 1912 and is one of the oldest community bands in the country.
Upcoming Commission and Committee Events
Commissions Supporting Historic Alexandria
September 8 Alexandria-Caen Sister Cities Committee (SCC)
City Hall, 301 King Street, Sister Cities Room 1101
7-9 p.m.September 10 Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
8-9:15 a.m.September 10 Alexandria Community Remembrance Project Steering Committee
Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
5:30 p.m.September 15 Alexandria Sister City Committee - Dundee and Helsingborg
City Hall, 301 King Street, Sister Cities Room 1101
7 - 8:30 p.m.September 15 George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee (GWBCC)
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
7 - 9 p.m.September 15 Public Records Advisory Commission
Archives and Records Center, 801 S. Payne Street
7:30 p.m.September 16 Historic Alexandria Resources Commission (HARC)
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
7-9 p.m.September 17 Alexandria Archaeological Commission
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
7-9 p.m.