february 24–March 2, 2025

What's New

Martin Luther King Jr. Poster Exhibition

On view in the Vola Lawson Lobby of City Hall, 301 King Street
Saturday, February 1 - Friday, February 28
Free

Don't miss your last chance to see the inspiring Martin Luther King Jr. Poster Exhibition before it closes this Friday! Visit the Vola Lawson Lobby at City Hall to celebrate the creativity and vision of Alexandria's young students as they share their reflections on Mission Possible: Freedom, Justice, and Democracy.

The Alexandria Black History Museum, in partnership with the Office of Historic Alexandria, sponsors an annual Student Poster Exhibition for Alexandria City Public School students in grades 2-5. The 2025 theme is Mission Possible: Freedom, Justice, and Democracy. The Posters will be on view in the Vola Lawson Lobby of City Hall throughout the month of February. This is a 30+ year event that has over 200 ACPS students and their families attend. View the posters online. 

Minnie Howard Historic School Integration Sign Unveiling

Alexandria City High School, Minnie Howard Campus, 3775 W. Braddock Rd. 
Limited seating, parking in the lot at the front door.
Saturday, March 8
11 - 11:30 a.m. 
Free

During the height of segregation, five young Black students of the Belk and Bradby families integrated the white Minnie Howard Elementary School.  A new historic interpretation sign will be unveiled on Saturday, March 8 honoring these students and families. Join the Office of Historic Alexandria, the Belk and Bradby families, and the community for a special program and ribbon cutting.

VOTE in the VAM Top 10 Endangered Artifacts Competition

The 1872 Patriotic Convention Ribbon that is a part of the Lewis Cass White collection at Fort Ward was selected to be a part of this year’s Virginia Association of Museums (VAM) Top 10 Endangered Artifacts competition. This 153-year-old ribbon is severely deteriorated and in danger of losing fragile pieces, especially along the top edge. Plus the delicate silk material is torn and frayed. The ribbon’s condition prevents it from being exhibited and handled properly by curators. Please help us to conserve this object and vote daily (on all of your devices!) through Feb 28 for our ribbon to help us win additional prize money toward conservation! 

https://www.vamuseums.org/vote-for-vas-top-10-endangered-artifacts 

Alexandria Archaeology Summer Camp - Registration Opens March 4!

Alexandria Archaeology Summer Camp
Monday - Friday, June 23-27
9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Ages 13 - 15
$400, with scholarships available
Registration is limited; apply here

Help City archaeologists excavate a real archaeological site and preserve Alexandria's historic resources! Campers, ages 13 - 15, will learn scientific excavating and artifact processing methods.

Registration opens on Monday, March 4. Registration is limited and applications are processed on a first-come, first served basis. The week-long camp is $400 with scholarships available. Sign up by first making a payment for the camp at The Alexandria Shop or by calling 703.746.4399, and then sending in an application online or picking up forms from the Alexandria Archaeology Museum, 105 N Union St., #327. Refunds cannot be made after May 2, 2025. Camper space is not guaranteed until payment is made. 

Upcoming Events

View the Historic Alexandria Calendar                                                                                                                                                      

Glimpses of Historic Alexandria: A Carol Stalun Exhibition
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, February 1- Sunday, April 27
Learn more.

Lee-Fendall's newest exhibit, Glimpses of Historic Alexandria, showcases a collection of photographs by local Alexandria photographer, Carol Jean Stalun. This special exhibition brings together many of Stalun's works that are focused on historic sites around the city of Alexandria. Learn the history of these sites as you walk around the Lee-Fendall House that was built over 200 years ago. Admission into the exhibit is included with general admission.
 

Now Is the Winter of Our Lafayette: The National Tour January-March 1825
Location: Online via Zoom
Wednesday, February 26, 2025
7 p.m.
Free
Register online. 

Historian and author Elizabeth Reese will explore the Marquis de Lafayette’s travels during his 1824–1825 tour of the United States, with a particular focus on his time in the National Capital Region, including Alexandria. This insightful talk will highlight his relationships with key figures, the enthusiasm of his American admirers, and how his progressive values shaped his interactions and legacy.

Lecture: Robert Colby
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 South Washington Street
Thursday, March 6
7-9 p.m.
$15, $12 for Historic Alexandria members
Purchase tickets.  

Robert Colby is an Assistant Professor of History at the University of Mississippi. His first book, An Unholy Traffic: Slave Trading in the Civil War South, was published in 2024 by Oxford University Press. His research has won awards from the Society of American Historians and the Society of Civil War Historians and has been published in the Journal of the Civil War Era, Journal of the Early Republic, and Slavery & Abolition. Proceeds from the event support Freedom House Museum.

Between Fort Sumter and Appomattox, Confederates bought and sold thousands of men, women, and children through a persisting trade in enslaved people. They did so for a multitude of reasons, including to adapt to the conflict, to invest in their desired slaveholding future, and to fend off the onset of emancipation. These transactions had profound impacts on the enslaved, their lives and families, and the ways in which they pursued freedom during the war. The surviving traffic in humanity thus shaped the experience of the Civil War and its aftermath for all inhabitants of the wartime South. 

Specialty Tour: A Toast to the Ladies!  
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal Street
Friday, March 7 and Saturday, March 8
6-7:30 p.m. 
$20, $15 Historic Alexandria members
Purchase tickets.  

This special tour and discussion will highlight the many women over the centuries associated with Gadsby’s Tavern Museum. From Hannah Griffith, the first woman to operate a coffeehouse in the tavern, to the spearheading preservationist Rebecca Ramsay Reese, these women’s stories will spark conversations about political, economic, and social conditions for women in the past and the present. Please note the tour involves ascending and descending stairs Ticket includes tea, which can be carried throughout the tour and discussion. 

Lecture: Outstanding Women of Ivy Hill Cemetery
Lee-Fendall House Museum, 614 Oronoco Street
Friday, March 7 
7-8:15 p.m.
$10, free for Museum members
Purchase tickets.  

Get ready to delve into the captivating history of Ivy Hill. Discover how it came into being and uncover the remarkable stories of several influential women. This lecture will highlight the stories of some of Ivy Hill's strongest women and how they fearlessly tackled obstacles. Learn about the woman who kept Mount Vernon neutral during the Civil War, Thomas Jefferson’s granddaughter and the woman who carved her name in a window of the Lee-Fendall Home.

Catherine Weinraub earned a Bachelor's degree in American History with a concentration in historic preservation and a focus on American history until the Reconstruction Period. She holds a Master's degree in Collections Management from the George Washington University Museum Studies Program. Driven by her passion for architecture and social history, Catherine has primarily focused her career on working in House Museums. Catherine is an expert at leading tours and is currently engrossed in conducting extensive genealogical research to unearth the rich histories of Ivy Hill Cemetery, where she is employed as the Historian. She plans to prepare the cemetery for its future role as a museum and historic destination, which includes getting it listed on the National Register. She serves on several Boards including The Beth El Archives Committee and Women of Reform Judaism. Members please call at (703) 548-1789 to reserve your tickets. It is highly recommended to book tickets in advance as space is limited.

Story Time for Little Historians
Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
Saturday, March 8
10 - 10:45 a.m. 
Free

Designed for children ages 4-8, this event introduces young learners to African and African American culture through stories and songs.

An Evening of Irish Music
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 South Washington Street
Saturday, March 8
7 p.m.
Ticket $10/$15 at the door, Children 17 & Under $5. Free Snacks. Beer & wine for sale.

Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day early with The Irish Breakfast Band. Most Irish Breakfast Bank performances feature 15 or more musicians, often several fiddles and flutes, a guitar or two, a drummer, a hammered dulcimer, banjo, pipes, and at least one vocalist. The band performs extensively in the Washington Metropolitan area at festivals and other events including the Washington Folk Festival, Art on the Avenue (in Alexandria) and local concert series. Proceeds from ticket sales, cash bar, and tips benefit the Office of Historic Alexandria. 

Specialty Tour: Poisons at the Apothecary Museum 
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 South Fairfax Street
Sunday, March 9
11 a.m. - 12 p.m. (Please arrive between 10:45-11 a.m.) 
$15, $12 Historic Alexandria members
Purchase tickets.

Come explore the sinister side of medicine on the Apothecary Museum’s Poisons Tour. This one-hour tour explores several different types of poisons, their historic uses at the Apothecary, and what we know today. Recommended for ages 18 and up. Tour is 11a.m. to 12 p.m. Arrive between 10:45 - 11 a.m. as the museum is not open to the public until 1 p.m. and the doors will be locked when the tour begins at 11 a.m. Please note the tour includes ascending and descending stairs. 

Confronting Whiteness: Seeing Beyond Colorblindness for Deeper Conversations on Race, led by Rev. Dr. Benjamin Boswell. 
Charles Houston Recreation Center, 901 Wythe Street
Multipurpose Room
Monday, March 10
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Registration Required.
Free

This interfaith workshop will help people better understand the pervasive culture of whiteness that seeps into our everydayness. Those attending will gain tools to challenge the growing belief in “colorblindness” and on a personal level, will help us recognize and end practices and habits that support white supremacy. This is the foundation we need to build better relationships and repair our community. Please register soon for this free workshop as space is limited. Some snacks will be provided.

Specialty Tour: Midwifery 
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 South Fairfax Street
Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22
6:30 p.m. (Please arrive between 6:15 and 6:30 p.m.) 
$15, $12 Historic Alexandria members
Purchase tickets.

Midwives did more than deliver babies! Explore the role, knowledge, and challenges of Midwives through the lens of the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum and its collection of historic medicines and archives. Content note: this tour will cover the complex history around contraception, abortion, and miscarriage; recommended for ages 18 and older. Tour begins promptly at 6:30 p.m. and late guests will not be able to be admitted. Please note the tour includes ascending and descending stairs. 

Specialty Tour: A Magical Apothecary
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 South Fairfax Street
Sunday, March 30 and Saturday, April 19 
11 a.m.-noon on March 20 and 10 a.m.-11a.m. on April 19
$15, $12 Historic Alexandria members
Purchase tickets.

Learn about the muggle botanical science that inspired the potions and herbology of Harry Potter's wizarding world on a tour of this 19th century apothecary, and make your own magical potion! Recommended for ages 8 and up.

Women's History Walk led by Alexandria Celebrates Women
Meet at Alexandria Visitor’s Center, 221 King Street in the garden to begin Tour  
Saturday, March 22 
1-3 p.m.
Free
Register Online.

Did you know Alexandria was home to one of the most revered female fundraisers of the American Revolution, or that President Woodrow Wilson sent an Alexandria woman on a mission aboard a U.S. battleship? If you have wondered how women helped put our city on the map, now is your chance to learn about them! As part of America’s 250th anniversary, Alexandria Celebrates Women (ACW) will be leading  Women’s History Walks monthly, March through October. The walk is three-miles and takes approximately two hours. Participants should register through Eventbrite to guarantee their space and meet at the Alexandria Visitor’s Center, 221 King Street in the garden by 1 p.m. Don’t forget comfortable shoes and water!

Support Historic Alexandria

Historic Alexandria receives City operational funding to support its mission; however, these resources do not cover the full scope of the department’s strategic goals and projects. Donations, special revenue, and grant funding help supplement staff, conservation work, and educational programs.  Please consider making a gift today. 

Historic Alexandria Museum Hours

Plan your Visit

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 Museum
Saturdays, 11 a.m. –  5 p.m., Sundays, 1 – 5 p.m.

Friendship Firehouse Museum
Saturday, March 29, 11 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, 1– 5 p.m.

Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum 
Wednesdays–Fridays, 11 a.m.– 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays 1 - 5 p.m.  

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

More from This Day in History

On February 25, 1975, the City of Alexandria established America’s first Archaeological Commission, to recommend policies for the protection and documentation of underground cultural resources in the municipality.  The City’s urban renewal and redevelopment process in the mid-1960’s involved the demolition of dozens of historic buildings, most directly fronting street sidewalks, and their replacement by larger buildings, often set back from the street in what were formerly backyards or open areas.  As construction progressed, the remains of 18th and 19th century privies, outbuildings and refuse middens were soon identified across multiple blocks and thousands of artifacts unearthed.   Initially, the Smithsonian Institute stepped in to provide emergency archaeological services, but within several years permanent archaeologists were added to City staff.

Upcoming Commission and Committee Events

Commissions Supporting Historic Alexandria

• February 24 Public Records Advisory Commission
  Archives and Records Center, 801 South Payne Street
  7:30 p.m.

• February 26 ACRP’s Schools and Libraries Action Committee
  Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
  6 p.m.

• March 3 George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.

• March 10 Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee
  City Hall, 301 King Street, Sister Cities Room 1101
  7-9 p.m.

• March 12 Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street 
  8-9:15 a.m.

• March 12 ACRP’s Steering Committee
  Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street 
  5:30 p.m.

• March 17 Sister Cities Committee (SCC) - Dundee and Helsingborg
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-8:30 p.m.

• March 18 Historic Alexandria Resources Commission
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street 
  7-9 p.m.

• March 19 Alexandria Archaeological Commission
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street 
  7 p.m.