Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site

Fort Ward is the best preserved of the system of Union forts and batteries built to protect Washington, DC during the American Civil War (1861-1865).
Page updated on November 22, 2023 at 11:28 AM

Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site

Fort Ward Museum interprets the site's history and offers exhibits on Civil War topics, education and interpretive programs, tours, lecture and video series, bus tours, and living history activities throughout the year. The Museum and Historic Site also interpret Alexandria, Virginia as an occupied city, the city's role as a vital Union Army crossroads, life within the Defenses of Washington, and the everyday life of Civil War soldiers and civilians.

The historic fort provides visitors with an excellent understanding of Civil War-era military engineering. About 90% of the fort's earthwork walls are preserved and the Northwest Bastion has been restored and reconstructed to its original condition.  

Download a brochure: Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site: Bastions of Freedom

Christmas in Camp, December 9

Child sitting on santa's lap, in Civil War hut.

Get in the holiday spirit and learn how Christmas was observed during the Civil War at Fort Ward Museum’s annual Civil War Christmas in Camp program on Saturday, December 9, 2023, from 12-4 p.m.  This popular family-oriented event features a patriotic Civil War Santa Claus, reenactors in winter camp settings, and period decorations.  The suggested donation is $2 per person, and $5 for families.

The program features a Civil War-era Union Santa Claus, based on an 1863 cover of Harper’s Weekly by artist Thomas Nast, who will interact with the public, welcome children to the reconstructed Officers’ Hut, and visit soldiers in camp.  Reenactors will interpret army life in winter camps that are decorated for the season, and celebrate by opening Christmas boxes from home, singing carols of the period around the campfire, and preparing holiday meals.  The Museum will be decorated with festive greenery and a Victorian parlor tree.  Children can make a holiday card or ornament.  A variety of Civil War books and “stocking stuffers” are available in the Museum shop.

Read the News Release.

Visit Fort Ward

Fort Ward Gate

Plan Your Visit

Fort Ward Museum is open Thursdays and Fridays 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Saturdays 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and Sundays 1-5 p.m. This page has directions and additional information to assist in planning your visit.

Fort Ward's restored north bastion, with canons

Tour the Museum and Historic Site Online

Visitors to Fort Ward can view continuing and changing exhibits in the Museum, a reconstructed Officers' Hut with period furnishings, and the restored and reconstructed historic fort.

The Fort Heritage Trail Sign: From Civil War to Civil Rights

The Fort: A Post-Civil War Community

Learn about the history and archaeology of The Fort: A Post-Civil War African American Community, and about the Interpretive Plan for Fort Ward Park that will include the full range of its history, especially including the African American experience.

The History of Fort Ward

Alexandria section of Colton 1862 map, topographical map of the original District of Columbia and environs showing the fortifications around the city of Washington

History of Fort Ward

Fort Ward was constructed in 1861, as part of the Defenses of Washington, a system of 164 earthwork forts and batteries surrounding the capital.

1864 Plan of Fort Ward

Building an Earthwork Fort

Learn about building an earthwork fort, the parts of a fort, and military terms used during the Civil War. Visit the earthworks at Fort Ward Park & Historic Site.

drum with painted American Eagle

Museum Collections

Fort Ward Museum features a collection of over 2,000 objects from the Civil War period, primarily of Union origin, in conjunction with the Federal history of the site. Also included are objects related to the Civil War Defenses of Washington, and local Civil War history.

Alexandria During the Civil War

Marshall House hotel, black-and-white photograph

Alexandria During the Civil War

Within days of Virginia's secession from the Union in the spring of 1861, Federal troops arrived in Alexandria to take possession of the city. Online resources provide some insight into the War and its effect on Alexandria and its inhabitants.

Washington Street Methodist Church Hospital (National Archives)

Union Hospitals in Alexandria

Learn about Alexandria's Civil War hospitals and rest camps. See historic images, Quartermaster maps, and images of the sites today.

Edward French, Civil War Zoave

First Person Accounts

For four years, Alexandria was an occupied city. We are fortunate to have a number of first-person accounts from this period in Alexandria’s history.

Support Fort Ward

Reenactors in front of Fort Ward’s Gate

Volunteer

Volunteers at Fort Ward Museum greet visitors, answer questions about the site, assist with tours, and help with living history events.

Friends of Fort Ward loo, on ceremonial gate

Friends of Fort Ward

Founded in 1982, the Friends of Fort Ward is dedicated to preserving the historic fort and museum collections and encouraging public recognition and use of this unique Civil War site.

Fort Ward Gate

Donate

Celebrate the power and impact of community philanthropy by supporting Fort Ward Museum and Historic Alexandria!

More Information

Contact the Museum

Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site
4301 West Braddock Road
Alexandria, Virginia 22304
Phone: 703.746.4848

Contact the Museum (Alex311)

Mission Statement

Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site actively preserves and interprets this historic landmark and its collections according to professional museum standards in order to foster a greater appreciation and understanding of its history and significance by City residents and the general public.

The Museum interprets the Civil War Defenses of Washington, D.C., Fort Ward’s history and preservation, wartime Alexandria, and soldier and civilian life during the Civil War.  The Museum collects, preserves and interprets artifacts related to these themes that are featured in exhibits, used for research purposes, and are the context for a variety of public programs sponsored by the Museum, including tours, lectures and living history events. To meet its educational goals, the Museum also operates a Civil War research library with specialized resources on the Defenses of Washington; maintains an informative web site; works with local school systems to enhance classroom study of Civil War history, including the distribution of an award-winning outreach program; and collaborates with other agencies that preserve local Civil War forts to promote the history of these sites and to foster Civil War heritage tourism.

Programs and Events

Programs & Events at Fort Ward Museum

Throughout the year Civil War lectures, changing exhibits, preservation workshops, bus tours and living history events encourage learning about this important period in American history. Check the calendar for a full schedule of upcoming events.

Educational Resources

Educational Resources at Fort Ward

Students, adults, groups and YOU can learn about this historic site and the Civil War in general from a variety of educational programs sponsored by Fort Ward Museum.

For Civil War Reenactors

Civil War Reenactors Information

Fort Ward Museum and Historic Site enlists the talents and knowledge of reenactors to offer numerous living history programs interpreting Civil War soldier and civilian life. Here are the resources you need to participate in an event.