AUGUST 4–10, 2025
What's New
FEATURED EVENT
Benjamin Thomas Remembrance Event
Shiloh Baptist Church,1401 Jamieson Street
Friday, August 8, 2025
6:30 - 8 p.m.
Doors open at 6:15, Program begins at 6:30, Book signing at 7:30.
Free
More information online.
Please join us on Friday, Aug. 8 at Shiloh Baptist Church at 6:30 p.m. to honor and remember Benjamin Thomas. Don’t miss the chance to hear Pulitzer Prize Winning Historian Steven Hahn speak in remembrance of Benjamin Thomas who was denied due process and lynched in Alexandria on Aug. 8, 1899. A book signing will follow the program.
Dr. Hahn will speak about this Nation’s long relationship with political violence, racial terror, and the perpetual struggle to fulfill the promise of democracy made in the Declaration of Independence, U.S. Constitution, and the 13th, 14th, and 15th Amendments.
Shiloh Baptist Church was where Benjamin Thomas was baptized just two years before he was lynched. Shiloh Baptist Church was also the site of his Memorial Service that drew more than 600 African Americans from Alexandria and Washington who came to protest the racial violence wielded against their community.
Hahn’s most recent book, Illiberal America A History, and his seminal work, for which he won the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for History, A Nation Under Our Feet, Black Political Struggles in the Rural South from Slavery to the Great Migration will be available for purchase.
Upcoming Events
View the Historic Alexandria Calendar
City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums Summer Concert on Market Square
Market Square, 301 King Street
Thursday, August 7
7:45- 8:45 p.m.
Free
Celebrate Alexandria’s Scottish heritage with the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums at a free summer concert series! Enjoy performances featuring bagpipes and drums. Combining precision marching with powerful and stirring musical arrangements rooted in Scottish heritage, the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums has been captivating audiences for over 50 years.
Historic Alexandria to Present at Community Archaeology Conference
Friday, August 8
9:30–11 a.m.
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center, 555 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001
Staff from the Office of Historic Alexandria will present How We Tell History Together: The Office of Historic Alexandria’s Community History Initiatives at the upcoming 2025 Conference on Public Archaeology. The presentation takes place Friday, August 8, from 9:30 to 11 a.m.
The session will also be livestreamed through zoom and is free to view. Visit the conference website and click the live-streaming link to join.
Trivia Nights at Historic Sites: Baseball
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Friday, August 8 (biweekly through August)
7-9 p.m.
$12 admission
Purchase tickets.
Join staff from Lee-Fendall House Museum and Carlyle House Historic Park for bi-weekly trivia nights in the beautiful gardens located at Lee-Fendall House. Test your knowledge all summer on all things from pop culture to history! The theme of our August 8th trivia night will be Baseball. Cost includes one drink ticket; additional drinks can be bought at our cash bar. Teams may have up to 6 members. Ages 21 and over only. No outside alcohol is permitted. Food and water may be brought into the garden.
Beyond the Battlefield: A Civil War Walking Tour of Alexandria
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, August 9
10-11:30 a.m.
$15 admission
Purchase tickets.
This walking tour shares the stories of soldiers, citizens, and self-liberated African Americans in Civil War Alexandria. It covers the military occupation, the conversion of public and private buildings into hospitals, and emancipation.
Tickets are $15 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 12 participants and lasts approximately an hour and a half. Walking tours take place rain or shine, so please wear appropriate shoes and clothing. Members of Lee-Fendall House are free but must call or email to make a reservation (703) 548-1789 or contact@leefendallhouse.org.
Story Time for Little Historians
Alexandria Black History Museum
Saturday, August 9
10 - 10:45 a.m.
Free
Did you know August is known as “Black August” and celebrates Black resistance? Our dynamic storyteller will use books written by and about African American people and other communities of color to explore acts of resistance, including Alexandria’s own library sit-in. While open to all, picture books and craft are best suited for children ages 5-8.
Civil War Hospital Tour
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, August 9
2-3 p.m.
$15 admission
Purchase tickets
Learn how the Lee-Fendall House was confiscated during the Civil War and operated as a Union Army hospital. Explore what life was like in Union-occupied Alexandria, how the Lee-Fendall House witnessed medical history, and how political divisions impacted those living here.
Tickets are $15 to the general public and free for museum members. The tour is limited to 12 participants. Members, please call the museum to reserve your ticket. Please e-mail contact@leefendallhouse.org or call (703) 548-1789 with any questions.
Specialty Tour: A Magical Apothecary–SOLD OUT
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 South Fairfax Street
Sunday, August 10
11 a.m. - noon
$15 per person/$12 for Historic Alexandria Member
Family Day with Young Historians
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal Street
Sunday, August 10 (every Sunday through Labor Day)
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.
City Hall Selfie Day!
In front of Alexandria City Hall, 301 King Street
Tuesday, August 12
Free
More information
August 12, 2025 is City Hall Selfie Day, and we want to see your smiles with this important landmark! Celebrate local government pride by snapping a selfie in front of Alexandria City Hall and posting it on social media. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the nationwide event organized by ELGL, Engaging Local Government Leaders, and everyone's invited - whether you work in local government, live in the community, or just love Alexandria. Let’s show the world what civic pride looks like!
Visit cityhallselfie.com to learn more and see photos from past City Hall Selfie Day celebrations.
Sweet Summer Social
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, August 16
11a.m. - 4 p.m.
$10 for adults; $5 for kids ages 2+; Free for kids under 2
Purchase tickets.
Celebrate the best of summer in the Lee-Fendall House garden! Bring the whole family for an afternoon of summer-themed fun, treats, and learning. Garden doors open at 11:00 AM. An optional family-friendly house tour will be offered at 1:00 PM for an extra $5 per person.
All-Day Activities:
Historic home scavenger hunt - with prizes!
Kid-friendly trivia - with prizes!
Nature & plants educational table
Face painting and arts & crafts
Play a game of croquet
Sweet treats & delicious drinks
Questions? Please e-mail contact@leefendallhouse.org or call the museum at 703-548-1789.
Family Day with Young Historians
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal Street
Sunday, August 17 (every Sunday through Labor Day)
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.
Trivia Nights at Historic Sites: 1920s
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Friday, August 22 (biweekly through August)
7-9 p.m.
$12 admission
Purchase tickets.
Join staff from Lee-Fendall House Museum and Carlyle House Historic Park for bi-weekly trivia nights in the beautiful gardens located at Lee-Fendall House. Test your knowledge all summer on all things from pop culture to history! The theme of our August 22nd trivia night will be 1920s. Cost includes one drink ticket; additional drinks can be bought at our cash bar. Teams may have up to 6 members. Ages 21 and over only. No outside alcohol is permitted. Food and water may be brought into the garden.
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
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 to allow for the completion of the front façade restoration and installation of new entry doors.
UPDATE: The front facade work is almost done so the scaffolding is coming down. While we are excited to share this rehabilitation update, the two doors to the Freedom House Museum and their hardware are still being fabricated so the museum will be closed through the end of August.
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.
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.
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
On August 4, 1965, Landmark Center opened at the intersection of Duke and Van Dorn streets. Merchant representatives estimated that more than 15,000 cars came to Landmark for the grand opening. The open-air shopping center was converted to a three-story enclosed mall in the late 1980s.
Upcoming Commission and Committee Events
Commissions Supporting Historic Alexandria
August 11 Alexandria-Caen Sister Cities Committee (SCC)
City Hall, 301 King Street, Sister Cities Room 1101
7-9 p.m.August 18 Alexandria Sister City Committee - Dundee and Helsingborg
City Hall, 301 King Street, Sister Cities Room 1101
7-8:30 p.m.August 18 George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee (GWBCC)
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
7-9 p.m.