july 27–August 2, 2026
What's New
FEATURED EVENT
The 30th Annual Friendship Firehouse Festival
100 block of South Alfred Street
Saturday, August 1
9 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Admission to the festival and the Friendship Firehouse Museum is free during festival hours!
Presented by the Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association in partnership with Historic Alexandria, this free, family-friendly festival brings neighbors and visitors together in front of the historic Friendship Firehouse Museum for a lively celebration of Alexandria's firefighting heritage, public service and vibrant local community. The festival includes fire trucks, live music, local vendors, food and beverages, children's activities and community exhibits along with free admission to the Friendship Firehouse Museum.
Discover more about this year's Friendship Firehouse Festival.
Upcoming Events
View the Historic Alexandria Calendar
Alexandria Historical Society Digital History Museum Launch Party
The Athenaeum, 201 Prince Street
Tuesday, July 28
7 p.m.
Free, RSVP here
The launch party will introduce the Alexandria Historical Society Digital History Museum, a new online resource created to share the stories of Alexandria’s people, places, and past with all those interested in the city’s history. The evening will feature a panel of Alexandria historians and archaeologists who will discuss their work researching, interpreting, and sharing the Port City’s history. Panelists will reflect on the stories that have stood out to them, the challenges and rewards of public history, and the importance of preserving and presenting Alexandria’s past for broad public audiences. Refreshments will be served.
Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
July 28 - October 22
Tuesdays & Thursdays: 6 p.m.
Saturdays: 9 a.m. & 10:15 a.m.
$10 a class
Purchase Tickets
Join our friends at Carlyle House for an hour-long gentle flow Yoga Class on Carlyle House’s Magnolia Terrace. Please bring water, a towel, and a yoga mat. Wear comfortable yoga wear. Class may be canceled due to inclement weather, you will receive an email if class is canceled.
Specialty Tour: Magical Apothecary
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 S. Fairfax Street
July 31, 10 a.m. & 4:30 p.m.
August 2, 5:30 p.m.
$15 per person, Historic Alexandria Members: $12/person
Purchase Tickets
Learn about the historical botanical science that inspires our pop-culture concepts of potions and magic on a tour of this 19th-century apothecary. Includes making your own magical potion! Recommended for ages 8 and up. Children must be accompanied by a ticket-holding adult.
Pop Culture Trivia: Harry Potter Edition
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Friday, July 31
7 p.m.
$12/person
Purchase Tickets
Spend a summer evening in the Lee-Fendall garden; play solo or as a team and show off your Harry Potter knowledge. The second of three pop culture trivia nights in the Lee-Fendall garden, Harry Potter Trivia will test your wizarding world knowledge.
Reach out at contact@leefendallhouse.org or (703) 548-1789 with any questions.
Traditional Music Concert at The Lyceum
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S. Washington Street
Friday, July 31
7:30 p.m.
$40 per person, $15/person for ages 12-17
Purchase Tickets
John Doyle returns to the Lyceum with traditional songs and those he has composed. John Doyle performs songs from his new album: Free by Nature: Songs of the Irish in the American Revolution. Name many of the most notable recordings and/or performers in Irish music and it's a fair bet that John Doyle had something to do with them. Liz Carroll; Eileen Ivers; Karan Casey; Solas; Michael Black; Mary Black; the trio of McCusker, McGoldrick and Doyle; The Teetotalers (Martin Hayes, Kevin Crawford, John Doyle); and now Usher's Island (Andy Irvine, Donal Lunny, Mike McGoldrick, Paddy Glackin and John Doyle) - a vertible who's who of the greatest names in Irish music. These are just a very few of the stellar artists for whom John Doyle's signature guitar sound, singing or songwriting is essential.
From a musical family in Dublin, John’s influences include well known English folk singers Nic Jones, Martin Carthy, Richard Thompson, and The Watersons; Scottish singers Dick Gaughan and John Martin; and fellow Irishmen Paul Brady and Al O’Donnell as well as his father, Sean Doyle - probably the biggest influence of all.
MIS-Y: The Secret Interrogators of P.O. Box 1142
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, August 1
2 p.m.
$15/person
Purchase Tickets
This lecture will explore the origins of MIS-Y, the methods used by its interrogators, the daily operations of P.O. Box 1142, and the valuable intelligence gathered there. It will also examine the program’s contributions to the Allied war effort and its lasting impact on military intelligence in the postwar era.
Family Day with Jr. Docents
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal Street
Sundays, August 2–August 30
2-5 p.m.
Included in regular admission
Every Sunday afternoon this summer, guests can learn from and be inspired by the museum's Jr. Docents--students 4th grade and older. In addition to stationed tours, Jr. Docents offer additional hands-on activities and a chocolate-making demonstration.
Historic Happy Hours
Josephine's Brasserie and Bar, 109 S. Saint Asaph Street
Thursday, August 6
5 - 7 p.m.
Free
Join us for Historic Happy Hours as we deep dive into history in a fun setting throughout the city! Join us on Thursday, August 6 at Josephine's Restaurant, 109 S. Saint Asaph Street. Explore the history of firefighting equipment and fire safety in Alexandria.
For more information, visit Alexandriava.gov/America250.
Save the Date: An Evening in Remembrance of Benjamin Thomas
Music by Charles E. Miller
Friday, August 28
Shiloh Baptist Church, 1401 Jaimeson Avenue
Doors open 6:30 p.m.
Program 7-8 p.m.
Who’s history? Our history. Who’s rights? Our rights. When factual history is buried, people are polarized, hate groups menace commuters on the metro, all aspects of life become uncertain, even constitutional rights. The Alexandria Community Remembrance Project invites the public to Shiloh Baptist Church for an Evening in Remembrance of Benjamin Thomas featuring a conversation with NAACP’s Myesha Braden. An attorney with the NAACP, Braden, is involved in fighting state and national attacks on voting rights.
The hour long event is being held on the same day in 1899 that more than 600 people gathered at the historic Shiloh Baptist Church on Duke Street to memorialize Thomas and protest his and all lynchings. The program will also feature music by Charles E. Miller and Mayor Gaskins will give remarks. The annual event that is free and open to the public.
Shiloh Baptist’s Historic sanctuary (1400 Duke Street) will be open for tours before the program from 5:30-6:30 p.m. The Freedom House Museum, a historic site that shares the story of Alexandria’s role in the domestic slave trade at 1315 Duke Street, will also be open for tours until 6:30 p.m.
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
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 – 5 p.m.
Friendship Firehouse Museum
Saturday, August 1, 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. as part of the Friendship Firehouse Festival
Gadsby’s Tavern Museum
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m.– 4 p.m.; Saturdays, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.; Sundays through 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.
Virginia 250 Passport
Historic Alexandria is proud to join 70 premier historic destinations across Virginia in the launch of the Virginia 250 Passport, a first-of-its-kind statewide tourism journey celebrating America’s 250th. Featured Alexandria museums include Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, and the Alexandria Black History Museum. The passport offers prizes and discounts to encourage families to explore Virginia’s rich history together. Beginning November 11, 2025, free passports will be available at major historic sites and Virginia Welcome Centers. Learn more at VirginiaHistory.org/250Passport.
New Exhibit: Stories of U.S.: Collections Capture Our History – Now open
A silver coffee pot, a family story, a business letter, or a photograph -- each provide a glimpse into the past. The Office of Historic Alexandria collects these items and memories to reflect our community and preserve the moments that define us. This exhibition, marking the 250th anniversary of the United States, showcases recently acquired objects, many on view for the first time at the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum. These pieces provide a powerful, tangible connection to both our local history and national story..
New Exhibit: Buglers & Brass Bands: Soldier Musicians in the Civil War - Now open
Fort Ward opened a new exhibit on May 16, 2026 that explores the essential role that music played in the daily life of the Civil War soldier, both in camp and on the battlefield. The exhibit features a variety of musical instruments and sheet music of the period from the Museum’s extensive Civil War collection. The exhibit will be on view through May 2027.
Exhibit: Women in Business: We Were Always Here
Gadsby's Tavern Museum's new exhibit featuring Hannah Griffith, a female coffeehouse operator at this location, is now open! The exhibit is included in regular admission. Visitors will be able to see primary sources up close to explore how women appear (and don’t) in the historical record in the 18th century. In addition to Hannah’s story, visitors will learn about the female business owners on the block around City Hall today, highlighting how women continue to be an important part of Alexandria’s business community. All of the women-owned businesses facing City Hall are included in this exhibit—14 total owned by 17 women! The exhibit will be up through March 2027.
Exhibit: Disease and the Apothecary
Explore how epidemics like Smallpox, Yellow Fever, and Influenza shaped Alexandria’s past and how science and public health saved lives. Included with admission. Free for Alexandria residents! The new exhibit is also available online.
Exhibit: Aboard Ship with the Jack-Tars of the Union Navy
A new exhibition at Fort Ward Museum opened October 2. The exhibit focuses on the U.S. Navy during the Civil War and is being held in recognition of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the U.S. Navy on October 13, 1775. The exhibition will continue through 2026. The exhibit, with pictures of select objects, is also available online.
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 July, 27, 1959, the first "Alexandria Days" marketing initiative began as a cooperative effort between local merchants and City leaders to promote shopping in downtown Alexandria during long weeks of stifling summer heat. Once the vibrant retail hub of Northern Virginia, by the late 1950’s Alexandria’s downtown commerce began to see intense competition from newly built shopping centers along major highway corridors surrounding the city that offered air-conditioning, free parking and “one-stop” convenience for motorists. Alexandria Days was created to offer special sales and promotions, special event activities, a salute to the military, and even an evening parade through the downtown area that once featured Joe Namath throwing footballs to the crowd.
Upcoming Commission and Committee Events
Commissions Supporting Historic Alexandria
August 3 Public Records Advisory Commission (PRAC)
Archives and Records Center, 801 S. Payne Street
7:30 p.m.- August 10 Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee Meeting
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
7 p.m. - August 17 George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee (GWBCC)
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
7-9 p.m.