This Week in Historic Alexandria - August 3, 2026

August 3-9, 2026

What's New

FEATURED EVENT

Junior docents (left to right) James Vetrini, Kaeli Carstens, Priya Munipalla, and Madi Rumness at the chocolate station of Gadsby's Tavern Museum.

Family Day with Jr. Docents

Gadsby's Tavern Museum, 134 N. Royal Street
Sundays, August 9-September 6
2-5 p.m.
Included in regular admission

Experience Gadsby's Tavern Museum through the eyes of Junior Docents--students 4th grade and older who are trained guides stationed throughout the building. These Sunday afternoons also opportunities to dive deeper into history through trivia, hands-on object stations, and a chocolate-making demonstration. Great for all ages, you'll leave inspired by this next generation of historians!

Upcoming Events

View the Historic Alexandria Calendar

Yoga on the Magnolia Terrace
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
August 4 - 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.

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 AsaphStreet. The speaker is Dr. Jim McClellan, retired History Professor, Dean Emeritus, Northern Virginia Community College, and Fellow of Dundee and Angus College. He will be speaking on the Great Fire of 1827. Ten percent of all checks will benefit Historic Alexandria.

For more information, visit Alexandriava.gov/America250.

Trivia Night at Historic Sites
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Fridays, August 7 and 21
7 p.m.
$15 per person
Purchase Tickets

Staff members at Carlyle House Historic Park combine their knowledge to create bi-weekly trivia nights throughout the summer in the beautiful gardens of the Carlyle House. Test your knowledge on everything from pop culture to history.

Registration must be done in advance. Ticket includes snacks and mocktails. Teams are limited to 6 people. No outside alcohol is allowed. Limited capacity so register early! The trivia theme for August 7 is Musicals and for August 21 i

August 21 - 1970s Music

Carlyle House: Self Guided Sundays
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Sunday, August 16
Noon - 3 p.m.
$5 per person (children 5 and under are free)

On the third Sunday of every month, explore the first floor of Carlyle House at your own pace. Docents will be available throughout the house if you have questions. Tickets can only be purchased the day of in the museum shop.

Alexandria Pipes and Drums Summer Concert
Waterfront Park, 1A Prince Street
Friday, August 21
7:45 - 8:30 p.m.
Free

Don't miss the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums Summer Concert ! Join us for a special evening on Friday, August 21, from 7:45 to 8:45 p.m.at Waterfront Park, Market Square, 1A Prince St, for a performance filled with music, energy, and community spirit. 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. Come enjoy the unforgettable sound of bagpipes and drums echoing through Old Town Alexandria. After each performance, meet the band members, take photos, and learn what it takes to join the City of Alexandria Pipes and Drums. This event is free and open to all ages. Bring your friends, family, and your love for live music in the heart of the city!

French Book Club
Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
Friday, August 21
7:45 - 8:30 p.m.
Reserve your free ticket

Join the Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee and Old Town Books in celebrating French authors and literature!

This event is designed to encourage the exploration of non-Anglophone authors and books, especially those in the French diaspora. While buying the book at Old Town Books is not required to attend, doing so helps keep their free literary programming sustainable! By attending an Old Town Books event, you are agreeing to their code of conduct.

About the book: The Most Secret Memory of Men holds the distinction of being the 2021 winner of the Prix Goncourt, France's top literary award. Written by Mohamed Mbougar Sarr, the Goncourt's first Sub-Saharan African winner, and translated by Lara Vergnaud, in this coming-of-age novel, Diégane Latyr Faye, a young Senegalese writer in Paris, discovers a legendary book from the 1930s, The Labyrinth of Inhumanity. No one knows what became of its author, once hailed as the "Black Rimbaud," after the book caused a scandal. Enthralled by this mystery, Diégane decides to search for T.C. Elimane, going down a path that will force him to confront the great tragedies of history, from colonialism to the Holocaust. The Most Secret Memory of Men is an astonishing novel about the choice between living and writing, and the desire to transcend the divide between Africa and the West. Above all, it is an ode to literature and its timelessness.

Grown-Up Field Trip: Black History Museum
Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
Sunday, August 23
1 - 2:30 p.m.
$15
Purchase Tickets (7 tickets left!)

Our popular grown-up field trip series continues with a trip to the Alexandria Black History Museum for Moss Kendrix: Reframing the Black Image.

How can stereotypes cause harm? Learn about pioneering public relations expert Moss Kendrix and how he changed the way media portrayed Black Americans. Join other adults as you explore objects and primary sources, dive into conversations, and get hands-on as you learn more about Alexandria's history.

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, and 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 5-6:30 p.m. with free admission.

Thank You for Celebrating the 30th Annual Friendship Firehouse Festival

Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 30th Annual Friendship Firehouse Festival on Saturday, August 1! Presented by the Friendship Veterans Fire Engine Association in partnership with Historic Alexandria, this free, family-friendly festival brought neighbors and visitors together to celebrate Alexandria's firefighting heritage, public service, and vibrant local community.

We hope you enjoyed the fire trucks, live music, local vendors, food and beverages, children's activities, community exhibits and free admission to the Friendship Firehouse Museum. Thank you to our partners, vendors, volunteers and everyone who helped make this year's festival a success.

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

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
Thursdays & Fridays, 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Saturdays, 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Sundays, 1 - 5 p.m.

Friendship Firehouse Museum
Saturday, September 26, 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 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 [email protected] or call 703.746.4554, Virginia Relay 711.

This Week in Alexandria's History

More from This Day in History

On August 5, 1774, Alexandria's first volunteer fire company was established as the Friendship Fire Company. Initially the company was provided space in the Market Square area, but several moves ensued as the needs of the company grew. In 1855, the company moved to a new firehouse built on South Alfred Street with was a tall pointed steeple that could be seen from miles away. During the Civil War, the firehouse was neglected and, by 1871, the impact of wind and weather on the steeple was so devastating that the building was closed and rebuilt. The steeple was removed and replaced by the lower cupola still in place today.

Upcoming Commission and Committee Events

Commissions Supporting Historic Alexandria

• August 4 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.
• August 24 Alexandria Sister Cities Committee (SCC)
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-8:30 p.m.