This Week in Historic Alexandria - March 9, 2026

march 9-15, 2026

What's New

FEATURED EVENT

Historic Happy Hour
Il Porto, 121 King Street, Alexandria
Thursday, March 12
5-7:30 p.m.

Join us for Historic Happy Hours to learn more about the research taking place in Historic Alexandria. 10% of all checks will benefit Historic Alexandria and America250 events.

Upcoming Historic Happy Hours:

March 12 - Il Porto, 121 King Street
Presentation topic: "Science, Pseudoscience, Humbug, & Magic at The Lyceum"

April 9 - Vola's Dockside Grill
Presentation topic: 1814 :A Tale of Two Cities, Two Men, and One Song

May 14 - O'Connell's Irish Pub

June 11 - The Wharf

Alexandria Archaeology Summer Camp - Registration Opens March 10
Alexandria Archaeology Summer Camp
Monday - Friday, June 22-26
9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Ages 13 - 15
$400, with scholarships available, purchase tickets.
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 Tuesday, March 10. 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 1, 2026. Camper space is not guaranteed until payment is made.

Upcoming Events

View the Historic Alexandria Calendar

Cécilia in Concert at the Historic Lyceum
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S Washington Street
Tuesday, March 10
7 p.m.
$40 per person; $12 for ages 12-17
Purchase Tickets

Widely recognized as three of Canada's finest musicians, it is a pleasure to see how much enjoyment Timi Turmel, Erin Leahy, and Louis Schryer
find playing together. While honouring their heritage as Cécilia, their music making has an undeniably fresh and high-spirited sound.

They bring the best of many musical worlds together in their explorations of traditional, Celtic and Quebecois music. Every one of their pieces is skillfully arranged and highlighted with influences from contemporary, classical, jazz and swing styles. Cécilia's recent debut album Accent is an impressive offering full of vibrant rhythms and melodies, all resonating with a unique warmth and richness of expression.

Beyond the Battlefield: A Civil War Walking Tour of Alexandria
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, March 14
10 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
$15, Free for museum members
Purchase tickets.

This walking tour tells the stories of soldiers, citizens, and self-liberated African Americans in Civil War Alexandria.

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.

An Evening of Irish Music
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S Washington Street
Saturday, March 14
7 p.m.
Tickets $10 / $15 at the door. Children 17 & Under $5. Free Snacks. Beer & wine for sale.
Purchase tickets.

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day early with The Irish Breakfast Band. Most Irish Breakfast Band 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.

Carlyle House: Self Guided Sundays
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Sunday, March 15
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.

Lecture Series: An Overview of the Fashions in America During the Time Period of the Carlyle House
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Sunday, March 15
1:30 - 2:30 p.m.
$12 per person
Purchase Tickets

Fashion historian Emma Rowland, will be presenting a lecture on the fashions that were popular during the Carlyle House and ground's time as a home, hospital, and boarding house. She will also have a portion of her antique clothing collection on display.

Alexandria Association Lecture Series
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S Washington Street
Monday, March 16
7:30 p.m. lecture. Light refreshments at 7 p.m.
Suggested Guest Contribution: $10 (To register guests ahead of the lecture, contact Karen Paul at [email protected])
Alexandria Association Members: Free

Lecture Topic:"The Antiques and Architecture of Brick Meeting House, Maryland: 1700-1870"

Lecture Presenter: Jeffrey Ricketts, Owner of East Nottingham Antiques and Board Member of the Cecil Historical Trust and the Historical Society of Cecil County.

Description: The lecture is focused on a 3-mile radius of Brick Meeting House Maryland, and includes the best homes from this small area. Many families still living there have remained in the same homes since the beginning of the eighteenth century. Ricketts will also discuss the furnishings he has tracked down in private and public collections that were part of the original furnishings of the homes. Among the topics discussed will be four generations of Quaker clockmakers, long lost seventeenth century furniture, applique quilts and more.

Membership Information and the Association Calendar are available at: alexandriaassociation.org

Grown-Up Field Trip: Media Remix at the Alexandria Black History Museum
1315 Duke Street
Friday, March 20
6:30 p.m.
$15 per person, Historic Alexandria Members: $12/person
Reserve tickets.

For the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, venture out on a field trip series for adults highlighting African American history around Alexandria. In March, learn more about Moss Kendrix with our "Reframing the Black Image" program. Explore objects and primary sources, dive into conversations, and be ready to be hands-on as you learn more about Alexandria and African American history. All field trips are based on ones offered to school-age children, but with extra time, so we can go even deeper!

Discovering Alexandria Architecture Walking Tour
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Saturday, March 21
10 a.m.
$20 per person
Reserve tickets

Alexandria has grown from a small town in the 18th century to a bustling small city in the 21st century. Join us for a tour of Alexandria as we explore looking at the various Architecture styles that adorn the city streets and make it one of the best places to live and work.

Reservations are required as space is limited. Please wear comfortable shoes for this 1.5 hour guided tour. The tour is held rain or shine unless there is severe weather. This program is non-refundable unless the museum cancels the program.

Having trouble registering? Please call 703-549-2997 or email [email protected]

Alexandria Women's History Walk
221 King Street, in the garden of the Visitor's Center
Saturday, March 21
Noon - 2 p.m.
Free
Click here to RSVP.

Join Alexandria Celebrates Women for a monthly walking tour highlighting Alexandria's heroines of the past. As the United States prepares to celebrate its 250th birthday, Alexandria Celebrates Women!

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. Join ACW Vice President Gayle Converse on a three-mile trek through the city, while making brief outdoor stops at historic sites associated with women to discuss Alexandria's heroines of the past and the history of each site. Participants are welcome to join all or any portion of the Walk.

Fashion and Women's Liberation: The Role of Clothing in the Fight for Suffrage - SOLD OUT
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, March 21
2 - 3 p.m.

Join Emma Rowland for an engaging exploration of how clothing became a powerful tool in the women's suffrage movement. Drawing on her Master's degree in Public Policy and extensive experience in U.S. domestic politics, Emma will analyze the political forces that drove fashion changes between the 1850s and 1920s. Discover how reformers challenged the typical fashions of the day as a barrier to women's participation in public life, how the bloomer movement sparked national controversy, and how suffragists strategically used white dresses and yellow roses as visual indicators in their campaigns.

Through authentic antique garments from Emma's personal collection, attendees will see firsthand how changes in silhouette and acceptable styles reflected and enabled women's expanding roles beyond the domestic sphere. This lecture offers a unique perspective on women's history, combining rigorous policy analysis with material culture to reveal how the fight for suffrage was woven into the fabric of everyday life.

Specialty Tour: Women in Medicine
The Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 S Fairfax Street
Sunday, March 22
11 a.m.- noon
$15 per person, Historic Alexandria Members: $12/person
Reserve tickets.

While men often take the spotlight, women have always shaped the practice of medicine. This tour will explore many objects in the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum used by women from the late 18th through early 20th centuries, as well as the women's influence on medicine in Alexandria and the wider world during this period.

Saving America's Past: Women in Preservation
Lecture with Public Historian Amanda Roper
Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum, 201 S Washington Street
Wednesday, March 25
7 p.m.
Tickets $5/ Free for AHS members.
Learn more

The Alexandria Historical Society (AHS) invites the public to a lecture titled "Saving America's Past: Women in Preservation," presented by public historian Amanda Roper on Wednesday, March 25 at 7:00 PM at The Lyceum, Alexandria's History Museum. Doors open at 6:30 PM, and light refreshments will be available.

This illustrated talk explores the significant and evolving role women have played in the historic preservation movement, particularly through the creation and stewardship of house museums. In the decades following America's founding, women helped shape how the nation remembers its past by leading efforts to preserve important historic sites. The program will highlight influential figures, key preservation moments, and notable properties, with special attention to Alexandria area sites including Mount Vernon and the Woodlawn & Pope-Leighey House.

New Exhibition - Women in Business: We Were Always Here
Gadsby's Tavern Museum, 134 N Royal Street
Opens Thursday, March 26
Included with cost of admission

Gadsby's Tavern Museum, which includes a 1785 and a 1792 tavern building, was named after John Gadsby, a male tavernkeeper during the early years of our nation's founding. But while he was operating the 1792 tavern, Hannah Griffith was operating the 1785 tavern. Female tavern keepers were common, and Griffith's story reminds us that the idea of female entrepreneurs isn't a new one. Her story also highlights how the American Revolution continued to shape lives in personal and sometimes surprising ways even years later.

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.

Tavern Games Night: To Lafayette! A Franco-American Game Night
Gadsby's Tavern Museum, 134 N Royal Street
Friday, March 27
7 p.m.
$10 per person
Purchase tickets.

Join us for our Game Night, featuring tavern games and a brief themed presentation and pub trivia around 7:30 p.m. Cash bar available during the event. The theme for March 27 is To Lafayette! A Franco-American Game Night, in partnership with the Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee.

Please note this event takes place up one flight of stairs in the historic Ballroom of Gadsby's Tavern Museum.

LAST CHANCE: Specialty Tour: Fort Ward & Lewis Cass White
Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site, 4301 West Braddock Rd.
Saturday, March 28
10 a.m.
$15, $12 Historic Alexandria Members
Purchase tickets.

Come explore the special exhibition, "Lewis Cass White: Preserving the Legacy of Fort Stevens," at Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site. The exhibition highlights the efforts of a Civil War veteran to recognize and preserve the site of Fort Stevens, where the only battle in the Defenses of Washington occurred. Personal accounts, documents, photographs, and veterans' memorabilia are featured to tell this inspiring story. Then head outside to tour the earthwork remains and fully restored Northwest bastion of Fort Ward, the best preserved of the Union forts that comprised the historic defense system. Please be sure to arrive 5 minutes before tour time. Wear appropriate shoes for walking on the earthwork fort. This is the last chance for this tour before the exhibit closes!

Easter Egg Hunt #1
Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden, 614 Oronoco Street
Saturday, March 28
11a.m. - 4 p.m.
$15 per participating child. Accompanying adults are $5 each and infants under 2 are free.
Reserve tickets

Celebrate Easter in the Lee-Fendall garden with our popular annual egg hunt! In this family-friendly event, collect Easter eggs all around the Lee-Fendall garden during our popular annual egg hunt! Sessions also include crafts, games, a cupcake walk, special gift shop deals, and a visit from the Easter Bunny.

Sessions are offered on Saturday, March 28th at 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 1:00 PM, 2:00 PM, and 3:00 PM.

Attendance is limited and reservations MUST be made in advance. Be sure to bring your own basket.

Homeschool Day: Life in the 18th Century
Carlyle House Historic Park, 121 N. Fairfax Street
Saturday, March 28
Noon - 3 p.m.
$10 per child, $5 for pre-k aged children, Parents/Chaperones free
Learn more

The Carlyle House is hosting a special event for homeschool children and their families. Come to visit us to learn about colonial life in the 18th century. We will have a variety of hands-on crafts and activities for children, targeting ages K-5. This program requires 1-1.5 to complete. Groups do not need to arrive at 12 pm. However, groups should arrive before 1:30 to complete all activities.

It's recommended that children bring a bag to carry crafts. This program is outdoors and will take place rain or shine. Please dress for the weather. This program is non-refundable unless the museum cancels the program.

Capacity is limited. If capacity is reached, a waitlist will be created. To register and pay for this special program, Homeschool leaders should email [email protected] or call 703-549-2997.

Specialty Tour: Outlandish Apothecary
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum, 105-107 South Fairfax Street
Sunday, March 29
11 a.m. - noon
$15 per person/$12 for Historic Alexandria Members
Purchase tickets.

Tour this historic apothecary and learn about a few of the herbal medicines featured in Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series of novels from cascara to dauco seeds. The tour also touches on the role of apothecaries and women in medicine in the 18th century. Recommended for ages 18 and up. Tour is 11 a.m.-noon. Please note the tour involves ascending and descending stairs.

The Alexandria Forum: Nothing But Independence is being rescheduled to the fall. Visit alexandriava.gov/historic for updates.

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
Next open on Saturday, March 14, 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.

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: "Disease and the Apothecary" - Now open

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.

New Exhibit: Union Navy Exhibition at Fort Ward Museum

A new exhibition, "Aboard Ship with the Jack-Tars of the Union Navy," opened October 2 at the City of Alexandria's Fort Ward Museum. 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 March 13, 1847, Alexandria was formally retroceded from the District of Columbia back to the Commonwealth of Virginia. In 1801, the national capital was officially designated on lands donated by the states of Maryland and Virginia, with the small seaport communities of Georgetown, Maryland and Alexandria, Virginia included within the diamond-shaped, 100 mile square boundary of the new city. But development of Federal government buildings was restricted almost exclusively to the east side of the Potomac River and Alexandria's formerly robust economy slowly stagnated, with residents complaining about their reduced influence in the planned metropolis. Further complicating the issue were concerns about laws and policies in the District, including slavery, that were evolving differently from the established view in Southern states that threatened to isolate Alexandria further from its immediate surroundings. These economic conditions, loss of voting rights, and a proposal to outlaw slavery within the District in the 1840s compelled white Alexandrians to successfully petition Congress to allow their area to return to Virginia.

Upcoming Commission and Committee Events

Commissions Supporting Historic Alexandria

• March 9 Alexandria-Caen Sister City Committee
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.

• March 9 Committee of Inquiry's research team meeting
  Alexandria Black History Museum
  7 p.m.

• March 11 Alexandria Historical Restoration and Preservation Commission (AHRPC)
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  8 a.m.

• March 11 Alexandria Community Remembrance Project Steering Committee
  Alexandria Black History Museum, 902 Wythe Street
  5:30 p.m.

• CANCELLED: March 16 George Washington Birthday Celebration Committee
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.

• March 17 Historic Alexandria Resources Commission
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-9 p.m.

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

• March 23 Sister Cities Committee (SCC) - Dundee and Helsingborg
  Lloyd House, 220 N. Washington Street
  7-8:30 p.m.

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