Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum

05/07/2024

01/23/2023

Why does history matter? Help Historic Alexandria answer this question! We want to know how we can support and engage you in 2023 and beyond. We are participating in a national survey of museum-goers, sponsored by the American Alliance of Museums. Please take a few minutes + take this survey! Your thoughts + feedback will help us guide our future work.

2023 Annual Survey of Museum-Goers.

11/15/2022

For Virginia Cider Week we are celebrating the return of the Alexandria Cider Festival! Enjoy a selection of ciders from 10 Virginia cideries. Ticket includes cider tastings, a souvenir glass, live music, and a little history too! Tickets $55 in advance. Online sales end at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 19. After that, tickets can be purchased at the door for $65. Dress for the weather - the event is outdoors! Festival open 1 to 5 p.m. Proceeds from the Cider Festival will benefit the Historic Alexandria Museums. For tickets: https://shop.alexandriava.gov/Events.aspx

12/30/2021

Today's number: $122,106. This is the amount of donations received to Historic Alexandria for sites + targeted projects. The generosity during this challenging time is heartwarming! While our department does receive City operational funding to support our mission, these resources do not cover the full scope of OHA’s strategic goals + projects. Donations like these help fund educational programs + conserve objects like the Friendship Firehouse Hose-Reel Carriage shown in this photo.

12/18/2021

Throughout this year we have been sharing updates about Freedom House as we work to restore + interpret this significant Alexandria + national site, slated to open by April 2022. As you consider your end of the year giving, help us continue telling these important stories. Your donation will help support the building as well as the 3 new exhibits that will not only educate + inspire, but challenge long held assumptions about race + equity in Virginia. Donate today: https://shop.alexandriava.gov/MakeDonation.aspx?skuid=6005807 

12/14/2021

Did you know that December is ? This sweet treat (and butt of many jokes) has a long history, dating back to ancient Rome. In the 19th century, Alexandrians could purchase fruitcakes from a variety of bakeries, including Henry Brengle's shop on King Street. While there, residents could also pick up oysters, apparently a Christmas must-have at the time and pairs perfectly with cake.

12/10/2021

For , let's go back to 1749 Alexandria + venture down our main street - Cameron Street!? Well, that didn't quite turn out as the city planners expected. Cameron Street, named for the Baron of Cameron, was meant to be the city's main thoroughfare, but King Street has since taken that crown. This unintentional change was likely because King became more passable than Cameron. Two reasons: First, the head of Oronoco Creek used to make the intersection of Cameron + Pitt Street marshy. Second, Christ Church, built in 1773, essentially cut off travel on Cameron, making King Street the new main east-west route. Today, especially living in the DC area, we can definitely appreciate transportation adventures and misadventures across the centuries! Made By Us

12/07/2021

This Saturday, Dec. 11, join us for our virtual Kwanzaa How-to Workshop at 11 a.m.! Learn the origins, concepts, practices, + foods of Kwanzaa as well as the 7 Kwanzaa principles + symbols. Presenters will teach easy crafts, activities plus show a cooking demonstration on how to make Groundnut Stew for your Kwanzaa feast. Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions of the presenters at the end of the workshop. To register, visit: https://www.alexandriava.gov/125284

12/04/2021

Remember back in September when we showed the new 3D model of 1315 Duke Street in the works? Well it is officially done and ready for installation. We are now able to showcase more accurately what the complex looked like c. 1840.

10/26/2021

The World Series may start tomorrow but did you know that baseball has a long history in Alexandria? Photos from the Civil War era show a diamond shaped patch of dirt near what is now the King Street Metro Station that looks suspiciously like a baseball field. Using aerial photographs from 1927, City archaeologists have identified at least 29 early 20th century baseball fields around the Alexandria. They also unearthed this ball of leather straps and cords. Uncovered during excavations of the 300 block of King Street (44AX95), this artifact may be the core of a 19th century baseball. To learn more about Alexandria's baseball history check out https://www.alexandriava.gov/uploadedFiles/historic/info/attic/2018/Attic20180412Baseball.pdf

10/22/2021

For , let’s dive into the colors at Freedom House. Thanks to the Historic Structures Report, we have documentation for the colors of the site over time - both outside and inside. Architectural conservators analyzed 22 paint samples. They were examined under a zoom microscope and light that simulated daylight to help identify the color-corrected stratigraphy. To highlight one sample, PT-001, it seems the exterior of the building was painted a light reddish brown color during its time as the Franklin and Armfield slave pen. Learn more about the HSR - https://www.alexandriava.gov/FreedomHouse