Gadsby’s Tavern Museum

A large, empty room with light wood floors, blue trim, two red curtained windows, a chandelier, a fireplace, two wooden benches, a wardrobe, and an upper balcony with a white railing.

A woman in a yellow shirt shows an object to a young boy wearing a tricorne hat, while another woman kneels nearby, smiling, in a historical bedroom setting with antique decor.

People dressed in historical costumes dance in a lively, elegant ballroom setting. A smiling woman in a brown-and-white gown holds hands with a man in a black coat, surrounded by others in period attire. Chandeliers hang overhead.

A historic three-story brick building with white trim and dormer windows, featuring two arched doorways, located on a tree-lined street under a partly cloudy sky.

People wearing historic 18th- or 19th-century costumes dance in a ballroom with chandeliers and wooden floor. The scene includes women in long dresses and men in coats, breeches, and hats.

Two canopy beds with white curtains and wooden frames are in a simple, historic bedroom with pale walls, wooden floor, a small table, and chamber pots under the beds.

A group of people in Regency-era costumes hold hands in pairs, dancing in a ballroom with wooden floors, light blue walls, red curtains, and a chandelier overhead. Some people watch from a balcony above.

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Discover Alexandria’s five-star hotel of the 18th century! The Museum consists of the c. 1785 tavern and the 1792 City Tavern and Hotel. Both were constructed by John Wise but made famous by tavernkeeper John Gadsby. His establishment was the center of political, business, and social life in Alexandria and in the new federal city of Washington, D.C. The City Tavern’s Ballroom was the location of George Washington’s Birthnight Ball in 1798 and 1799, as well as Thomas Jefferson’s Inaugural Banquet in 1801.

Group tours are offered by reservation at the discounted rate of $4 per person. Tours led by a costumed guide are $5 per person and after-hours lantern tours with a costumed guide are $6 per person. The museum offers tours, programs and special events.