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Historic Sites & Attractions in Alexandria

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Founded in 1749 and boasting the nation’s third oldest historic district, Alexandria hums with a cosmopolitan feel. The port city has played a major role in the nation’s story and reflected its progress toward inclusivity. Find intimate historic museums, trace George Washington and the Founding Fathers’ footsteps and follow the stories of Black Americans who shaped the history of Alexandria and the United States. 

Alexandria also nods to its vast creative history at the Torpedo Factory Art Center, a former World War II munitions factory turned 82 artist studios and six galleries, and the National Inventors Hall of Fame and Museum at the US Patent and Trademark Office, whose interactive exhibits celebrate modern innovation. Explore Alexandria with the “Key to the City” attractions pass, which grants visitors access to 9 historic sites, plus 40% off admission to George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the tall ship Providence and City Cruises roundtrip water taxi pass. Take the opportunity to celebrate the city’s history at lively seasonal events.

Click here to read Alexandria’s History.

Historic Highlights

Key To The City

Two women stand and talk outside the Freedom House Museum, a historic brick building with a white door on a tree-lined sidewalk. A museum sign hangs from a post nearby. Another person walks further down the sidewalk.

Tall Ship Providence in Alexandria, VA

A historic sailing ship with tall masts and yellow trim is docked by the shore, with calm water and a distant treeline under a cloudy sky.

Black History & Culture

A bronze statue of two women in 19th-century clothing stands hand in hand, set outdoors with greenery, a modern building, and a blue sky with clouds in the background.

Self-Guided Tour

Featured Historic Attractions and Museums

All Historic Attractions and Museums

Glass-walled entry to the Alexandria Archaeology Museum, with exhibits and displays visible inside. A tall sign with the museum’s name stands at the entrance, and directional signs hang from the ceiling above.
Step right into the museum’s laboratory where archaeologists reconstruct Alexandria’s history, fragment by fragment. The museum’s exhibits highlight the process...
105 N. Union Street, Torpedo Factory Art Center Third Floor, #327 Alexandria, Virginia
A red brick building with white columns at the entrance, displaying a banner above the door. A sign on the right reads “Alexandria Black History Museum.” Shrubs line the walkway to the entrance.
Originally the segregated library for Alexandria’s African American residents, the museum documents the local and national history, culture and contributions...
902 Wythe Street Alexandria, Virginia
A large brick building with a tall steeple and a central fountain, adorned with a large American flag, surrounded by trees and people sitting on benches in a sunny plaza.
This City Hall was built in 1871-74, with Market Square and the Colonial-inspired additions that face the plaza built in...
301 King Street Alexandria, Virginia
Featured
A man in colonial attire holding a lantern welcomes four casually dressed adults at the open gates of a historic brick building at dusk, with a glowing light from the entrance and signs on the gate pillars.
Alexandria’s Original Ghost & Graveyard Tour, Celebrating 50 Years: Follow an 18th-century costumed guide by lantern light through the charming...
221 King Street Alexandria, Virginia
A book titled Classic Restaurants of Alexandria by Hope Nelson is propped against a beige wooden window sill. The cover features photos of restaurant signs and historic buildings.
From seaport pubs to international cuisine, Alexandria’s culinary history runs deep. George Washington danced in the ballroom of Gadsby’s Tavern,...
Old Town Alexandria, Virginia
A museum exhibit with blue display panels featuring Civil War-era photos, maps, and text. A glass case in front holds artifacts including documents and a rifle. The exhibit is titled An Occupied City: The Civil War Years.
The 1839 Greek Revival building serves as the City’s history museum. An ongoing exhibition tells the story of Alexandria, once...
201 S. Washington Street Alexandria, Virginia
A brick-paved plaza with benches, streetlamps, American flags, flowering hanging baskets, and a large brick building with an American flag, under a blue sky at dusk.
Alexandria History Tours offers private and public tours exploring the Revolutionary War, George Washington, early American commerce, the Civil War,...
Old Town Alexandria, Virginia
Black and white drawing of an open book and stacked books with the words Alexandria Library above and below the illustration.
Founded as a subscription library in 1794. Alexandria’s public library since 1937.
717 Queen Street Alexandria, Virginia
Rows of white headstones fill a cemetery enclosed by a white picket fence, with trees and a distant building visible in the background under an overcast sky.
One of 12 sites created and dedicated by President Lincoln in 1862 to serve as military burial grounds. The cemetery...
1450 Wilkes Street Alexandria, Virginia
Two people wearing face masks talk in a room with bookshelves, a window, and wooden beams. One person has a green bandana and crossed arms, while the other holds a piece of paper and gestures.
Alexandria Seaport Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization located on Old Town’s waterfront which improves the lives of young people...
Alexandria Waterfront 0 Thompsons Alley Alexandria, Virginia
A lush garden path lined with vibrant flowering plants and bushes leads to a closed white gate, surrounded by tall green trees and colorful blossoms.
The American Horticultural Society’s River Farm is a popular rental venue in the Washington, D.C. metro area that serves as...
7931 E. Boulevard Drive Alexandria, Virginia
People in traditional Scottish attire play bagpipes in a grassy field during an outdoor event. Tents and trees are visible in the background, and a crowd watches the performance.
The Ballyshaners, Inc. were founded in 1980 by a small group of dedicated volunteers for the explicit purpose of organizing...
P.O. Box 320722 Alexandria, Virginia

Explore More

Alexandria Tours

A group of five people walk through a brick gate with a tour guide in a white shirt at the entrance of Carlyle House, surrounded by trees and historical signage.

Mount Vernon

A large historic mansion with a red roof and white walls stands among green trees, viewed across a wide, open grassy lawn under a bright sky.

Alexandria Black History Museum

A brick building with white columns and a red metal roof, displaying a banner above the entrance. A sign on the wall reads “Alexandria Black History Museum.” Shrubs line the front walkway.

Architecture in Alexandria

A collage shows: a man walking on a brick sidewalk by colorful historic row houses, a tall stone tower with a spire against a blue sky, and a small modernist home surrounded by trees and grass.

Plan Your Trip

Old Town Alexandria

A man in green clothing smiles while walking past outdoor diners seated under red umbrellas at O’Connell’s Bar & Restaurant, with lush plants surrounding the patio area.

Things To Do

Couple Biking Down King Street In Alexandria, VA

Plan

Two women stroll and enjoy sweets outside “Pop’s Ice Cream Company” on a sunny brick-lined street, while two people exit the shop and others relax on benches nearby. Trees and a river can be seen in the background.

Restaurants

A couple sits at a table with patterned plates, drinks, and a wooden board holding pizza slices. One person holds up a slice, and their drinks are garnished with fruit. The scene looks casual and inviting.

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