» Calendar of Events Lee Fendall House

Details and tickets for upcoming Lee-Fendall House events may be found at our Eventbrite page.

MAY 2023

MAY 27 – Beyond the Battlefield: A Civil War Walking Tour of Alexandria, 10:00 AM: 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.

Tickets are $15 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 12 participants and lasts approximately an hour and a half. Walking tours take place rain or shine, so please wear appropriate shoes and clothing. Members of Lee-Fendall House receive a 25% discount, but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.

ONGOING TEMPORARY EXHIBITS

“Floriography in the Victorian Era” (Ends August 30th): Learn how the Victorians used flowers to send messages of love, empathy, and even disinterest. Look out for informative signs placed next to flowers planted all around our garden and discover this intriguing secret language!

JUNE

JUNE 3 – Historic Garden Tour, 10:00 AM – Discover the history of the Lee-Fendall garden from its eighteenth-century beginnings to the present. Learn how the use and appearance of the garden has changed over time and see recent efforts to restore the garden and create an educational space and urban wildlife habitat.

Tickets are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 10 participants. Members of Lee-Fendall House receive a 25% discount, but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.

JUNE 9, 23 – Trivia Nights at Historic Sites, 7:00 PM: Join us all summer to test your knowledge on all things from pop culture to history! The theme of our June 9th trivia night will be British Royal History and June 23rd will be Presidential History. Tickets are $10 a person which includes 1 drink. Additional drinks can be bought at our cash bar. Teams may have up to 6 members each. Trivia nights will take place every other Friday at 7:00 PM from June-August (June 9 & 23, July 7 & 21, August 4 & 18). Ages 21 and over only.

JUNE 10 – Beyond the Battlefield: A Civil War Walking Tour of Alexandria, 10:00 AM: 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.

JUNE 10 – Historic Cemetery Tours, 1:00 PM: Join staff from the Presbyterian Cemetery and the Lee-Fendall House Museum for a tour of one of Alexandria’s most fascinating places. Hear stories of Alexandrian’s who shaped the city we live in today and whose lives were sometimes stranger than fiction.

Tickets are $20 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 25 participants and lasts approximately one hour. Members of Lee-Fendall House receive a 25% discount, but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.

All proceeds go towards the preservation of the Presbyterian Cemetery and Lee-Fendall House Museum.

Parking is available on Hamilton Ave. Tours start at the intersection of Hamilton & Wilkes Street, Alexandria.

JUNE 17 – Under the Same Roof: Enslaved and Free Workers at Lee-Fendall, 2:00 PM: Learn about the enslaved and free African Americans who lived and worked in the home, both before and after the Civil War. Hear the stories of their experiences and their contributions to the site and its history.

Tickets must be purchased in advance and are $10 per person. The tour is limited to 12 participants. Members of Lee-Fendall House receive a 25% discount, but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.

JUNE 24 – Civil War Hospital Tour, 2:00 PM: Learn about how the Lee-Fendall House was confiscated during the Civil War and operated as a Union Army hospital. Explore what life was like in Union-occupied Alexandria, how the Lee-Fendall House witnessed medical history, and how political divisions impacted those living here.

Tickets are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 12 participants. Members of Lee-Fendall House receive a 25% discount, but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.

ONGOING TEMPORARY EXHIBITS

JULY

JULY 7, 21 – Trivia Nights at Historic Sites, 7:00 PM: Join us all summer to test your knowledge on all things from pop culture to history! The theme of our July 7th trivia night will be Alexandria History and July 21st will be Mythology. Tickets are $10 a person which includes 1 drink. Additional drinks can be bought at our cash bar. Teams may have up to 6 members each. More Trivia Nights will take place on August 4 & 18. Ages 21 and over only.

JULY 8, 15, 22, 29 – Storytime at the Museum, 10:30 AM: Join us for a story, a craft and a special tour of the museum designed for young learners every Saturday morning throughout the summer!

Storytime is aimed at introducing young learners ages 3-6 to concepts of history, art and science, however children of all ages are welcome! The program will take place both indoors and outdoors (weather permitting) and all craft materials are provided.

Tickets (July 8, July 15, July 22, July 29) are $10 per participating child (Parents/chaperones are free of charge). Advance registration is required. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.

JULY 15 – Civil War History in the Garden Tour, 10:00 AM: Sit in the shade of the Lee-Fendall garden and learn how the American Civil War impacted soldiers and civilians in Alexandria. During the war, African American refugees from slavery sought freedom in the city while Confederate sympathizers fled. Alexandria served as a major supply and staging area for the Union Army as well as a medical center.

Discover medical advancements and the use of plants to treat sick and wounded soldiers when Lee-Fendall House served as a Union hospital.

Tickets are $10 per person. The tour is 1 hour long with a limit of 15 people. Members of Lee-Fendall House receive a 25% discount, but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.

JULY 15 – Under the Same Roof: Enslaved and Free Workers at Lee-Fendall, 2:00 PM: Learn about the enslaved and free African Americans who lived and worked in the home, both before and after the Civil War. Hear the stories of their experiences and their contributions to the site and its history.

ONGOING TEMPORARY EXHIBITS

AUGUST

AUGUST 4, 18 – Trivia Nights at Historic Sites: 7:00 PM: Join us all summer to test your knowledge on all things from pop culture to history! The theme of our August 4th trivia night will be Pets and August 18th will be the 1980s. Tickets are $10 a person which includes 1 drink. Additional drinks can be bought at our cash bar. Teams may have up to 6 members each. Ages 21 and over only.

AUGUST 5, 12, 19, 26 – Storytime at the Museum, 10:30 AM: Join us for a story, a craft and a special tour of the museum designed for young learners every Saturday morning throughout the summer!

Tickets (Aug 5, Aug 12, Aug 19, Aug 26) are $10 per participating child (Parents/chaperones are free of charge). Advance registration is required. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.

AUGUST 19 – Under the Same Roof: Enslaved and Free Workers at Lee-Fendall, 2:00 PM: Learn about the enslaved and free African Americans who lived and worked in the home, both before and after the Civil War. Hear the stories of their experiences and their contributions to the site and its history.

ONGOING TEMPORARY EXHIBITS

SEPTEMBER

SEPTEMBER 2 – Civil War History in the Garden Tour, 10:00 AM: Sit in the shade of the Lee-Fendall garden and learn how the American Civil War impacted soldiers and civilians in Alexandria. During the war, African American refugees from slavery sought freedom in the city while Confederate sympathizers fled. Alexandria served as a major supply and staging area for the Union Army as well as a medical center.

Discover medical advancements and the use of plants to treat sick and wounded soldiers when Lee-Fendall House served as a Union hospital.

SEPTEMBER 3 – Blood and Strikes: American Labor in the 20th Century, 2:00 PM: From deadly mine explosions to wartime strikes, the history of the 20th century American labor movement is full of violence and controversy. This May Day (International Workers’ Day), learn about the struggle for workers’ rights at the home of one of its most powerful spokesmen, John L. Lewis.

SEPTEMBER 9, 16, 23, & 30 – Lost Buildings in Alexandria, 10:00 AM: The City of Alexandria has seen older buildings and spaces being restored, preserved, and reused in different ways. However, there were many buildings that were not preserved and have been lost to time. In honor of National Historic Preservation Month, explore the streets of Alexandria with stops at locations where historic buildings once stood.

The program is a joint effort between the Lee-Fendall House and Carlyle Historic Park. Tours begin at Lee-Fendall House Museum at 10:00 AM every Saturday in May. The tour includes walking over many city blocks, so please dress appropriately for the terrain and weather. Tours are limited to 10 people. Tickets are $25 per person. For more information, please call (703)548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org

SEPTEMBER 9 – Historic Cemetery Tours, 1:00 PM: Join staff from the Presbyterian Cemetery and the Lee-Fendall House Museum for a tour of one of Alexandria’s most fascinating places. Hear stories of Alexandrian’s who shaped the city we live in today and whose lives were sometimes stranger than fiction.

OCTOBER

OCTOBER 7 – Civil War Hospital Tour, 2:00 PM: Learn about how the Lee-Fendall House was confiscated during the Civil War and operated as a Union Army hospital. Explore what life was like in Union-occupied Alexandria, how the Lee-Fendall House witnessed medical history, and how political divisions impacted those living here.

Tickets (Available August 15) are $10 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 12 participants. Members of Lee-Fendall House receive a 25% discount, but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.

OCTOBER 20, 21, 27 & 28 – Grief and Ghost Tours 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM: Explore Victorian mourning traditions coupled with stories of tragic deaths and mysterious occurrences at the Lee-Fendall House. Customs such as draping the mirrors after a death, funeral practices, hair jewelry, mourning clothing, and séances will be explored. These tours offer a rare opportunity to see the house after dark!

Tours will be offered every half an hour starting 7:00 with the last tour at 9:00 PM. Tickets (Available August 15) are $15 per person. Tours will be limited to 12 participants and tickets must be purchased in advance. For more information, please call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org.

OCTOBER 21 – Beyond the Battlefield: A Civil War Walking Tour, 10:00 AM: 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.

The tour is limited to 12 participants and lasts approximately an hour and a half. Walking tours take place rain or shine so please wear appropriate shoes and clothing. Tickets (Available August 15) must be purchased in advance and are $15 per person. Members of Lee-Fendall House receive a 25% discount, but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.

NOVEMBER

NOVEMBER 4 – Beyond the Battlefield: A Civil War Walking Tour, 10:00 AM: 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.

NOVEMBER 11 – Historic Cemetery Tours, 1:00 PM: Join staff from the Presbyterian Cemetery and the Lee-Fendall House Museum for a tour of one of Alexandria’s most fascinating places. Hear stories of Alexandrian’s who shaped the city we live in today and whose lives were sometimes stranger than fiction.

Tickets (Available August 15th) are $20 per person and must be purchased in advance. The tour is limited to 25 participants and lasts approximately one hour. Members of Lee-Fendall House receive a 25% discount, but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.

NOVEMBER 11 – Under the Same Roof: Enslaved and Free Workers at Lee-Fendall, 2:00 PM: Learn about the enslaved and free African Americans who lived and worked in the home, both before and after the Civil War. Hear the stories of their experiences and their contributions to the site and its history.

Tickets (Available August 15th) must be purchased in advance and are $10 per person. The tour is limited to 12 participants. Members of Lee-Fendall House receive a 25% discount, but must call (703) 548-1789 or email contact@leefendallhouse.org to make a reservation.

NOVEMBER 18 – Civil War Hospital Tour, 2:00 PM: Learn about how the Lee-Fendall House was confiscated during the Civil War and operated as a Union Army hospital. Explore what life was like in Union-occupied Alexandria, how the Lee-Fendall House witnessed medical history, and how political divisions impacted those living here.