Fairfax City Museums

Fairfax City Museums Official Page of The Fairfax City Historic Resources Division The Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center is OPEN daily 11am - 4pm. Closed select holidays only. area.

The museum is administered by the City of Fairfax and operated by a professional staff and dedicated volunteers. The Museum - housed in the historic Fairfax Elementary School, built in 1873 - features exhibitions about local and regional history, including the permanent exhibit The Fairfax Story. The Museum hosts several historic programs throughout the year, including the popular Second Sunday se

ries. The Visitor Center stocks maps and information about sites and special events throughout Virginia and the D.C. The Museum is the flagship for the City of Fairfax Office of Historic Resources, which also includes:

Historic Blenheim & the Civil War Interpretive Center - 3610 Old Lee Hwy, Fairfax
open Tuesday- Saturday 11 AM -3 PM (Center open; Historic House tour at 1 pm)
Front Desk: (703)591-0560

The Ratcliffe-Allison-Pozer House - 10386 Main St. Fairfax
Re-opening April 30 2022- Saturdays 11 AM-2 PM through October, and City special events - FREE

Guided group tours and educational programs for students, scouts, and adults are available for a fee with advanced scheduling.

08/29/2026

Our Fall 2026 History Programs are here, with hands-on experiences, family programs, special exhibitions and plenty of opportunities to explore the past!

🗺️ Indigenous Perspectives | Sept. 16–Oct. 24
Explore Virginia history through the voices and experiences of the Commonwealth’s Indigenous communities.

🏛️ The Civil War | Nov. 11–Dec. 4
Explore the people, events and impact of the Civil War in a traveling exhibition from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.

👧 Museum Explorers | Oct. 8 & 22 + Nov. 5 & 19
Ages 2–4 explore museum objects through stories, songs, games and crafts.

⚾ Play Ball! A Civil War Baseball Experience | Oct. 24
Take the field and experience baseball with 19th-century rules and equipment!

🔎 A History Mystery | Nov. 7
Search for clues, solve puzzles and uncover secrets from Fairfax’s past.

⛺ Civil War Survival Skills | Nov. 14
Pitch a tent, drill like a soldier and explore the skills needed for life on campaign.

🥥 Cooking Through History: A Taste of Sri Lanka | Nov. 21
Discover Sri Lankan history and culture while preparing and sampling a traditional dish.

🎄 Tours Through Christmas Past | Dec. 5
Explore more than 200 years of changing Christmas traditions at the Ratcliffe-Allison-Pozer House.

🎅 A Historic Holiday at Blenheim | Dec. 12
Celebrate the holidays with crafts, cookies, historic games and holiday traditions!

🎉Noon Year’s Eve at the Museum! | Dec. 31
Countdown to Noon and ring in the Noon year with us!

📲 Want to learn more or register? Find links and full details for our Fall 2026 programs through the link in our bio!

Fairfax City Parks and Recreation
City of Fairfax Government

08/26/2026

Step into the past and get hands-on with history in our 250th Anniversary Activity Room at the Fairfax Museum & Visitor Center! 🇺🇸

Try your hand at:
📜 Writing your own declaration
🔎 Studying replica artifacts
🎲 Playing historic games
🕵️ Testing your skills with a spy activity
🎀 Making a powdered wig
🎩 Creating your own tricorn hat

There’s something for history lovers of all ages to explore, create, and discover!

The 250th Anniversary Activity Room is open through September 14, so stop by before it’s gone!

📍 Fairfax Museum & Visitor Center
10209 Main St., Fairfax, VA

family fun

There’s still time to sign up for our program at the Civil War Interpretive Center on Saturday. Reserve your spot and st...
07/15/2026

There’s still time to sign up for our program at the Civil War Interpretive Center on Saturday. Reserve your spot and step into the soundscape of early America.

Music is one the best ways to step into the past and understand what life was like for people long ago.

As we commemorate the 250th anniversary of America’s independence, join us for a hands-on program exploring early American music and the instruments that brought it to life. Early American music specialist David Hildebrand will share a variety of colonial-era instruments, explain their stories, perform live, and invite participants to try a few for themselves.

Register at the link in the comments.

City of Fairfax Government

Join us at the Civil War Interpretive Center this Saturday, July 11 as Historian Ric Murphy discusses his new book, "For...
07/08/2026

Join us at the Civil War Interpretive Center this Saturday, July 11 as Historian Ric Murphy discusses his new book, "Forgotten Patriots of the Northern Theatre", which brings to the light the inspiring but overlooked heroes of the Revolutionary War’s northern campaigns: American men, women, and children of African and Indigenous descent who served in the Continental Army and local militias.

The book highlights the stories of individual soldiers whose sacrifices were critical to the American cause but were left out of traditional histories. Ric Murphy is an award-winning author, educator, historian, documentarian and genealogist whose work focuses on African American genealogy, early American history, and historical commemoration.

The talk will take place at the Civil War Interpretive Center at 3610 Blenheim Blvd.

History Comes Alive!🇺🇸✨�We’re excited to host the traveling banner exhibition Declaration 1776: The Big Bang of Modern D...
07/07/2026

History Comes Alive!🇺🇸✨�We’re excited to host the traveling banner exhibition Declaration 1776: The Big Bang of Modern Democracy, on loan from the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History!

When you stop by and visit you can also try your hand at creating your own declaration, exploring our artifact touch station, playing historic games, and making creative crafts.

The Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center is open Wednesdays - Mondays, 11 am - 4 pm.

🎆 Tonight's still ON — just a little cooler timing! 🎆 The Evening Show and Fireworks are happening tonight as planned, j...
07/04/2026

🎆 Tonight's still ON — just a little cooler timing! 🎆

The Evening Show and Fireworks are happening tonight as planned, just shifted to beat the heat:

🕢 Gates open: 7:30 p.m.
🎶 Evening Show: 8 p.m.
✨ Fireworks: ~9:30 p.m.
📍 Fairfax High School

No parking available at Fairfax High School — take the shuttle!
🚏 Pick-up locations: GMU Rappahannock River Parking Deck & Woodson High School
🕖 Shuttles run: 7 p.m. – Last bus at 11:30 p.m.
🅿️ Park free at either location and ride in

⭐ Reminder ALL bags and coolers will be checked at the gate. All water bottles must be sealed or empty. Water refill stations available in the upper food court parking lot

It's still hot out there, so come prepared:
💧 Stay hydrated - water refill stations available at event.
🧢 Wear light, breathable clothing and a hat
🌳 Take breaks in shaded/cooling areas on-site
👀 Check on kids, older adults, and anyone who seems overheated

Bring your red-white-and-blue spirit and come celebrate 250 years of America with your neighbors tonight!

Full Detials: fairfaxva.gov/july4

❤️💙What's cuter than a PATRIOTIC PUPPY? 9 Patriotic Puppies! 😃😍🐶 Get your NEW mini-art prints starting TODAY at OLD D...
07/03/2026

❤️💙What's cuter than a PATRIOTIC PUPPY? 9 Patriotic Puppies! 😃😍🐶 Get your NEW mini-art prints starting TODAY at OLD DOMINION PIZZA COMPANY in Fairfax City! 3950 University Drive. Limited time! ⌛⏳ Just $1!

07/03/2026

The City of Fairfax has canceled the Independence Day Parade due to extreme heat. Our top priority is the safety of attendees and city staff working the event.

The Evening Show will start at 8 p.m., with gates opening at 7:30 p.m. Evening Show shuttle service begins at 7 p.m. from George Mason University’s Rappahannock River Parking Deck and Woodson High School. Fireworks are scheduled for approx. 9:30 p.m.

The Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center’s open house and lawn party has also been canceled.

Fairfax City Parks and Recreation Old Town Fairfax Business Association - OTFBA Central Fairfax Chamber of Commerce City of Fairfax Police Department City of Fairfax Fire Department

Historic Blenheim will be closed June 29 - July 8. The city is renovating the lobby of the modern Civil War Interpretive...
06/27/2026

Historic Blenheim will be closed June 29 - July 8. The city is renovating the lobby of the modern Civil War Interpretive Center building. The grounds remain open, including goat viewing, and house tours will resume after renovations are completed.

City of Fairfax Government Fairfax City Parks and Recreation

June is full of history, hands-on activities, and special programs with Fairfax City Historic Resources! This month, we ...
06/06/2026

June is full of history, hands-on activities, and special programs with Fairfax City Historic Resources! This month, we are participating in the 250th Commemoration of America’s independence with programs exploring food history, maps, museum objects, Civil War stories, and more.

🍳 Cooking Through History
Saturday, June 6 | 10–11:30 a.m.
Historic Blenheim
Ages 6–Adult | Free, registration required
Explore how food can teach us about communities and cultures, then cook and sample a real historic dish!

🔎 Museum Explorers
Thursday, June 18 | 10–10:45 a.m.
Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center
Ages 2–4 | Free, registration required
Little historians will explore an object from our exhibits or collections through a story, song, craft, and activity.

🗺️ 250 Years of Maps!
Tuesday, June 23 | 10–11 a.m.
Historic Blenheim
Ages 7–13 | Free, registration required
Kids will explore how maps of Virginia and Fairfax have changed over time, learn basic map and compass skills, and create their own map.

✨ Corsets and Contraband: African American Women’s Labor in the Fight for Freedom
Saturday, June 27 | 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
Historic Blenheim
Ages 6–Adult | Free, drop-in event
Step into an immersive living history event featuring historic interpreters, hands-on activities, themed stations, film screenings, and exhibit displays. Explore the stories of Lucy Ann Walker, Mary Bowser, and Mary Louvestre, and discover how African American women’s labor became a powerful tool of resistance during the Civil War.

You can also find us out in the community this month!

⛵ The Historic Resources Division will have tables featuring activities, history, and information at the Sails on the Potomac event in Alexandria, June 12–14. Come see us there!

🎉 The Historic Resources Division will have tables of activities, history, and information at the Fairfax City Juneteenth Celebration in the Stacey C. Sherwood Community Center on Friday, June 19, from 6–9 p.m. Come see us there!

Registration is required for select programs. Visit our website for more details and to reserve your spot!
City of Fairfax Government Fairfax City Parks and Recreation VA250 - American Revolution 250 Commission

Address

10209 Main Street
Fairfax, VA
22030

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Fairfax City Museums posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category