Alexandria Athenaeum
Home to the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association (NVFAA), the Athenaeum in Alexandria serves as a gallery, performance space, and rental venue. The neoclassical Greek Revival building features 24-foot-high (7.3-meter) coved ceilings, enormous windows, ornate woodwork, and four towering Doric columns on the outside. Once a bank, factory, and church, the building is one of two surviving examples of this style of architecture in Old Town.
The basics
Most guided tours of Alexandria pass by the Athenaeum to admire the architecture, but you can also visit independently, see a show, or stop by the gallery, which is dedicated to showcasing work created by artists in the region. There are various ancillary programs, such as gallery talks, demonstrations, and children's workshops, while classes held in the main room include yoga and ballet.
Things to know before you go
- The Athenaeum is open to the public free of charge.
- The Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association named the building after Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom.
- There are portable ramps to allow wheelchair access to the main floor, but the restrooms are not accessible.
How to get there
The Athenaeum is located on Prince Street in Old Town Alexandria, moments from the cobblestoned 100 block known as Captain's Row, and one block south of King Street. The free King Street Trolley stops close by and travels the length of the street daily from 11am to 11pm.
When to get there
The gallery at the Athenaeum is open Thursday through Sunday, from 12 to 4pm. Check the website for the most up-to-date information on performances, events, and more. In general, travelers visit Alexandria across all four seasons, including winter when the town hosts festive holiday celebrations. Spring brings cherry blossoms; fall, colorful foliage; and summer, warm weather.
Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum
From 1907, the Athenaeum building was used as a pharmacy factory for the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Shop. Today, you can visit the Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum in Old Town, a preserved space that features shelves lined with potions stored in hand-blown bottles, along with mortars, pestles, and equipment.
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