the lyceum

TerrenceDean

I had this on my list to visit, and we did wander over. It is small, and basically two rooms. What they have, though, is a nice overview of Alexandria and its history, especially during the Civil War era. The staff is very nice. It won't take you a lot of time, but I would do it. Hint - bring small bills for the $4 suggested donation. Getting change can be a problem for them.

alysiar2014

To be honest, the museum didn't have as much as I thought it would have. Some of the artifacts were really interesting though. I'd just say that you shouldn't expect to spend more than 40 minutes here. The woman at the front desk said our admission price was optional, so we gave her $3 because we didn't have the full $4 in cash. If you have some time to kill, you can drop by, but overall, it isn't the most interesting place to visit in Alexandria.

ndm685

Local historical museum. Children's program running during our visit. Self guided tour. Feel free to skip this is you are short on time. The Apothecary is more interesting.

DCKMBELL

Free concert on the Sunday we visited was wonderful and the perfect length for an interlude. The exhibit we saw after was informative and eye opening. Coming from true northern state we tend to forget how close the south really was to Washington DC during the civil war!!! Glad we stopped in and saw this lovely old building up close and personal

D0uglasA

I attended a concert here at the Lyceum conservatory; a colleague's daughter was playing her violin. I was impressed with the young group and the conductor - very professional and really quite good!The Lyceum was built in 1839 as a lecture hall and became a hospital during the Civil War. It is now on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as the Alexandria City history museum. Elegant and classy and worth a visit!

jeffl499

A beautiful classic building on Washington Street just south of the major intersection of the city, the Lyceum is a small but informative museum of the history of Alexandria. A series of rooms are linked together with pictures and written narrative to trace its history from Native Americans to its settlement by Scotch-Irish in 1749 through the turbulence of civil and world wars. Of particular interest are the Revolutionary War with George Washington calling Alexandria his home city, the War of 1812 that forced a surrender to the British and the Civil War that split the city into two with native son Robert E. Lee heading south to assume command of the Confederate army. Alexandria became one of the first major suburbs for the growing city of Washington. A noteworthy event was the first sit-in by African Americans in the city library in 1939, a precursor of the Civil Rights movement more than 20 years later. A knowledgeable volunteer staff and a small gift shop round out a brief visit. A $2 donation is requested rather than an admission fee.

VeraN

This historic building has a cute little museum inside with information about the early inhabitants, the founding of the city, and its development over the years. Well worth a 15-20 minute visit. And it is free admission.

Travelwestport

The museum is small but worth a stop. The real treat is if they are hosting a Saturday or Sunday afternoon concert. The acoustics are great and the music was perfect.

dino2mom

This museum is small but packed with several interesting artifacts and items from the past. They have a nice gift shop and the staff was very informative and nice.

drudol

there is always an interesting display in the lobby and they have many meetings, concerts and other events so check their schedule

JoHar6876

We had a good time. It was a self guided tour suitable for adults. I don't think small children would enjoy this venue.

Anthony-Susan

For those who are American history buffs, this is definitely worth a stop. The displays are easy to follow and packed with information. The photos are priceless. The recently upgraded shop is definitely worth browsing.

WhitO5214

This place is well-interpreted and well-organized. Definitely worth stopping in, and certainly worth spending an hour in. It's all about the history of Alexandria, which was a very instrumental city in the founding of our country!

jdb1980

With all our trips to Alexandria this was our first time at the Lyceum. The admission is cheap but you get a wealth of information and artifacts about the history of Alexandria. The woman who checked us in was filled with information and very excited that we found our way to this beautiful museum. After the museum we hit up Society Fair for some lunch. Made a great afternoon.

NCQuiltlady

The upstairs room, still used for concerts, etc. and pictured above, has a new carpet, authentic to the original...that was fun to see...very beautiful!! It also was used as a hospital during the Civil War so they have some displays to go with that time too.