Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center

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Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center

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

rams throughout the year, including the popular Second Sunday series. 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.

07/15/2024

We were so excited to be featured as one of FOX 5’s Zip Trip’s “5 Must Stops” in the City!

City of Fairfax Government

Your 5 must stops when you visit Fairfax!

07/09/2024

Join us this Sunday July 14 at 2 p.m. at Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center for this free panel discussion with Fairfax City neighbors sharing their immigration stories. Program offered in conjunction with the traveling exhibition “Immigration: An American Story” on display from through August 9.

06/28/2024

We love our Museum friends - and we hope our friend that lost their bracelet near our building will see this ! Come on by and pick it up if it’s yours - we are open 11am - 4 pm every day. City of Fairfax Government

06/27/2024

Buying a brick on our front walk helps Historic Fairfax City, Inc. support preservation and programs at all our city historic sites! Plus , we love it when folks come visit to find their brick. City of Fairfax Government

Have you been putting off buying a recognition brick for the walkway in front of the Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center? Well DON'T WAIT! Orders are due by July 15 for the next batch! Learn more here: https://www.historicfairfax.org/2024/06/26/recognition-brick-orders-due-july-15/

06/22/2024

Due to the heat, Ratcliffe-Allison-Pozer house will be closed today. Fairfax Museum is open - and cool !

06/15/2024

We're honoring National Immigrant Heritage Month with our new traveling banner exhibition from The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History

Immigration: An American Story, highlights the stories of those who came to America, some by force and others by choice, each one leaving behind their own imprint on the United States.

City of Fairfax Government

05/15/2024

Join us at Historic Blenheim Saturday 2 pm for this free talk.

05/10/2024

‘Tis the season - Ratcliffe-Allison-Pozer house has reopened for tours ! Meet docents Saturdays Noon-3 p.m. to enjoy a FREE in depth tour of the city’s oldest residence. And hear about Kitty Pozer , one of the city’s first advocates for historic preservation.
We’ll be open for short tours as well during Festival on Main May 19, 1-4 pm !
City of Fairfax GovernmentHistoric Fairfax City, Inc.

05/08/2024

We can use your help ! Please comment on this survey as we update our City of Fairfax Government website.

We need your feedback! We are building a new website to serve you better — and your feedback at this early stage of the process is vital.

Please take this short survey: https://ows.io/qs/avbsytha

05/01/2024

Please welcome Laszlo Palko, the new city manager, at a community reception from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at the Sherwood Community Center.

No reservation needed - just drop in! We hope to see you there.

Info: fairfaxva.gov

05/01/2024

We’re ready for Historic Preservation Month! Follow us here and on Instagram to learn more about why Historic Preservation is so important to our Office.
National Trust for Historic Preservation

Historic preservation is more than capturing a moment in time in : it boots economic development, generates tourism, and guides smart and sustainable growth and neighborhood revitalization — all while maintaining community character and identity and enhancing livability.

May is Historic Preservation Month. This year’s theme, People Saving Places, honors community contributions that save places of local and national importance. Kitty Barrett Pozer, the private owner of the Ratcliffe-Allison-Pozer House in Old Town Fairfax, performed the necessary research to have her home added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973, and upon her death donated the house and property to the city to be opened as a public historic site.

In 1982, the city chartered Historic Fairfax City, Inc. (HFCI), to manage and preserve historic properties and increase the public’s appreciation for local history. City residents formed the “Coalition to Save Blenheim,” which led to the city’s 1999 purchase of the 1859 house and the surrounding 12 acres.

In 2000, the city created the Office of Historic Resources to manage historic sites and programs, which allowed HFCI to transition to historic advocacy and fundraising.

It’s vital that the community participate in activities that foster awareness and appreciation of historic structures and contributions that shaped the history of Fairfax City.

Tonight, Mayor Catherine Read proclaimed May 2024 as Historic Preservation Month in Fairfax City and encouraged the community to participate in activities that foster awareness and appreciation of historic structures and contributions that shaped the history of Fairfax City. Accepting the proclamation were Historic Resources staff and members and friends of Historic Fairfax City, Inc..

Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center
Historic Blenheim/Civil War Interpretive Center

04/23/2024

We’ll be closed Saturday April 27 - join us at Fairfax HisTree Day at Historic Blenheim/Civil War Interpretive Center!

04/02/2024

There are still a few days left in the Fairfax City contest for Voter Stickers ! Sponsored by the Office of Elections in collaboration with the Commission on the Arts. Come by to pick up forms - due April 12 - or check out the city website for more info!

04/01/2024

So much fun today at our Eras craft day ! City of Fairfax Government

03/27/2024

Our Curator Megan Leining will be heading over to Falls Church Friday for this talk - come and join !

Military History Forum Program: Not Forgotten - The Story of the Offerings at the Wall
🗓️ Friday, March 29, at 10 a.m. at the Community Center

Guest speaker Megan Leining will discuss the history and creation of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and the organic way the collection began as people left items at the Wall. These evocative objects shed light on both the stories of the soldiers who served and their friends and family at home.

Megan Leining is the Curator and Collections Manager for the City of Fairfax Office of Historic Resources. She has also worked for the Fairfax County Park Authority and the National Park Service.

The Military History Forum is free. For more information, contact Tracy Browand, Director of the Falls Church Senior Center, at 703-248-5020 (TTY 711) or [email protected].

03/22/2024

No foolin - save the date April 1 for free crafts at the Museum!

03/20/2024

See you Saturday for this talk with our Blenheim Site Manager , Andrea Loewenwarter.

03/12/2024

Spring is springing at Historic Blenheim!

02/28/2024

Join us Sunday, March 10 at 2 p.m. at the City of Fairfax Regional Library for "The Power of Words: Female Voices Matter," honoring Women’s History Month. This program is jointly sponsored by the City of Fairfax Commission for Women, the City of Fairfax Regional Library, and the City of Fairfax Office of Historic Resources.

02/14/2024

We ❤️ our community! Check out the awesome contributions that have been made to our community puzzle! Stop in anytime to add your piece. Everyone fits in our community!
City of Fairfax Government

02/14/2024

Get to know the Office of Historic Resources in 2024! Did you know we operate three historic sites in the City? We have permanent exhibitions, gift shops, conduct historic tours of our properties, and host traveling exhibitions, educational talks, and family friendly programming! You can also usually find us at major city events! We’ll be sharing more information about what we do and who we are as the year goes on! So take some time to get to know us better this year; we’re looking forward to seeing you!

02/06/2024

Join us Sunday at Historic Blenheim (3610 Blenheim Blvd. ) for Frederick Douglass Live - best for ages 8 and up.
City of Fairfax Government

02/03/2024

went to Old Town Hall to get A Taste of Chocolate at the City of Fairfax Chocolate Lovers Festival, then came to Ratcliffe-Allison-Pozer house for a tour ! Come join us at all the sweet events this weekend. City of Fairfax GovernmentFairfax City Parks and Recreation

Address

10209 Main Street
Fairfax, VA
22030

Website

https://www.fairfaxva.gov/government/historic-resources/fairfax-museum-visitor-center

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Videos

You won’t have to keep your eyes closed if you stop by the museum between 2 - 4 pm on Monday! We have solar eclipse glasses that can be used by and shared with our visitors while you’re at the museum. The NASA Eclipse Explorer currently has the eclipse start in our area at 2:03 pm with peak coverage at 87.6% at 3:19 pm. We’re a free museum open to the public 11 am - 4 pm daily. City of Fairfax Government #community #solareclipse2024 #eclipseglasses #freekidsactivities

Little Virginia is excited to share this 2023 look back ! Thanks for visiting our historic sites - we’re looking forward to 2024. City of Fairfax Government #2023season #newyear #hello2024 #smallmuseum #fairfax #community #2023recap

Having fun at Victorian Christmas at Historic Blenheim !

We have new ornaments, stickers, and more! A selection of these items will be available at Fall Festival, but you can always stop by the museum! #fallfestival #FairfaxCity #museummerch

Have the day off school and looking for fun ? Come add to our community puzzle , build your own town , and try our exhibit scavenger hunt ! #dayoff City of Fairfax GovernmentCity of Fairfax Schools

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Our Story

The Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center is open 9-5, 7 days a week, and admission is FREE. (Closed Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, 1/2 day Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.) 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 series. The Visitor Center stocks maps and information about sites and special events throughout Virginia and the D.C. area. 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 10 AM -3 PM, with a guided tour at 1 pm - FREE Front Desk: (703)591-0560 The Ratcliffe-Allison House - 10386 Main St. Fairfax open Saturdays 11 AM-2 PM April through October, and City special events - FREE Guided group tours and educational programs for students, scouts, and adults are available by reservation at all of our sites.