Whether you’re visiting Alexandria, Virginia, for the first time and are looking for something to do with the family or if you’re simply a local museum enthusiast, this town has plenty of exciting museums to check out. From fine arts to gardens, there’s a museum for everyone in the Alexandria area.
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art is a not-for-profit museum that was established in 1937. This museum is one of the world’s renowned art museums and includes temporary exhibitions from all over the world. They offer several art-related learning resources for teachers, kids, parents, and adults with a passion for art and regularly participate in preeminent research that makes its way into publications.
The National Gallery of Art offers several attractions including tours, a sculpture garden, a gallery shop, and various areas to enjoy food and drinks. Tours include guided, self-guided, and school tours of the east building and west building of the National Gallery of Art. The sculpture garden boasts 6.1 acres of native American species of flower trees, ground covers, canopy trees, and perennials, as well as a large fountain that is made into an ice-skating rink in the winter months. The Gallery has several cafes, includes the Garden Cafe, the Terrace Cafe, the Pavilion Cafe, and an espresso and gelato bar.
The Gallery offers free admission for everyone and is open every day of the week.
College Park Aviation Museum
The College Park Aviation Museum is a one-and-a-half story museum dedicated to the historic and reproduction of aircraft. The museum focuses on portraying the history of the airfield and the first flights the world saw. This museum is chock-full of interactive exhibits that include simulator flights, outdoor pedal planes, and the opportunity to sit in the cockpit of a 1939 Taylorcraft.
Tour one of the many exhibitions, including the Field of Firsts, Early Civilian Aviation, Brinckerhoff Era, Berliners, Airmail 2018, the 1910 Wright Model B Reproduction, the 1916 Curtiss JN-4D “Jenny” Military Tractor, and the 1941 Boeing A75N1/PT-17 “Stearman.” After exploring the museum, be sure to drop by the museum store, which features a regularly changing selection of science and aviation books, toys, and souvenirs. The Museum is located just 30 minutes from Alexandria at 1985 Corporal Frank Scott Drive in College Park, Maryland.
National Inventors Hall of Fame and Museum
The National Inventors Hall of Fame Museum is part of the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office located at 600 Dulaney Street in the Madison Building in Alexandria, Virginia. This museum demonstrates how patents are examined and awarded and honors some of the most well-known inventors like Steve Jobs and Vinton G. Cerf. Enjoy the Intellectual Property Power exhibit, which showcases the impact trademarks and patents have on the world, or explore the evolution of the cell phone in the Qualcomm exhibit. Other exhibits to take in include the History of Patent Examination, the National Inventors Hall of Fame, and a look inside a one-of-a-kind 1965/2015 Ford Mustang.
Did you particularly enjoy a museum or find a museum you loved that wasn’t listed here? Drop by and let us know at Ourisman Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Alexandria.
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