athenaeum

This space has regular art shows which are always interesting. It's so close to the King St. that it's worth stopping by.

The Athenaeum was built in 1851, as a bank. Its architectural design followed the Greek revival style building of the late 19th Century. Today it's an art gallery, and another part of the beautiful Old Alexandria.

Just another of the many interesting historic sites in Old Town Alexandria. This, along with the many other historic sites, helps paint a vivid picture of live in the past several hundred years in Alexandria.

Often overlooked, the NVFAA has a number of excellent programs for the public--either free or reasonably priced.

My wife and I visited the Athenaeum during a group tour of Old Town Alexandria. The Athenaeum is a Greek Revival building built in 1851; it was home to the Bank of the Old Dominion, where Robert E. Lee did his banking. Today it is an art gallery and home of the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association.

Built in 1851 as a bank, this is a beautifully maintained example of the Greek Revival period. Perched on a corner just off King Street, it stands out among the captains' home built along the same street. The Athenaeum is home to a northern Virginia arts association with a continuing change display of art on its walls. A welcoming staff with no admission charge. It also hosts a variety of events open to the public. Tonight the Songwriters Association of Washington hosted the Chatham Street duo for an evening of folk music as part of their monthly (2nd Thursdays) concerts. A delightful evening in an intimate setting. (There is an admission charge for most of these events.)

This is a great art venue, tucked away in the historic streets in an historic bank. It's also quite lovely in the courtyard outback. This venue also does small events, so bear that in mind, too!

We viewed a very interesting exhibit entitled Words and Letters. The woman at the exhibit spoke to us about the artists and their works. She took time to talk to our children about the art. A favorite piece was Wordfall by Francie Hester and Lisa Hill. The exhibit was not overwhelming. The pieces chosen caught our attention.

I did not have a chance to walk through the building, however I did attend an Edgar Allen Poe reading. That was very cool since the building is old and supposedly haunted.