Un/Bound: Free Black Virginians 1619-1865

January 28 - March 9

This traveling exhibit from the Virginia Museum of History and Culture explores the lives of free Black Virginians from the arrival of the first captive Africans in 1619 to the abolition of slavery in 1865.

Discover how Virginia’s people of color achieved their freedom and persevered within a legal system that recognized them as free but not equal.

The Museum is open Wednesdays through Mondays, 11 am - 4 pm. Closed Tuesdays and February 16, Presidents' Day. FREE

Museum Explorers for ages 2-4 returns!  

Participants will explore one object from our exhibits or collections and do an activity and/or game, sing a song, do a craft and read a story—all connected to the featured object or its related themes.

Thursdays, February 5 and 19 at 10 a.m. Registration Required: Museum Explorers 

Museum Skills - a fun new program for ages 9-13!

The first program in a series that focuses on children learning different museum- and history-related skills. Participants will learn about the importance of historical objects by looking at examples housed at the Virginia Museum of History and Culture for the Un/bound: Free Black Virginians exhibit, discussing why objects are important to preserve and learning how to properly assess, handle and display a real historical object.

Monday February 16 at 10 a.m. Registration Required: Museum Skills: Historic Artifacts 

It's the sweetest time of the year - The annual Chocolate Lovers Festival arrives February 6 - 8 in Fairfax City!

Join us at our free programs: 

Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center: Exhibits Open - Feb. 7 and 8 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Check out the mini-art vending machine!

Ratcliffe-Allison-Pozer House: Free guided tours - Feb. 7, Noon-4 p.m., and Feb. 8, 1-3 p.m.

Historic Blenheim: Chocolate Through the Senses: A hands-on, family-friendly experience where kids and adults smell, touch, and taste ingredients to discover how spiced colonial-era chocolate differed from the chocolate we enjoy today. -  Feb. 7
10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. and 2-4 p.m.; Feb. 8 1-3 p.m.

Fairfax Museum and Visitor Center and Historic Blenheim are both great parking locations to catch the free Chocolate Express Shuttle Bus and ride to all the event locations! Learn more and plan ahead for festival fun: 

The Fairfax Museum & Visitor Center

Closed Presidents' Day, Monday February 16 (except for scheduled program) 

Historic Blenheim

Blenheim remains closed (except for scheduled programs and rentals) for routine maintenance, deep-cleaning, and operational planning.