Museum Description :Woodlawn and Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House are sites of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, located on the same grounds in historic Alexandria, Virginia. Visitors are encouraged to explore the contrasting architectural and historical backgrounds of these two unique homes. Our site is also home to the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture. Woodlawn and Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House are two historic sites owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. We are innovative partners with the Arcadia Center fo .. View More >>
Museum Description :Woodlawn and Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House are sites of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, located on the same grounds in historic Alexandria, Virginia. Visitors are encouraged to explore the contrasting architectural and historical backgrounds of these two unique homes. Our site is also home to the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food & Agriculture. Woodlawn and Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House are two historic sites owned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. We are innovative partners with the Arcadia Center for Sustainable Food and Agriculture as well as Nelly's Needlers, a group of dedicated women who continue needlepoint in Woodlawn's first owner, Nelly Custis' honor, as a way to support our sites. Woodlawn, the first site operated by the National Trust, was part of George Washington’s Mount Vernon. In 1799, he gave the site to his nephew, Lawrence Lewis, and Lewis’ new bride, Eleanor “Nelly” Parke Custis, Martha’s granddaughter, in hopes of keeping Nelly close to Mount Vernon. The newly-married couple built the Georgian/Federal house designed by William Thornton, architect of the U.S. Capitol. In 1846, the entire plantation was sold to Quaker timber merchants, who purposefully operated the farm plantation with free labor, making a statement in Virginia on the eve of the Civil War. At the turn of the twentieth century, two separate owners, Paul Kester and Elizabeth Sharpe, lovingly restored the property using the best Colonial Revival architects and builders. Senator Oscar Underwood from Alabama, an uncompromising advocate for civil rights, lived at the mansion from 1925 until his death in 1929. Operated as a historic house museum since 1949, Woodlawn is an interesting case-study of the cultural relevance of the house museum. Woodlawn relies on local support and engagement to succeed.
Museum Admission :Adults : $15
Kids (K-12) : $8
Seniors (62+)/Active Military with ID : $12
5 & under : Free
Museum Program :53rd Annual Woodlawn Needlwwork Exhibition
Date & Time : March 2 - 31, 2016 Daily : 10a.m. - 4p.m. Closed : Tuesday
Venue : 9000 Richmond Highway Alexandria, VA 22309
Contact : 703- 780-4000
e-mail : designbyambiance@cox.net
Details : The Woodlawn Needlework Exhibition honors the tradition of needlework that Nelly loved so much. All proceeds from this exhibition are used to preserve and maintain her estate, the first site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, our Pope-Leighey House and our 120 acre property. Many volunteers make this show possible each year. Artists who submit and visitors to the show help us maintain our high standard of quality works each year. We thank you so much for your support. Our street address is 9000 Richmond Highway, Alexandria, Virginia 22309. Please enter the property through our white gate, and proceed to the main visitor parking lot which is beyond the Woodlawn house. Entrance to the show is at the first set of glass doors- the museum entrance. If you have special needs or need assistance in any way, please call in advance. so that we may be of help
Lunch is available in our Underwood Room from 11:30-2 pm. There are no reservations unless you are a party of 9 or more, but we accommodate your party as soon as we can based on space availability. For large group reservations, please email us for more information. Over 500 pieces of high-quality contemporary needlework are on show inside our iconic historic house, built by Eleanor "Nelly" Custis (one of our very first 'celebrity craftswomen) and her husband Lawrence Lewis in 1805. You will not want to miss this extraordinary collection of varied works produced by artists from all over the country, or see our beautiful house. Our other property on site, Frank Lloyd Wright's Pope-Leighey House, is also available for private tours during the show hours. << View Less