WHM Speaker Series
April 3, 2025
10:00 AM
Central Rappahannock Regional Library
Join WHM for the Speaker Series. With a variety of topics, there is something to interest everyone! Our speakers and subjects will be announced soon. In the meantime, we hope you will enjoy watching some of our past lectures on the WHM YouTube Channel.
.png)
Tartan Day
April 5, 2025
11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop
Join us as we honor the Scottish heritage of Hugh Mercer. Mercer was an immigrant who fought at the Battle of Culloden before coming to America. WHM will be joined by the Scottish Society of Fredericksburg for a celebration of the Declaration of Arboath. This document, a letter sent to Pope John XXII in 1320, declared Scotland’s independence. It is considered to be one of the most important documents in Scottish History.
We will be celebrating with live music, refreshments, and complimentary tours of the Apothecary. The Scottish Society of Fredericksburg will be on hand to share information about their organization.
Tea Talk
April 8, 2025
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM & 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Mary Washington House
Please join us on Tuesday, April 8 for a very special Gardening Tea Talk as we learn more about Downtown Greens, Fredericksburg’s very own non-profit organization that provides over 58 acres of park-like greenspace and gardens. Our featured speaker, Janet Douberly, will talk about this amazing organization and will also highlight many of the vegetables that Washington Heritage Museums has planned for Mary’s Garden. She will also provide us with helpful gardening tips and fun facts.
Janet has been with Downtown Greens for five years and previously worked as the gardener for George Washington’s Ferry Farm. She is a Certified Virginia Master Naturalist and a Tree Steward in Fredericksburg.
.png)
St. James’ House Spring Opening
Monday, April 28 to Saturday, May 3, 2025
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Daily
Tour the beautiful home and garden of one of Fredericksburg's early attorneys, James Mercer. The house is particularly noted for its fine collection of antique furniture and decorative arts acquired by Daniel Breslin and William Tolerton. Together, they restored St. James’ in the mid-1960s and eventually bequeathed it to Preservation Virginia. St. James’ House now serves as the headquarters for Washington Heritage Museums.​
$10 adult admission, discounted admission available.
WHM members tour free. Tickets available in April.
WHM Speaker Series
May 1, 2025
10:00 AM
Central Rappahannock Regional Library
Join WHM for the Speaker Series. With a variety of topics, there is something to interest everyone! Our speakers and subjects will be announced soon. In the meantime, we hope you will enjoy watching some of our past lectures on the WHM YouTube Channel.
A Monumental Celebration: Honoring America’s First Mother
May 4, 2025
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Mary Washington Monument
Join WHM as we honor Mary Washington and her contributions as America’s First Mother. Our free, community event is modeled after the historic 1954 wreath laying attended by President Eisenhower and the USMC Band. This will be a great way to spend your Sunday afternoon with family and friends. Come see the USMC Band and many great speakers that are sure to delight you! Check back here for more information about the day's activities and programs offered. Rain or shine. Bring your camp chairs and picnic blankets.
Games in the Garden
Saturday, May 17, 2025
11 AM to 1 PM
Mary Washington House
FREE outdoor activities, and museum tours available with paid admission
​
​Step into the Mary Washington House Garden to enjoy games as they were played in the 18th century! Some are rarely played today, while others we know now by different names. Children will enjoy testing their skills while playing these fun, hands-on games!
Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence
Friday, July 4, 2025
11:00 AM, 1:00 PM & 3:00 PM
Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop
FREE, museum tours available with admission ticket
Join Washington Heritage Museums at the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop as we celebrate our independence with the annual live reading of the Declaration of Independence. Living historians will read this historic document from the steps in front of this 18th-century building in a moving experience you won't want to miss!
.png)
Registration will open April 2025
Twilight History at Washington Heritage Museums
Monday, July 28 to Thursday, July 31, 2025
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Location varies by evening
Young historians will enjoy the gift of historic games & activities this summer! This four-evening program is designed engage students with hands-on experiences that explore local history. Programs will rotate between four of Fredericksburg’s most historic sites, including the Hugh Mercer Apothecary Shop, Rising Sun Tavern, Mary Washington House, and Mary Washington Monument. This a great chance for parents to relax and enjoy downtown Fredericksburg during Fredericksburg’s Restaurant Week!
$150 per registrant, $125 for WHM Members.
Participants must be 8 to 12 years of age during the program.
Bourbon and Boxwood – 10th Anniversary
October 4, 2025
7:00 – 10:00 PM
Mary Washington House
Attend this annual, sell-out event: a spirited garden party with live music, plentiful food, drinks, tastings, silent auction, fantastic guests, and an outstanding way to financially support all five historic properties and their educational programs.​
Sponsorships currently available, individual tickets available to the public on August 1, 2025.
