Three Alexandria museums are participating in a new Virginia tourism campaign to commemorate the country’s 250th anniversary next year.
The new program, called the Virginia 250 Passport, includes Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, the Alexandria Black History Museum and the Alexandria History Museum at The Lyceum as part of a “passport” sweepstakes. The program encourages residents to visit various museums and historic sites throughout the commonwealth.
The program began yesterday (Tuesday), encompassing 70 destinations across Virginia. The passport, a 64-page commemorative booklet, serves as “a travel guide, discount book and keepsake,” according to a release.
“Travelers can collect unique stamps while visiting each passport site. Once they have secured a stamp in their passport, they can receive up to a 15% discount at future participating locations that charge admission.
Collecting at least five stamps makes them eligible to enter the prize drawing. Prizes will be drawn in December 2026 and include yearlong museum memberships and cash awards up to $2,500.”
A total of 250,000 passport booklets will be distributed for free at the following sites:
- Virginia Museum of History & Culture
- Colonial Williamsburg
- Mount Vernon
- Monticello
- Jamestown Settlement museum
- American Revolution Museum at Yorktown
- VA250 Mobile Museum
- All 12 Virginia Welcome Centers
The program is “a wonderful example of how, when Virginians work together, we can show the world the best of who we are,” Office of Historic Alexandria Director Gretchen Bulova said in the release.
“With support from the Virginia Tourism Corporation and VA250, this statewide effort celebrates Virginia’s pivotal role in shaping America’s past, present, and future — and serves as an inspiring model of collaboration and shared pride,” Bulova said.
The passport program was organized by the Virginia Museum of History & Culture (VMHC), Colonial Williamsburg, George Washington’s Mount Vernon, the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation (JYF) and Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello.
