The Arlington Historical Society Museum is preparing to reopen after months of renovation and restoration work.
The museum at 1805 S. Arlington Ridge Road, which closed last summer for repairs, is hosting a grand reopening event on Saturday, May 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Historical society leaders and volunteers have “worked diligently over the past several months to update older exhibits and introduce new ones featuring original stories and historical signage,” Bethany Baker, the museum director, said in a press release.
“The goal is to help visitors rediscover Arlington’s history, from the era of Native peoples to today’s vibrant multicultural community,” she said.
One of the new exhibits is titled “Memorializing the Enslaved,” showcasing local efforts to honor the contributions of people kept in bondage in Arlington between the 1660s and 1865.
“The exhibit seeks to ensure their voices are acknowledged and remembered through historical records, artifacts and personal stories,” society officials said.
The recent renovation involved the preservation of 47 windows and other attempts to reduce moisture and humidity. It also opened up more of the facility as exhibition space and, on the second floor, an education center and community room.
The museum is open on weekends throughout the year. It is housed in the former Hume School, which was built in 1891 and served students through 1956.
The Arlington Historical Society received a deed to the property in 1960. It opened as a museum in May 1963, with exhibits on Arlington and Virginia history.
The building is listed on the national and state historic registers, and is a local historic district.
It’s named after Frank Hume, a Confederate veteran of the Civil War wounded at the Battle of Gettysburg. Hume settled in Arlington after the war, serving both in local office and in the General Assembly.
Known for his philanthropic work, Hume donated land adjacent to the school building, which became a playground.
The historical society owns another building, the Ball-Sellers House located in Glencarlyn. Dating back to the mid-1700s, it is the oldest residential property in Arlington, and is open to visitors April through October on weekends.
