Free Key To The City Pass Offered During Shutdown In Alexandria

ALEXANDRIA, VA—While attractions like the Smithsonian museums and the National Zoo are not open during the federal government shutdown, Alexandria has visitors covered. Museums and historic sites remain open, and federal government employees can score a number of deals.

Among the offers is a free Key to the City museum pass, which offers access to nine historic sites. The offer is good for both local federal government workers and hotel visitors. The offer can be redeemed at the Alexandria Visitor Center, 221 King Street, any time from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Federal workers can show their employee ID and visitors can show their room key to receive the pass.

Sites included in the pass are: the Alexandria Black History Museum, Alexandria’s History Museum at the Lyceum, Carlyle House Historic Park, Freedom House Museum, Friendship Firehouse Museum, Gadsby’s Tavern Museum, George Washington Masonic National Memorial Observation Deck, Lee-Fendall House Museum & Garden and Stabler-Leadbeater Apothecary Museum. The pass also has a 40 percent discount coupon for George Washington's Mount Vernon. The pass is normally valued at $44.

The free Key to the City Pass joins a number of other offers for federal workers in Alexandria:

• Free learn-to-knit classes at fibre space (daily during shutdown)
• free metalworking workshops at Wearever Jewelry (Jan. 3 and 5)
• Free buffet lunch at Diya Indian Cuisine (weekdays through Jan. 11)
• Free pulled pork sandwich at Pork Barrel BBQ for federal government workers and federal contractors (weekdays during shutdown)
• Discount at Escape Room Live with promo code DCOPEN (through Jan. 10)

Other sites are free for anyone and open during the shutdown: the Torpedo Factory Art Center, Alexandria Archaeology Museum, Fort Ward Museum & Historic Site and National Inventors Hall of Fame. Check each museum or historic site for operating hours.

Image via R. Kennedy/Visit Alexandria