Privately Funded Estate Open During Federal Government Shutdown With Value Pricing Options
Mount Vernon, VA, October 1, 2025 – While the federal government remains shut down, the privately funded estate of America's first president remains open. Visitors are invited to discover the breathtaking autumn beauty of George Washington's Mount Vernon and experience beloved fall traditions including the Fall Wine Festival, Fall Harvest Family Days, Trick-or-Treating, and much more.
Guests also can take advantage of several exceptional value pricing programs designed to keep this iconic historic site accessible to all. Purchase a full-price admission ticket in 2025 and enjoy unlimited daytime visits to Mount Vernon for the rest of the year. Additionally, Mount Vernon participates in the Visit Alexandria Key to the City Pass, which offers a deep discount to the estate. Plus, every Tuesday at the Mount Vernon Inn, children ages 12 and under receive a complimentary kid's meal with every adult entrée.
Beyond exploring the stunning 500-acre estate, discover these popular upcoming events and activities. Related photos and videos for media use are available here, with attribution to the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association.
Slave Memorial Commemoration on October 4. Mount Vernon joins Black Women United for Action to honor the lives and legacies of the enslaved men, women, and children who lived and labored at Mount Vernon. This powerful event features special guests, live performances, and a wreath-laying ceremony at the Slave Memorial—a moment of reflection, remembrance, and unity that brings people of all ages together to honor the past. Learn more.
U.S. Marine Band Chamber Concert on October 4. Step back in time and immerse yourself in the vibrant musical sounds of Mount Vernon. Enjoy Scottish folk songs and an 18th-century quartet performed by the Marine Chamber Ensembles in Parades, Plows, Parties & Parlors. Learn more.
Quilts at the American Museum & Gardens on October 6. Join us for lunch and a captivating discussion with Kate Hebert, Chief Curator at the American Museum & Gardens, as she explores the remarkable quilt collection. Learn more.
Fall Wine Festival on October 10-12. Savor unlimited samples from Virginia's finest wineries while relaxing on a blanket with stunning views of the Potomac River. Enjoy live music and explore this historic estate after hours. Learn more.
Fall Harvest Family Days on October 18-19. Celebrate the crisp autumn season with authentic 18th-century activities and demonstrations at the Farm at Mount Vernon. Watch wheat-treading in Washington's innovative 16-sided barn, discover colonial-era horseshoeing techniques, participate in fife and drum discussions, observe hemp dressing and flax processing, explore archaeological discoveries from the estate, play traditional lawn games, and even meet General Washington himself. Learn more.
Book Talk: The Mother of Washington in Nineteenth-Century America on October 23. Hear from historian Kate Haulman, author of The Mother of Washington in Nineteenth-Century America, as she examines the role of motherhood by tracing the creation and evolution of the Mother of Washington figure. Learn more.
Trick-or-Treating on October 25. Experience a one-of-a-kind Halloween adventure! Trick-or-treaters can collect candy throughout the historic grounds while enjoying 18th-century entertainment and activities. Learn more.
Sensory-Friendly Family Morning on October 25. Neurodivergent individuals and their families are invited to join us for a welcoming sensory-friendly morning and tour. Learn more.
And jumping into November, Mount Vernon will host The American Military at 250: The 2025 George Washington Symposium on November 7-8. Join Richard Bell and other historians and military leaders for a fascinating look at the formation and day-to-day existence of our nation’s first standing army, the ever-important civil-military divide, and the role of the U.S. military in modern society. Learn more.
Please note that Mount Vernon has embarked upon a landmark Mansion Revitalization project to preserve America's first president's home for generations to come. Preservation teams are restoring the framing, masonry, drainage, and environmental controls. The Mansion remains open during this vital work, with individual rooms temporarily taken off display as restoration progresses. The Education Center exhibit on George Washington's life will be closed for an extensive rebuild until Spring 2026. However, the expansive estate remains fully accessible, including the museum, more than a dozen historic buildings, the gardens and farm, and the Tomb.
Mount Vernon, the home of George Washington, is owned and operated by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association, the oldest national historic preservation organization in the United States. The estate is open to visitors and includes the Mansion, a museum and education center, gardens, tombs, a working farm, a functioning distillery, and a gristmill, as well as the George Washington Presidential Library at Mount Vernon.
###
