Open 365 days a year, Mount Vernon is located just 15 miles south of Washington DC.
From the mansion to lush gardens and grounds, intriguing museum galleries, immersive programs, and the distillery and gristmill. Spend the day with us!
Discover what made Washington "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen".
The Mount Vernon Ladies Association has been maintaining the Mount Vernon Estate since they acquired it from the Washington family in 1858.
Need primary and secondary sources, videos, or interactives? Explore our Education Pages!
The Washington Library is open to all researchers and scholars, by appointment only.
The Washingtons loved the arts and passed down their appreciation of music to their grandchildren, Nelly and Washy. While the Washington family was well known for their musical admiration, music was also very important to the enslaved community. Discover more about music here at Mount Vernon!
Music wasn’t just an “at home” activity: it was heavily used throughout the events of the American Revolution. The main instruments of the American army were the fife and drum. Click the link below to learn about how these instruments were used.
Enslaved labor was often inhumane, and music was an outlet for the enslaved community. It allowed them to express themselves amidst their situation and environment.
Some of the enslaved played instruments such as fiddles and jaw harps, while others played drums or banjos made from gourds. There was also singing and dancing whenever music was involved. To the enslaved community, music was more than just a melody: it was a part of life.
Francis Hopkinson wrote a composition dedicated to George Washington in 1788
Harpsichordist Dr. Joyce Lindorff talks about Nelly's passion for playing the harpsichord and piano and the importance of music in the Washington household.
Click the link to play the harpsichord just like a Washington!
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