Washington Heritage Museums is a 501(c)3 membership organization established to assume ownership and management of four historic house museums in downtown Fredericksburg: Mary Washington House, Hugh Mercer Apothecary, St. James' House and Rising Sun Tavern.

We are an active organization of several hundred members dedicated to grow the support that will ensure the relevance of these legacies for generations to come.

Washington Heritage Museums hosts regular educational programs and social events. Our organization manages, maintains and staffs the museums.

We continue to grow our active membership to generate the resources necessary to preserve these priceless historic properties for enjoyment and appreciation of current and future generations.

Washington Heritage Museums’ mission is to preserve, promote and maintain its four 18th century properties in Fredericksburg, Virginia and develop dynamic educational resources and programs to engage and inspire the interest of everyone.

In 1890, a representative of the 1893 Columbian Exposition visited Fredericksburg for the purpose of purchasing, dismantling, and shipping the home of George Washington’s mother, Mary, to Chicago for display. Alarmed by the news, women of the newly formed Association for the Preservation of Virginia Antiquities (APVA) pooled resources, acquired the house, and opened it to the public.

In more recent years, APVA became Preservation Virginia, and in time their mission progressed more towards advocacy than ownership of historic house museums.

In 2012, in anticipation of assuming independent ownership of Preservation Virginia’s four 18th century house museums in Fredericksburg, Virginia, core leaders of the local Preservation Virginia branch formed Washington Heritage Museums. Hundreds more from over two dozen states accepted the invitation to join as founders.

The new organization gained 501(c) 3 recognition on October 23, 2012. After placing easements on each property, Preservation Virginia formally gifted the Mary Washington House, the Rising Sun Tavern, the Hugh Mercer Apothecary, and the St. James’ House on January 3, 2013, and also conveyed all contents, collections, and associated financial assets.

With its official role completed, the venerable branch dissolved and passed its 123-year preservation and service traditions to Washington Heritage Museums, which assumed stewardship of the museums, and created governance for the organization