Events & Programs

Upcoming Events & Virtual Programs

Fossil Hunting Excursions at Stratford Hall

Sunday, May 7, 2023 – SOLD OUT!

Sunday, June 4, 2023 – SOLD OUT!

Saturday, July 22, 2023 – Registration opens June 1, 2023!

Saturday, August 5, 2023 – Registration opens July 1, 2023!

Sunday, October 1, 2023 – Registration opens September 1, 2023!

Dating from the Miocene Epoch – approximately 17 to 10 million years ago, the Stratford Cliffs are part of a rare geological phenomenon ranking among the most important fossil research sites in the Mid-Atlantic region. Whether you are a seasoned collector, or this is your first experience, Stratford Hall is the place for you! Spend a day hunting for fossils along the shores of the Potomac, explore the Stratford Cliffs, and enjoy the beauty and tranquility of the great outdoors!

Excursions are rated at a moderately strenuous to strenuous activity level requiring long periods of walking, hiking, standing, stooping, and bending. If you wish to access the further extremities of the beach, this will include climbing over or under washed up debris or felled trees. Minimum age requirements for all fossil hunting excursions are 8 years old. Any participant under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

Event Time: 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM

Cost: $35 per adults and $30 per child (ages 8 to 13)

Age requirements: 8+ years of age

Availability: 40 slots (35 adults, 5 children)

Additional information will be provided via email prior to your visit. Please contact Kelly Childress at kchildress@stratfordhall.org with any questions regarding Stratford Hall’s fossil hunting excursions.

Stratford Summer Saturdays

Saturday, July 15 & Saturday, August 19; 10 am – 4 pm

Join us on the third Saturday of July and August as we offer special activities for our visitors while exploring the rich history and natural beauty of Stratford Hall. Discover what life was like in colonial Virginia while taking a self-guided audio tour of the historic area and learn about various facets of the18th century through educational demonstrations. Members of our museum staff will share different aspects of the site through paleontology, archaeology, collections, and preservation.

Cost: $15 per adult (14+)

$9 per child (ages 6 to 13)

Children 5 and under free

Independence Day at Stratford Hall

Tuesday, July 4, 2023

Celebrate the Fourth of July at the home of the only two brothers who signed the Declaration of Independence! Explore the Great House, garden, grounds, Visitor Center exhibit: Stratford at the Crossroads, & the Gift Shop. Enjoy $4 admission, 18th-century colonial games, outdoor yard games, and a colonial craft-making activity. Explore the historic grounds, nature trails, and Potomac River beachfront and tour the Great House with one of our five self-guided audio tours.

Free admission for children under 5.

Purchase tickets in advance!

First Africans Day

Saturday, July 22, 2023

10 am – 7 pm

Come and visit Stratford Hall for First Africans Day, commemorating the enslaved Africans and African Americans who built and sustained Stratford Hall and the Lee family for generations. This will be a free, full day of remembering and honoring those enslaved at Stratford Hall and their descendants, through music, storytelling, special tours, and lectures.