Market Jam at the Museum
2025-03-08 09:00 - 11:00 (America/New_York) | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Join Montgomery JAM instructors and students for the Blacksburg Market Jam at the Alexander Black House! Instructors include Gina Dilg on fiddle, Ginger Wagner on banjo, Jason Dilg on bass and Paul Herling on guitar (sitting in for guitar instructor, Tim Thornton).

16 Squares Walking Tour
2025-03-13 08:00 - 09:00, 2025-03-27 08:00 - 09:00, 2025-04-10 08:00 - 09:00, 2025-04-24 08:00 - 09:00, 2025-05-08 08:00 - 09:00, 2025-05-22 08:00 - 09:00, 2025-06-05 08:00 - 09:00, 2025-06-19 08:00 - 09:00 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Meet us at The Alexander Black House and then explore the historic streets within the original 16 Squares of Blacksburg and learn the rich history and stories behind many of the buildings and landmarks throughout town that may go unnoticed. You may also schedule this tour by appointment if Thursdays don’t work for your group.
By request, as an add-on, can also tour St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall.
Please RSVP by email at info@blacksburghistory.org. Tours limited to 15 people.

B. Scott Crawford Lecture Series
2025-03-20 13:30 - 14:30 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Presentation #2
“A Wise man will Find us to be Rogues by our Face”: Physiognomy and Portraiture
Johnathan Swift’s observation about the relationship between character and physical features sums up an important comment of Western art. From the Ancient World into the 21st century, to varying degrees, the belief that physical features indicate clear and even irrefutable clues as to a person’s character influenced portraiture. Exploring Ancient statues and a host of Medieval and Renaissance paintings, as well as Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, the impact this pseudo-science, physiognomy, had on art and portraiture will be highlighted. Taking this overview as a starting point, Santi di Tito’s late 17th century portrait of Machiavelli will be examined through this physiognomic lens in order to better understand di Tito’s posthumous representation of the controversial philosopher and gain insight into Machiavelli’s work The Prince. This original research will provide both an understanding of physiognomy and a new understanding of at least one reason Machiavelli has been viewed as scandalous.

B. Scott Crawford holds a master’s degree in history from Old Dominion University and has an extensive background in education, having taught at the high school and college levels, as well as serving as the social studies coordinator, K-12, for a Virginia school division and as the Director of Education for the Museum of Western Virginia and then Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia. Scott currently serves as President & CEO for Virginia 811. He has been with the Notification Center since December 2016, serving as Director of Operations and then Vice President prior to moving into his current position in July 2020.

This event is free and part of our 2025 Lecture Series which will focus on Blacksburg history, community, and culture plus intriguing history and arts topics in general.

Education Exhibit Opening
2025-03-21 14:30 - 16:00 | VA
Members-Only Reception with Panel Discussion – 5:30-6:30pm
General Public Opening – 6:00-8:00pm

Please join us as we officially open our Education Room exhibit!

Since we consider this a community project, we will continue accepting relevant items that help tell a well-rounded story about education in Blacksburg and the surrounding area. We are looking for artifacts, books, photographs, memorabilia, oral histories, stories, documents and more. Your donations and/or loans can potentially help us complete the historic record of our area’s education system in all its challenges, triumphs, and milestones.

Feel free to bring items for consideration during our opening as well or just stop by to see what may fit the room!

Main Gallery Exhibit: Matt Gentry
2025-03-31 - 2025-06-06 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Regional Road Trip – Plein Air Paintings of the New River Valley and Beyond

“Regional Road Trip” consists of original watercolors, framed prints, and Appalachian Trail sketches in addition to a colorful array of Matt’s journals, all of which he has emphatically stated he wants visitors to thumb through. And if you know Matt, he means it! After all, one of his greatest joys in doing this type of traveling art is seeing us enjoy the journey.
Exhibit runs April 1 – June 6

Matt Gentry Opening Reception
2025-04-04 13:00 - 16:00 | VA
As part of Downtown Blacksburg Inc.’s Art Walk activities tomorrow evening, we will be open from 5-8pm with an exhibit opening reception for Matt Gentry’s plein air watercolor pieces. “Regional Road Trip” consists of original watercolors, framed prints, and Appalachian Trail sketches in addition to a colorful array of Matt’s journals, all of which he has emphatically stated he wants visitors to thumb through. And if you know Matt, he means it! After all, one of his greatest joys in doing this type of traveling art is seeing us enjoy the journey.
Additionally, alongside our reception food and in keeping with the theme, we will offer delectables fitting for a walk or hike outdoors. Perfect for our beautiful Spring weather!
We thank our rotating art exhibit sponsor, Shelter Alternatives, Inc.!

Genealogy Saturday
2025-04-05 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-05-03 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-06-07 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-07-05 09:00 - 12:00, 2025-08-02 09:00 - 12:00 | VA
Join Carol Smith and Don Braffitt in the Ronnie and Faye Marcum Blacksburg History and Genealogy Room at The Alexander Black House for our monthly Genealogy Saturday the first Saturday of each month. Carol and Don will be on hand to assist you as you explore your family tree. They will be able to demonstrate starting your family tree or help you conduct a deeper dive into specialized areas of genealogy. Come with questions about research and discovering your roots or come with no knowledge of your family and let them guide you. Just Come! Free and open to the public. For helpful family tree templates, visit our Genealogy Page.

Market Jam at the Museum
2025-04-12 10:00 - 12:00, 2025-05-10 10:00 - 12:00 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
House band information to come soon!

B. Scott Crawford Lecture Series
2025-04-17 13:30 - 14:30 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Presentation #3
“You Cannot Paint her too Beautiful for my Imagination”: Domesticity, Death, and Photography in 19th Century Portraiture
Portraiture is so often thought of as being a means to capture the image of a sitter determined to have his or her likeness preserved on canvas. However, not all sitters were alive. While not entirely new in the 19th century, the Victorian Age witnessed a unique culture of death with mourning portraiture being an important part of this culture. Lilly Martin Spencer, known for her reflections of 19th century domesticity, had a fairly lucrative career painting postmortem portraits. While she admitted that the new technology of photography threatened traditional portraiture, she was able to actually embrace this new technology to open new opportunities for revenue due to photography. Specifically, a painting in the Taubman Museum of Art’s collection will serve as the focus for how Spencer adapted to new technology and was able to remain relevant as an artist, finding a means to augment her household income and directly challenge the 19th century norms tied to domesticity so many of her portraits paradoxically reinforced.

B. Scott Crawford holds a master’s degree in history from Old Dominion University and has an extensive background in education, having taught at the high school and college levels, as well as serving as the social studies coordinator, K-12, for a Virginia school division and as the Director of Education for the Museum of Western Virginia and then Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia. Scott currently serves as President & CEO for Virginia 811. He has been with the Notification Center since December 2016, serving as Director of Operations and then Vice President prior to moving into his current position in July 2020.

This event is free and part of our 2025 Lecture Series which will focus on Blacksburg history, community, and culture plus intriguing history and arts topics in general.

B. Scott Crawford Lecture Series
2025-05-15 13:30 - 14:30 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Presentation #4
Art vs. Tyranny: The Ultimate Selfie
Pierre Daura, Modern Artist and resident mid-20th century Rockbridge County, Virginia, resident, created a unique Cubist inspired work of art in late 1945, possibly early 1946. The painting, titled Pax Pacific, depicts an abstract figure kneeling at a grave. However, the symbolism present within the work, along with a poem discovered as the inspiration of the work, carries this painting into a very different interpretive arena! Through an engaging interpretive journey, this presentation will demonstrate how works of art can easily contain much deeper meanings, and ultimately, in this case, suggest the possibility that a much richer meaning behind the work exists, allowing for the possibility of the abstract figure being a heretofore unknown portrait. Crawford published a short overview of his work on the painting Pax Pacific in The Volunteer, found here: https://albavolunteer.org/2015/06/art-vs-tyranny-daura-rossen-and-bottcher/

B. Scott Crawford holds a master’s degree in history from Old Dominion University and has an extensive background in education, having taught at the high school and college levels, as well as serving as the social studies coordinator, K-12, for a Virginia school division and as the Director of Education for the Museum of Western Virginia and then Taubman Museum of Art in Roanoke, Virginia. Scott currently serves as President & CEO for Virginia 811. He has been with the Notification Center since December 2016, serving as Director of Operations and then Vice President prior to moving into his current position in July 2020.

This event is free and part of our 2025 Lecture Series which will focus on Blacksburg history, community, and culture plus intriguing history and arts topics in general.

Blue Ridge Vocal Connection FREE Concert
2025-05-31 09:30 - 11:00 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Springtime in the mountains is a great time to pay close attention to the natural world, and it makes perfect sense to create beautiful vocals that pay homage to the season. We are excited to hear this wonderful group!

Art Walk Reception
2025-06-06 13:00 - 16:00 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
June’s Art Walk will be a three-tier celebration!
Matt Gentry’s plein art watercolor exhibit, “Regional Road Trip,” will come to a close this evening; Matt will celebrate his retirement from The Roanoke Times with family and friends; and Charlie Brouwer’s exhibit, “Into the Trees,” will officially open.
Additionally, our Children’s Gallery features art from Gilbert Linkous Elementary School. Art teacher Shaun Whiteside has curated a beautiful collection of his student’s work from grades K-5. Each class learned about a famous artist and modeled art in their style. Artists Henry Ossawa Tanner, Vincent Van Gogh, Edward Munch, Hannah Hoch, Raoul Hausmann, Aaron Douglas, and Claude Monet are all represented in the array of pieces.
Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be available and all are welcome!
Thank you to our Rotating Exhibits Sponsor, Shelter Alternatives!

New Town Festival Gospel Sing
2025-06-07 08:00 | St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall, 203 Gilbert Street, Blacksburg, VA, 24060
Join us for the 9th annual Gospel Sing, part of our New Town Festival Series, Saturday, June 7 from 12:00 to 5:00pm.
The afternoon will be filled with dancing, singing and fellowship as local groups and soloists perform their favorite current and old-time gospel favorites. Kirk’s BBQ will join us again this year with plenty of food for sale!
Schedule as Follows:
Simple Gifts
Oliver Lewis
Bob & Claudia Goldstein
Patricia Smith & Michael Holland
This & That
The Glorylanders of the NRV
Alexis Johnson & Closing Remarks
This is a FREE event, though donations are encouraged. And many thanks to our Supporting Sponsor, Stateson Homes.

Genealogy Saturday
2025-06-07 08:00 - 13:00 | VA
VENUE CHANGE for JUNE 7 – Genealogy Saturday will be held at St. Luke & Odd Fellows Hall during Gospel Sing.

Main Gallery Exhibit: Blacksburg Regional Art Association Theme Show - Poetry in Art
2025-06-17 - 2025-09-16 | VA
Blacksburg Regional Art Association Annual Theme Show. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Poetry in Art” and includes a wide variety of work, covering many mediums and much poem inspiration. The opening reception of this poetry and art convergence is June 18 from 5:00-8:00pm or visit throughout the show run.

BRAA Theme Show Exhibit
2025-06-18 13:00 - 16:00 | VA
Help us celebrate Blacksburg Regional Art Association artists as they open the organization’s annual juried and judged theme show. This year’s theme is “Celebrating Poetry in Art” and includes 57 pieces. Join us for the opening reception on June 18 from 5:00-8:00pm or visit throughout the show run – June 18 – September 16.

Blacksburg History Way Timeline Opening
2025-09-05 13:00 - 16:00 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
During September’s Art Walk, we will celebrate our new permanent exhibit showcasing significant events in Blacksburg. Thanks to our in-house graphic designer, Jolie Rice, for all her talent, patience, and dedication to this meaningful project.
If you are a museum member, you may join us at 4:00 for a champagne toast and ribbon cutting. If you would like to become a member any time before this special preview event, please visit our Membership Page.
Made possible with generous support from Paul and Evelyn Farrier.

Haunted History Tour
2025-09-05 15:00 - 18:00 | Alexander Black House, 204 Draper Rd SW, Blacksburg, VA, 24060, United States
Take a tour of historic downtown Blacksburg with a ghostly twist! On this 60-90 minute tour, renowned ghost tour guide T.J. Prosalenti will take you to four locations – The Alexander Black House, The Lyric Theatre, Thomas-Conner House, and Stroubles Creek. The stories at each stop will range from 5-10 minutes in length. Prosalenti has given more than 160 tours throughout Richmond (check out his reviews at Past Reviews — Blacksburg Historic Ghost Tours (blacksburgprotours.com) and we are lucky that he has come to Blacksburg!

The tour begins and ends at the lawn between The Thomas Conner House and The Alexander Black House at 204 Draper Road. Tours will begin at the times listed on the ticket options below.

Each tour is limited to 15 people and needs a minimum of 2 people to proceed. In the event of a cancellation on our end, you will be refunded. Rain does not cause automatic cancellation. Ages 8+
Tickets must be purchased at least three hours prior to tour time.
What to Expect:

you will learn both the history and lore of the buildings at each location

we will walk a moderate amount, so be sure to wear good walking shoes

you will hear local ghost stories from the NRV

What is Not Included:

food or drinks (with the exception of Halloween – plans TBA)

transportation of any type

Tickets at our October Exhibit Events page.
