Alexandria Lyceum Museum Reviews

Reviews

+16 User photos

• Ashley M. Sent on 01/13/2020
  5 out of 5 rating

  5.0
  • Quality of service
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Average response time
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Professionalism
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Value
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Flexibility
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0

  Historical and Charming!

  I was married at the Lyceum on December 14th 2019 and could not have been more pleased with the venue. Jim is amazing and so easy to work with! He allowed us to make special requests that deviated from their standard terms and conditions, and was always available for questions when needed. The space itself is GORGEOUS. Right in the heart of Old Town, with a rich history. We held both the ceremony and reception on site, which required a room flip and all hands on deck. Jim’s onsite staff assisted my planned and caterer is making this seamless. The guests enjoyed cocktails downstairs and explored the galleries while the room change was taking place. As my fiancé and I met in Alexandria, we loved the idea of being married at the Alexandria history museum. It provided a historical, beautiful and unique space to make my “winter wonderland” wedding dreams come true. It was so convenient to nearly hotels and restaurants, and we were able to have the wedding, rehearsal dinner, and guest hotel all within a 4 block radius. This made it easy on our guests, as well as me and my bridal party. I highly recommend this venue to anyone seeking a unique space that captures the charm and history of Old Town Alexandria.

  I was married at the Lyceum on December 14th 2019 and could not have been more pleased with the venue. Jim is amazing and so easy to work with! He allowed us to make special requests that deviated from their standard terms and conditions, and was always available for questions when needed. The space itself is GORGEOUS. Right in the heart of Old Town, with a rich history. We held both the ceremony and reception on site, which required a room flip and all hands on deck. Jim’s onsite staff assisted my planned and caterer is making this seamless. The guests enjoyed cocktails downstairs and explored the galleries while the room change was taking place. As my fiancé and I met in Alexandria, we loved the idea of being married at the Alexandria history museum. It provided a historical, beautiful and unique space to make my “winter wonderland” wedding dreams come true. It was so convenient to nearly hotels and restaurants, and we were able to have the wedding, rehearsal dinner, and guest hotel all within a 4 block radius. This made it easy on our guests, as well as me and my bridal party. I highly recommend this venue to anyone seeking a unique space that captures the charm and history of Old Town Alexandria.

  • +17 photos
• Ashlea Sent on 12/09/2018
  5 out of 5 rating

  5.0
  • Quality of service
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Average response time
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Professionalism
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Value
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Flexibility
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0

  Traditional. Helpful Coordinator. Intimate Feel. An amazing venue!

  My husband and I were looking for a ceremony space that had a church-like feel, traditional and simplistic beauty that was close to the reception venue. I found The Lyceum and fell in love with the location; the staircase leading to the second floor was beautiful, the baby grand piano on the wooden stage was lovely, and the elongated windows allowed for ample sunlight; the venue also had free parking for guests, exhibits to see before the ceremony, and elevator access. Throughout the process, Jim Holloway – the venue coordinator – was beyond accommodating, allowing visitors to tour the second floor area, answering questions in a timely manner, and more than happy to accommodate changes we had. Our bus we had booked never showed up, and Jim went above and beyond to find out where the bus was, why it wasn’t showing up, and working with our limo to accommodate travel plans for our guests. Guests complimented The Lyceum and thought it was a wonderful location, perfect for the wedding we had planned and wanted! The Lyceum is absolutely a hidden gem, and my husband and I completely recommend it for weddings!

  My husband and I were looking for a ceremony space that had a church-like feel, traditional and simplistic beauty that was close to the reception venue. I found The Lyceum and fell in love with the location; the staircase leading to the second floor was beautiful, the baby grand piano on the wooden stage was lovely, and the elongated windows allowed for ample sunlight; the venue also had free parking for guests, exhibits to see before the ceremony, and elevator access. Throughout the process, Jim Holloway – the venue coordinator – was beyond accommodating, allowing visitors to tour the second floor area, answering questions in a timely manner, and more than happy to accommodate changes we had. Our bus we had booked never showed up, and Jim went above and beyond to find out where the bus was, why it wasn’t showing up, and working with our limo to accommodate travel plans for our guests. Guests complimented The Lyceum and thought it was a wonderful location, perfect for the wedding we had planned and wanted! The Lyceum is absolutely a hidden gem, and my husband and I completely recommend it for weddings!
• Dan Sent on 05/06/2016
  4.7 out of 5 rating

  4.7
  • Quality of service
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Average response time
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Professionalism
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Value
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Flexibility
    3.5 out of 5 rating
    3.5

  We wanted a unique and historic venue for our February wedding. The Lyceum fit that to a T. Given the time of year, we needed to have the ceremony and the reception in the same location, and the Lyceum was able to accomodate us. Our pictures look amazing, and our wedding coordinator was able to use a minimum of decorations to get the elegant look we were going for. I would definitely recommend using a wedding coordinator if you are planning to have the ceremony and the reception in the same location, we used Marilyn Patterson and Joyous Events, as space is tight for converting the room from the ceremony to the reception.
  
  While the Lyceum was exactly what we wanted, it might not be right for everyone. They are a working museum with a lot of events during the week, so they aren't able to store lots of decorations in the time leading up to the wedding. Our caterer was happy with the kitchen, but he had to start before the ceremony, otherwise he couldn't have brought everything up in a timely fashion. The elevator is intentionally super slow for people with disabilities. It was great for two of our relatives who can't climb stairs, but was frustrating for our caterers and the people who installed the dance floor.
  
  Overall, we have nothing but happy memories about our wedding at the Lyceum, and the venue and its staff played a big part in that. Just be aware that they are constrained in what they can do by the space and their other events.

  We wanted a unique and historic venue for our February wedding. The Lyceum fit that to a T. Given the time of year, we needed to have the ceremony and the reception in the same location, and the Lyceum was able to accomodate us. Our pictures look amazing, and our wedding coordinator was able to use a minimum of decorations to get the elegant look we were going for. I would definitely recommend using a wedding coordinator if you are planning to have the ceremony and the reception in the same location, we used Marilyn Patterson and Joyous Events, as space is tight for converting the room from the ceremony to the reception.
  
  While the Lyceum was exactly what we wanted, it might not be right for everyone. They are a working museum with a lot of events during the week, so they aren't able to store lots of decorations in the time leading up to the wedding. Our caterer was happy with the kitchen, but he had to start before the ceremony, otherwise he couldn't have brought everything up in a timely fashion. The elevator is intentionally super slow for people with disabilities. It was great for two of our relatives who can't climb stairs, but was frustrating for our caterers and the people who installed the dance floor.
  
  Overall, we have nothing but happy memories about our wedding at the Lyceum, and the venue and its staff played a big part in that. Just be aware that they are constrained in what they can do by the space and their other events.
Are you interested?
Send a message
• Miriam Sent on 06/25/2009
  3.8 out of 5 rating

  3.8
  • Quality of service
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Average response time
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0
  • Professionalism
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0
  • Value
    5.0 out of 5 rating
    5.0
  • Flexibility
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0

  We loved having our reception at the Lyceum! The historical charm of the building created just the atmosphere we were looking for. We used the downstairs exhibition areas for our cocktail hour--folks thought that was a unique and fun idea since most were from out of town. We also made our grand entrance down the beautiful stairway and had our first dance there on the first floor. The banquet room upstairs isn't huge, but it fit our 65 guests nicely. We had room for a good sized dance space, a buffet, and a DJ discretely in the corner. The rectangular tables that come with the rental saved us money and were more conducive to conversation than round tables would have been. The building was having difficulty with its elevator while we were there which was a pain for our other vendors. They should have that repaired and ready for use. The one thing I would do differently if planning it all over again would be to add a few large potted plants for decor in the upstairs hall. We had a nice sweet-heart table on the stage, but the white wall behind us is really bare-looking in our photos. All-in-all,though, it was a lovely and unique venue for our reception. I'm glad we chose it!

  We loved having our reception at the Lyceum! The historical charm of the building created just the atmosphere we were looking for. We used the downstairs exhibition areas for our cocktail hour--folks thought that was a unique and fun idea since most were from out of town. We also made our grand entrance down the beautiful stairway and had our first dance there on the first floor. The banquet room upstairs isn't huge, but it fit our 65 guests nicely. We had room for a good sized dance space, a buffet, and a DJ discretely in the corner. The rectangular tables that come with the rental saved us money and were more conducive to conversation than round tables would have been. The building was having difficulty with its elevator while we were there which was a pain for our other vendors. They should have that repaired and ready for use. The one thing I would do differently if planning it all over again would be to add a few large potted plants for decor in the upstairs hall. We had a nice sweet-heart table on the stage, but the white wall behind us is really bare-looking in our photos. All-in-all,though, it was a lovely and unique venue for our reception. I'm glad we chose it!
• Sarah Sent on 01/26/2015
  3.5 out of 5 rating

  3.5
  • Quality of service
    3.5 out of 5 rating
    3.5
  • Average response time
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0
  • Professionalism
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0
  • Value
    4.0 out of 5 rating
    4.0
  • Flexibility
    4.0 out of 5 rating
    4.0

  We held our afternoon ceremony at the Lyceum in January. (Reception was elsewhere). It is a lovely space (lots of sunlight) and such a convenient location. Our guests enjoyed wandering through the exhibits before and after the ceremony, which was a nice bonus. The use of their grand piano (for a small charge) was also a great added feature, if you want a touch of elegance. We had about 80 guests, and everyone fit comfortably.
  
  The staff is very friendly, but not the most knowledgeable about the logistics. For example, we had questions about music over the PA for example, and during our rehearsal no one was able to answer them (we ultimately figured out a solution, via portable speakers). And you really need to be on top of the details, asking questions, giving head counts, etc. to make sure the space is set up the way you want. They were not proactive about reaching out to me as the date approached.
  
  You really can't beat the price though, or the location.

  We held our afternoon ceremony at the Lyceum in January. (Reception was elsewhere). It is a lovely space (lots of sunlight) and such a convenient location. Our guests enjoyed wandering through the exhibits before and after the ceremony, which was a nice bonus. The use of their grand piano (for a small charge) was also a great added feature, if you want a touch of elegance. We had about 80 guests, and everyone fit comfortably.
  
  The staff is very friendly, but not the most knowledgeable about the logistics. For example, we had questions about music over the PA for example, and during our rehearsal no one was able to answer them (we ultimately figured out a solution, via portable speakers). And you really need to be on top of the details, asking questions, giving head counts, etc. to make sure the space is set up the way you want. They were not proactive about reaching out to me as the date approached.
  
  You really can't beat the price though, or the location.
• Kristin Sent on 11/16/2006
  3.3 out of 5 rating

  3.3
  • Quality of service
    4.0 out of 5 rating
    4.0
  • Average response time
    2.5 out of 5 rating
    2.5
  • Professionalism
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0
  • Value
    4.0 out of 5 rating
    4.0
  • Flexibility
    3.0 out of 5 rating
    3.0

  We choose the Lyceum in Old Town Alexandria because of convenience and the historical charm of the building. We wanted to avoid a typical hotel ballroom reception. The Lyceum's upstairs room can be small and would be recommended for guests of 100 or less. There is a stage and a grand piano that can be used. There is room for a dance floor to be put down, but if you are having a large number of guest, it will need to be small. We decided to just have space for dancing, without a designated dance floor, and a pianist to play throughout the ceremony. There are beautiful column out front and on the side of the building which made for very nice pictures. Also, there is a gorgeous huge staircase leading upstairs that can be decorated and was also a great place for a large group shot.
  
  Overall, for an afternoon reception the Lyceum was nice, but I would not recommend the venue for a night event. I would suggest using it if you want a classy or more low-key reception. There is not much room for dancing, nor a place for a DJ.
  
  The coordinator is helpful, but can be hard to get in touch with. They are very flexible in terms of setting up the room. Yet, since storage space is limited, you need to use most chairs (around 80). We put some around the room and then at the tables. We also had tall standing cocktail tables since we had more guests than table room.
  
  All in all, it worked out to be a fine venue in the end.
  

  We choose the Lyceum in Old Town Alexandria because of convenience and the historical charm of the building. We wanted to avoid a typical hotel ballroom reception. The Lyceum's upstairs room can be small and would be recommended for guests of 100 or less. There is a stage and a grand piano that can be used. There is room for a dance floor to be put down, but if you are having a large number of guest, it will need to be small. We decided to just have space for dancing, without a designated dance floor, and a pianist to play throughout the ceremony. There are beautiful column out front and on the side of the building which made for very nice pictures. Also, there is a gorgeous huge staircase leading upstairs that can be decorated and was also a great place for a large group shot.
  
  Overall, for an afternoon reception the Lyceum was nice, but I would not recommend the venue for a night event. I would suggest using it if you want a classy or more low-key reception. There is not much room for dancing, nor a place for a DJ.
  
  The coordinator is helpful, but can be hard to get in touch with. They are very flexible in terms of setting up the room. Yet, since storage space is limited, you need to use most chairs (around 80). We put some around the room and then at the tables. We also had tall standing cocktail tables since we had more guests than table room.
  
  All in all, it worked out to be a fine venue in the end.