Photo by Arthur W. Pierson, © The George Washington Masonic Memorial, All Rights Reserved.

The 2009 Alexandria Film Festival will be held at the George Washington National Masonic Memorial, 101 Callahan Drive, Alexandria, Va.

METRO:  King Street station.

PARKING:  On site; free.

Inspired by the ancient lighthouse that marked the harbor in Alexandria, Egypt, the George Washington National Masonic Memorial is based on the classical architecture of Greece and Rome.  It is one of Alexandria’s main landmarks, visible for miles around.  Built during the 1920s, the Memorial was dedicated in 1932 and designed to perpetuate George Washington’s legacy and house artifacts and displays related to Washington’s life and to Freemasonry.  The Memorial is located on a hill overlooking Alexandria on land once proposed by Thomas Jefferson as the ideal location for the nation’s capitol.

The Memorial houses a research center, library, and several performing arts venues.  It is open to the public free of charge seven days a week.  Parking is plentiful and free, and the Memorial is a short walk from the King Street Metro station.  The building is handicap-accessible.