Fort Ward Museum and Park

Fort Ward was a crucial part of the wide defensive system built around Washington during the Civil War. The fort is located in the swath of territory that Union troops captured from Virginia shortly after the state joined the Confederacy. Today visitors can wander the gardens in the 40-acre park surrounding the fort, picnic and enjoy summer concerts in the amphitheater. Fort Ward has been restored to a state of modernity. The museum has a large collection of Civil War items including musical instruments and medical equipment.