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General information

Gari Melchers Home and Studio
Belmont, 224 Washington Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22405
(540) 654-1015      fax  (540) 654-1785
GariMelchers@umw.edu    

Public Hours

Effective August 5, 2009, Belmont will be closed to the public (except group tours, field trips, and Pavilion rentals) on Wednesdays and during the entire month of February 2010.

Monday through Sunday 10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Closed January 1, Thanksgiving, December 24, 25 and 31

Admission Fees

Friends of Belmont - FREE

$10 for Adults
$9 for Seniors 62+ and AAA members
$5 for Children ages 6-18

Free for Children 5 and under, Friends of Belmont members, and University of Mary Washington students and staff
Free to stroll the grounds

General Tours

Please allow an hour and a half for your visit. The complete tour includes a 12-minute introductory film, a 30-minute docent led tour of the 1790s Georgian house museum and time spent experiencing the Studio's four gallery spaces. Guests can explore the restored gardens and grounds on their own.

Tours run continuously throughout the day.

Tour transcripts in German, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, and French are available here as printable PDF documents or at the Museum Shop front desk.

With advance notice, tours can be offered to the visually and hearing impaired by contacting the Education Coordinator at 540-654-1851.

logoFamily Tours
Offered Memorial through Labor Day
Tour times: 10:30 am and 3 pm daily

Gari Melchers Home and Studio will offer Family Tours geared to children ages 5-12 during the summer months at a new reduced price. Two children will be admitted free with each paying adult.  Family-friendly tours will be available daily at 10:30 a.m. and 3 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day.  Tours are free for members of Friends of Belmont members. Prior registration for family tours is not necessary. 

This summer’s Family Tour theme is “Children at Belmont.”  Various vignettes throughout the historic 1790s house will depict the experiences of several children who either lived at Belmont or who visited the Melchers for extended periods of time.  Homemade ice cream parties, a puppet show featuring Corinne’s original hand puppets, fishing for eels in the Rappahannock River, feeding “Polly” the parrot and other fun stories will be shared with guests. The hands-on, inquiry-based tour is followed by family-based exploration in the art galleries. After the tour, guests are encouraged to extend their experience by sketching outside or exploring the garden in search of items in the “Itty Bitty Belmont” scavenger hunt. Read the newspaper article.

Group Tours

Planning a visit for a group? Gari Melchers Home & Studio has much to offer, beginning with our special group (parties of 10 or more) admission rates:

$8 for house, studio and garden on your own
$12 for house, studio and tour of the grounds combination

* docent-led tour of the historic house is 30 minutes long
* touring the gallery space is self paced
* tour of the grounds is 45 minutes long and covers some uneven ground

Two-week advance registration is required for all group tours.

Guests can also arrange in advance for box lunches or other dining options served in our beautiful Studio Pavilion. For sample menus or unique ideas for a luncheon, tea or afternoon wine and cheese reception, contact Special Events Coordinator Betsy Labar at 540-654-1848 or blabar@umw.edu.

For more details about group tours and to book your trip, contact Education Coordinator Michelle Crow-Dolby at 540-654-1851 or mdolby@umw.edu.

Field Trips

Accessibility

Gari Melchers Home and Studio's facilities are linked by a concrete walkway. The entire facility, except for the house, is handicap accessible. A ramp (no handrails and may not be suitable for all equipment) is available at the house to access the first floor.

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