I don’t know about you but I am glad to see winter go! With the weather warming up I’m reminded of one of my favorite places to visit in the DMV, The Torpedo Factory Art Center.
Located on the waterfront of Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, this place perfectly feeds my love for art, water and the outdoors. On a typical trip to TFAC, you would find me taking the water taxi from the National Harbor into VA. Not only does it save me the drive but it’s a beautiful way to take in views of the City. Once at the Center, I get lost for hours surrounded by amazing art in the huge gallery and even see some artists in their workspaces creating remarkable art made with various mediums. After plenty of wandering, I step outside to grab something to eat, followed by ice cream on the waterfront. There I sit, on the pier, enjoying the sun, light breeze and the sounds of the river. It is such a beautiful experience.
If you have never been to the Torpedo Factory Art Center, you should absolutely check it out!
Fun Fact: The TFAC was REALLY a Torpedo Factory
(A Brief History)
The U.S. Navy began building the factory that would manufacture and maintain Mark III torpedoes on November 12, 1918, the day World War I officially ended. In 1923, the building ceased production of torpedoes and became a munitions storage until 1937 when production of Mark XIV torpedoes began in preparation for WWII. The factory was one of the few places were workers were not segregated. After the War, they began to manufacture rocket engine parts. The factory was shut down for production in 1946 and converted to the Federal Records Center in 1950. In 1969, The City of Alexandria purchased the building from the Federal government and in 1974, the Art League, lead by Marian Van Landingham, successfully pitched the idea for the space to become what is now the Torpedo Factory Art Center! The space re-opened, after years of renovation, in 1983 and now holds the countries largest collection of publicly accessible artist studios with over 165 artists working, sharing and selling their art!
For more information, such as hours, location and programs, visit www.torpedofactory.org.