The Fredericksburg Area Museum occupies the old Town Hall and Market House on the main square — a handsome Federal-style building from 1816 that has served variously as courthouse, market, jail, and civic hall. The museum covers the full sweep of Fredericksburg's history, from Native American occupation through colonial settlement, the Revolution, the slave trade, the Civil War, Reconstruction, and into the 20th century.
The exhibits are substantial and well-organized, with particular strength on the Civil War period and an honest treatment of the slave auction block that stood on the corner of William and Charles Streets — one of the most active slave markets in the antebellum South. The building's ground floor preserves the original market arcades where goods were once sold and auctions held. A good place to start a visit to Fredericksburg before heading to the individual historic sites.