How to Tour Monticello
Monticello, the former estate of President Thomas Jefferson, sits atop an 850-foot hill, just outside of Charlottesville, Virginia. The mansion, designed by Jefferson and built between 1768 and 1809, includes many Jefferson inventions, such as the dumb waiter that brings food from the pantry to the dining room and the seven-day clock.
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Instructions
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Stop at the Visitors Center, located at Route 20 near I-64, on the way to Monticello. The Center displays 400 items that once belongs to the former president. You can also view a film about the construction and history of Monticello. Admission to the Visitors Center is free.
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Purchase tickets to Monticello. Timed tickets are available at the site's ticket office. Discounts are offered for children ages 6 through 11. Children under 6 are admitted free. Monticello is open every day of the year except for Christmas Day.
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Tour the mansion. Guided tours of Monticello's first floor rooms begin every five minutes and last approximately 30 minutes. Highlights include Jefferson's library, the dining room and the former president's bedroom, with its unique alcove bed. Approximately 60 percent of the furnishings on display at Monticello were used by Jefferson and his family.
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Explore the "out" buildings. The two open-air wings extending from either side of the mansion contain the kitchen, various workshops and the former slave quarters. These buildings are open to the public.
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Wander through the gardens. The extensive gardens at Monticello follow the plantings and landscaping designed by Jefferson, a noted botanist. The grounds include an orchard, a formal garden, a cutting garden and a varied kitchen garden.
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Visit the nearby University of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson designed many other buildings in the Charlottesville area. The most notable of these, in addition to Monticello, is the rotunda at the University of Virginia, another World Heritage site.
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