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We tell the broader story of Jefferson and Monticello through books and videos.


Visitors to Monticello can tour the flower and vegetable gardens, grounds, orchards, and groves, re-created as Jefferson would have known them.



School programs are integral to sharing the story of Jefferson's times.  
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Printer-friendly formatThe Gift of History
Sharing the Power of the Past with a gift to the Monticello Fund

When Thomas Jefferson retired from the presidency in 1809, he returned home to Monticello. Even then, strangers often climbed the mountain to get a glimpse of the man who had been so critical in founding the nation as well as the self-designed architectural achievement he called home. Today, close to a half-million visitors experience Monticello every year, seeking to learn more about Jefferson, his ideals of liberty, and his concept of democracy.

Jefferson's Astronomical Clock
The permanent acquisition of this astronomical clock (acquired by Jefferson after he missed a lunar eclipse) was made possible through the generosity of an anonymous donor.

Today, Monticello is owned and operated by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. Founded in 1923, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation is the private nonprofit organization dedicated to operating Monticello in a style consistent with the Jeffersonian legacy and advancing a two-fold mission of education and preservation. The Foundation, a 501(c)3 corporation, receives no regular local, state or federal support and sustains itself with admission fees, retail sales, and private gifts.

Your gift to the Monticello Fund will aid significantly in the enhancement and stewardship of Jefferson’s Monticello—the only home in America recognized by the United Nations as a World Heritage Site—one of the world’s greatest cultural treasures. By giving to the Monticello Fund, you will help us share Jefferson’s ideas and ideals with people around the world and support the continued preservation of one of the world’s most recognizable and admired buildings.

Your gift will help us achieve our goals for this year and beyond, including construction of the new Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center and Smith History Center, the restoration and interpretation of the work and living spaces beneath the main house, the acquisition of new Jeffersonian objects, and the enhancement of educational outreach programs for schoolchildren and the general public.

As a friend of and a donor to Monticello, your generosity will help us turn these initiatives into accomplishments. We deeply appreciate your support.

To make a direct gift to the Monticello Fund, please click here.

If you have a question about making a gift to Monticello, please call Mieke Zylstra at 434-984-9827 or e-mail her at mzylstra@monticello.org. The Thomas Jefferson Foundation's Federal ID Tax Number is 54-0505959.


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