Celebrate the 250th Birthday of the United States at Monticello

Where Thomas Jefferson's idea of independence began
1776 - 2026 Monticello
Animated Monticello 250 logo

Join us in 2025 and 2026 for an array of special tours, engaging programs, and family activities that celebrate American independence and honor the fight for equality and freedom.

See what we've got planned ➔

Get updates and reminders about Monticello's plans to celebrate America's 250th ➔

Explore Jefferson's pivotal role in America's quest for independence ➔

Declare your excitement with our exclusive gift collections ➔

What's a Semiquincentennial?

A 250th Anniversary (/seh-mai-KWIN-sen-ten-ee-ul/)
Whether you call it a Bisesquicentennial, the Sestercentennial, Semiquincentennial, or the Quarter Millennial, 2026 marks a once-in-a-generation opportunity to celebrate the birth of American independence and democracy. And we're getting ready.

Two men in 18th-century attire gesturing over a newspaper
Founding Friends, Founding Foes Tour Our new Founding Friends, Founding Foes Tour explores the friendship and conflict between Thomas Jefferson and John Adams that shaped our nation’s founding.
Early typeset version of the Declaration of Independence
Declaration Book Club Join us for an in-depth look at the history and legacy of one of the most important documents ever written.
Covers and author names of four different books
Pursuits of Knowledge Series Join us for a series of dynamic conversations with leading thinkers exploring Jefferson's world, ideas, and legacy.
Feast of Reason Inspired by Thomas Jefferson's legendary dinner parties, Feast of Reason brings people together for food and conversations.
Culinary Diplomacy A food-focused series featuring celebrity chefs, culinary experts, and historians that celebrates the many ways food has been—and continues to be—a bridge for better cultural understanding and communication.
Archaeologists talk with visitors during an open house
Calendar of Events Check out our calendar for public events, family programs, research updates, and more    
Collage of July 4 celebrations at Monticello and headshot of 2025 ceremony's speaker Ken Burns
Monticello Celebrates Independence with Ken Burns Get inspired by July 4 at Monticello with our annual celebration and naturalization ceremony. Join us in 2025 on July 3rd and 4th for two special events featuring award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns.
Civic Season From Juneteenth through July 4, Monticello hosts a series of talks, dinners, and conversations about the nation’s history, the founding ideals of the country, and the challenges that persist today.

Get updates and reminders about Monticello's plans to celebrate America's 250th ➔

More plans for the 250th

New Exhibition Galleries - Opening in 2026, Monticello’s gallery spaces will include a new Discovery Room for families with young children, and an exhibition that focuses on the events of the year 1776 at Monticello, in Virginia, and in Philadelphia. 

Conversations on the Declaration – Exploring the Legacy of the Nation’s Founding Document. A partnership between a number of sites in Virginia, including Poplar Forest, Monticello, the University of Virginia, Virginia Museum of History and Culture, William & Mary, and Colonial Williamsburg.

Declaration Next - As part of the 2025 Democracy360 Convening, Monticello and the University of Virginia’s Karsh Institute for Democracy will co-host an immersive experience bringing together 30 students from a range of colleges and universities across Virginia and beyond to collaboratively reimagine a Declaration of Independence for a new era. Over a day and a half, students from two- and four-year institutions will engage with leading historians and civic educators to deepen their understanding of America’s founding principles. Participants will develop practical skills in negotiation, deliberation, and democratic collaboration, navigating the complexities and tensions inherent in striving toward a more perfect union.

America’s Field Trip - Through America250, Monticello is among the options for winners of the America’s Field Trip contest (trip includes a visit to Monticello as well as a visit to the Library of Congress in Washington, DC).

Limited special edition of the Declaration - In partnerships with Arion Press, Monticello will hand craft a limited special edition of the Declaration that recreates the original Dunlap broadside with contributions commissioned from America’s leading artists visually interpreting the ‘pursuit of happiness’ and a companion set of essays commissioned from top writers and historians on the Declaration’s enduring legacy.   Plans include setting up a printing press at Monticello's visitor center as a demo/actual printing of the special edition.

How old is the United States? Find out here »

Monticello is proud to partner with:

Logo for the VA250 Commission

Exclusive Declaration and 250th Collections

Celebrate the legacy of American freedom and independence with our collection Declaration of Independence products.  Choose from a variety of categories, including home decor, wall art, apparel, and accessories. Declaration of Independence gifts are a perfect way to honor and celebrate the principles upon which our nation was founded. Shop now and declare your love for American ideals and freedom.

Inspritations This set of tumblers is one highlight in our collection of accessories, art, and decor for your home or office.
Books Danielle Allen's Our Declaration is just one of many books we feature about the founding of the United States.  
Apparel Our Declaration-inspired t-shirts come in variety of sizes and designs.
Founding Friends, Founding Foes Thomas Jefferson and John Adams became allies in 1776, bitter rivals in an age of partisanship, and friends again in retirement.

Thomas Jefferson's Journey to Revolution and American Independence

Monticello is where Jefferson refined the ideas of freedom established in the Declaration. Monticello is both a tribute to and the embodiment of the American experiment. 

The Quest for Equality

Each generation of Americans since 1776 has interpreted “all Men are created equal” in an increasingly inclusive way and fought to make Jefferson’s words a reality for all.

Timeline The endeavor to extend the promise of equality in the Declaration of Independence spans our nation's history.
Video Library Monticello historians, descendants of the enslaved community, and recipients of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation Medal for in Citizen Leadership reflect on the quest to fulfill the promise of Jefferson's words.
Memory, Mourning and Mobilization In this video, prominent historians and civil rights leaders - Peter Onuf, Annette Gordon-Reed, Deborah E. McDowell, Edward L. Ayers, and Marian Wright Edelman - discuss the legacies of slavery and freedom in America.

ADDRESS:
1050 Monticello Loop
Charlottesville, VA 22902
GENERAL INFORMATION:
(434) 984-9800