Exhibit
Many Threads—One Story Orientation Timeline
A new orientation timeline at the Visitor Center
Griffin Discovery Room
A hands-on activity center for families
The newly refurbished and relocated Griffin Discovery Room at the Visitor Center puts young visitors in the role of investigator. Kids will meet four people who lived at Monticello over 200 years ago—Thomas Jefferson, his granddaughter Cornelia Randolph, enslaved chef Edith Hern Fossett, and enslaved blacksmith Isaac Granger Jefferson—through original documents, audio clips, and hands-on objects.
Interactive activity areas include:
- An invitation for kids to dig for artifacts in a mock archaeology excavation
- Restore pieces of Monticello's ornamental friezes
- Curate objects in a model parlor
- Explore an archive for clues about the past.
Pick up the Monticello Field Guide during your visit — it's the perfect companion for curious kids who want to go beyond the exhibits and explore the historic mountaintop. This hands-on activity booklet gives kids the tools to dig deeper into the stories around them, connecting what they discover in the Griffin Discovery Room to the wider world of Monticello waiting just outside.
The Griffin Discovery Room is the perfect place for families to start or end their visit, sparking curiosity kids will carry with them as they explore the mountaintop.
