Guests entered the Entrance Hall when arriving at Monticello. This room highlighted Jefferson’s wide-ranging interests and dedication to learning about the world around him. In this room, visitors viewed artifacts of American natural history, western civilization, and American Indian cultures while they waited for a chance to greet the former President. Showcasing the objects in this room demonstrated Jefferson’s belief that “knowledge is power, knowledge is safety… knowledge is happiness,” And that knowledge should be shared among the people in a democratic state.
Virtual tours of this room
This room is included in all tours of Monticello.
Furnishings of Note
The Great Clock in the Entrance Hall is one of most memorable features of Monticello.
The room held many maps of the world including one of Virginia as surveyed by Jefferson's father, Peter Jefferson, and Joshua Fry.
Busts of prominent figures such as Alexander Hamilton and Voltaire were placed here.
To accommodate many visitors, the room contained up to twenty-eight chairs.
Art on display included eleven copies of Old Masters paintings.
Indian artifacts numbered at least forty, including pipes, clothing, domestic objects, and a Mandan buffalo robe depicting a battle scene.
The Declaration of Independence was celebrated with the display of two engravings, one showing John Trumbull's famous depiction of the signing, and the other John Binn's embellished print of the text.
The room held natural history specimens such as antlers and bones.
