Virtual Tour of Monticello
Interested in seeing more of Monticello's collection? Check out one of our virtual tours of the first floor.
Restoration
Monticello is, and always has been, a work in progress. Use the links below to learn more about the work of our Restoration Department.
The Restoration Department at Monticello is responsible for the preservation, conservation, and accurate interpretation of the mountaintop's historic and reconstructed buildings. We are often working on scaffolding, focusing on small details to ensure that Monticello is interpreted as accurately as possible and taking care of small maintenance issues before they grow. We also execute and coordinate conservation treatments and maintain our collection of architectural artifacts. Our team works closely with our colleagues in Curatorial, Archaeology, and Education and Visitor Programs to ensure that Monticello is preserved for future generations.
What We Do
Research
From paint analysis to infrared thermography, we study physical and documentary evidence to bring Monticello, as it would have appeared during Thomas Jefferson's lifetime, to the public.
Preventive Maintenance
Our Restoration Specialists painstakingly care for the historic and reconstructed buildings on the mountaintop, preventing deterioration before it starts.
Conservation
We take on specialized treatments for materials needing care, stabilizing historic building materials so they last for generations.
Projects
Conserving the Mill at Shadwell
The ruins of one of Thomas Jefferson's mills at Shadwell remain. See what was done to save it.
Restoring the Compass Rose
Thomas Jefferson used this compass rose to see the wind direction from under the East Portico.
Reconstructing a Cabin on Mulberry Row
Recreating a log dwelling that likely once housed members of the enslaved Hemmings family
Restoration Over the Years
Since 1923, the Thomas Jefferson Foundation has been committed to the preservation and restoration of Monticello, ensuring that it reflects how the house and plantation appeared in Thomas Jefferson's later years. A selection of important projects are here.
Workers relaid the Parlor parquet floors in 1953 after repairing the subfloor which had significant termite damage.
In 1991-1993, Monticello's roof underwent the third extensive roof restoration since the Thomas Jefferson Foundation took ownership of Monticello in 1923. This restoration included repairing and strengthening roof framing, replicating and installing missing sections of balustrade and 11 skylights, and installing tin-coated stainless steel shingles to replicate the tinned iron that originally covered the roof in the 1820s.
The 2003 restoration of Monticello's kitchen included careful furnishing and significant masonry work to bring the hearth, stew stove, and beehive oven back to life.
The Venetian Porches or "Porticles" were reconstructed exactingly to Thomas Jefferson's specifications in 2007.