The Hemings family remains one of the best documented enslaved families in the United States. Decades of documentary research, archaeological analysis and oral histories of Hemings descendants provide related narratives of struggle, survival, and family bonds across generations.  Their story echoes the history of race and slavery in America.

• Note: this tour is not recommended for children under 12.

This 1-hour, 45-minute, small-group interactive tour explores Monticello using the stories of several members of the Hemings Family. Through their experiences, you will learn about the challenges they faced as they negotiated to maintain family ties and strove for freedom. The tour will also highlight how the Hemingses straddled the color line, defying the stark racial dividing lines imposed in American slavery. Guests on tour are encouraged to share their own experiences and perspectives along the way.  The tour includes dialogue about race and the legacies of slavery in the United States in a seated small group setting as well as exploration of the site through the lens of the Hemings family; this includes a fair amount of walking over uneven terrain.

Included in the Hemings Family Tour:

• Guided tour, including a 1^st-Floor House Tour focused on the lives and experiences of the Hemings Family
• Guided Slavery at Monticello Tours (offered daily)
• Guided Gardens and Grounds Tours (mid-March—October)
• Self-guided Exhibitions
• State of the Art Visitor Center
• Free Parking
• State-of-the-art Visitor Center
• 15-minute film Thomas Jefferson's World
• Griffin Discovery Room
• Monticello Museum Shops

Access to

• Free Wifi at the Visitor Center and around the mountaintop
• Shopping and café
• Crossroads exhibition in lower level of the main house
• Seasonal Mountaintop Activity Center
• African American Graveyard

Scheduling a Hemings Family Tour

To make your reservation online, please click on the tickets icon above.

Please plan to arrive at Monticello at least 30 minutes before the time of your reservation. Please note that your ticket includes a House Tour, which will be part of your two-hour experience.

*Online discount is not available over the phone or on site in our ticket office. 

Guidelines for the Hemings Family Tour »