Tickets

Founding Friends, Founding Foes Tour

Thomas Jefferson and John Adams

  • Adult $42
  • Age 12-18 $13
  • Age 5-11 $4
  • Under 5 Free
Duration
1 hour
Location
Location: The Main House
Dress for
Indoor & Outdoor
Offered
March 3 - December 31, 2026
Recommended
12+
Tickets Special Rates & Discounts
Closeup of the bodies of two men in late 18th-century clothing, both pointing at a newspaper one of them is holding.

On July 4, 1826, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.

In preparation for the 250th anniversary in 2026, Monticello’s new Founding Friends, Founding Foes Tour explores their complicated relationship. In this 60 minute tour, visitors will learn how Jefferson and Adams became allies in 1776, bitter rivals in an age of partisanship, and friends again in retirement.

By considering the challenges and triumphs of the American Revolution and the early United States, this tour reveals how ordinary people became leaders and encourages visitors to consider how a democracy was born through disagreement, civil discourse, and dedication to shared values.

Guests should plan to arrive at the visitor center 30 minutes prior to their tour start time to allow time to pass through a security screening and travel from the visitor center to the mountaintop.

You'll have access to:

-Free Parking-The Shop at Monticello 
-Free Wifi and Monticello Mobile Guide-The Farm Shop on the Mountaintop
-Gardens and Grounds-The Monticello Café

Programs included with your ticket

Feast of Reason

Join your fellow tour participants for a Feast of Reason!

Named for meals that Jefferson hosted and known for their good food and interesting conversation, the Feast of Reason is a card deck that facilitates conversations on history and democracy over food and drink. 

  • Every Thurs. - Sun., Apr. 30 - Oct. 25 at 1:30 - 2:30 PM
  • Included with all Monticello tickets
  • Bring a picnic lunch or purchase food from the Monticello Café
  • Meets in the visitor center's Woodland Pavilion
Columns of cards from the Feast of Reason game laid out on table set with a wine glass and flowers on a white-and-peach-colored tablecloth.
A family receiving tickets to Monticello.

Monticello Membership Program

Monticello is a nonprofit that depends on the support of visitors like you. Commemorate America's 250th with a Monticello Membership and enjoy year-round access, exclusive perks, and member-only benefits. Includes a free standard-rate house tour every time you visit!

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