| For | Pricing | When |
|---|---|---|
| All Ages |
$350 for up to 5 guests of any age
Arrangements for this tour must be made 48-hours in advance.
|
Arrangements for this tour must be made 48-hours in advance.
|
Have you always wanted to go upstairs at Monticello? This exclusive pass takes you behind the scenes: through the first floor of Monticello and up the narrow staircase to explore the private quarters on the second and third floors, including the iconic Dome Room. Along the way, you will see unique architectural features and visit newly restored spaces that reveal the complexities of family life at Monticello. Learn about the Jefferson, Hemings, and Randolph family, as well as other free and enslaved people who lived and labored in the house. The Behind-the-Scenes tour provides a fuller picture of life at Monticello, and a better understanding of the complex world surrounding the man who authored the Declaration of Independence.
Check out our Reopening FAQs to learn more about efforts to make your visit safe and enjoyable.
Online Reservations are required for this tour, and must be made 48-hours in advance. Call: 434.984.9880.
Please note: This tour is not handicap-accessible and involves climbing steep stairs. Children must be able to climb and descend stairs unassisted by an adult. These tours are recommended for adults and children 7 and older.
Late Arrivals: As this tour begins before Monticello opens to the public, guests arriving late may receive an abbreviated tour.
Not able to visit in person? Check out one of our Live Virtual Tours, or join us for our weekly livestreams.
Guide to Your Visit
A Behind-the-Scenes Day Pass includes a guided tour of Monticello's 1st, 2nd & 3rd floors, including the iconic Dome Room!
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Tours of the main house are a highlight of any visit to Monticello. But there’s much more to experience.
Monticello is a big, beautiful, thought-provoking place. Leave time to explore it. Most guests spend about 3.5 hours.
A visit starts at the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center where you'll find exhibits on Jefferson and Monticello, an introductory film, a hands-on discovery room, and food and shopping.
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Our visually-rich introductory film, “Thomas Jefferson’s World,” describes Monticello’s central importance to Jefferson’s life and work, his consequential accomplishments and core ideas about human liberty, and explores Jefferson’s paradox as a slave owner.
Explore the Wings of the House, including Monticello’s kitchens, cellars, and slave dwellings. Here you will also find exhibits on the life of Sally Hemings and the Getting Word oral history project featuring descendants of Monticello’s enslaved community.
Explore Mulberry Row, where many enslaved individuals lived and worked, or take a guided Slavery at Monticello Tour (included with admission).
Enjoy Monticello's gardens on your own, or take one of our seasonal, guided Gardens and Grounds Tours (included with admission).
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Visit Jefferson's gravestone at the Monticello Cemetery.
Visit the African American Burial Ground, a final resting place for more than forty of Monticello’s enslaved community. Jefferson enslaved more than four hundred African Americans at Monticello.
Look for one-of-a-kind gifts at our Shops. The main Shop is in our visitor center, and there's a Farm Shop in the House's North Wing.
Refuel at the Monticello Farm Table café, where the menu reflects Thomas Jefferson’s enthusiasm for local agriculture, his love of seasonal produce and his reputation for hospitality.
Visit the Griffin Discovery Room Room in the visitor center with your kids and look for the seasonal Mountaintop Activity Center next to the House's North Wing.
With native hardwood forest, deep ravines, elevated walks and spectacular views the Saunders-Monticello Trail is Central Virginia's most popular park.
What's included in this tour:
Tours and Exhibitions
Helpful Resources
Information for Visitors Needing Special Assistance
We offer a variety of services to ensure the best possible accessibility to the Monticello house, grounds and facilities in recognition of the diversity of our general public's abilities and needs.