Visiting FAQs

Monticello is a family-friendly site that shares history with visitors of all ages. Please click here to learn about Monticello’s guest policies. For questions, please contact us, call (434) 984-9800, or speak with a staff member upon arrival.

Yes. Tours and tickets are scheduled for a specific arrival time. We recommend arriving at the Visitor Center at least 30 minutes before your scheduled tour or program to allow time for parking, shuttle transport, and security screening. Guests arriving late may be accommodated on a later tour as availability allows. Also see our Guest Policies.

Yes, we offer several guided tours of the house and grounds, including the Highlights Tour, the Behind-the-Scenes Tour, the From Slavery to Freedom Tour and more.

To ensure the best experience, house tours are guided. However, our Gardens and Grounds Ticket is offered daily so you can explore the historic mountaintop's outdoor spaces and rooms under the main house. Our free mobile guide provides information about the numerous exhibits. The Gardens and Grounds Ticket includes all outdoor offerings, and you are free to arrive any time during the day of your reservation.

Yes! You can use it to familiarize yourself with the grounds and plan your visit. Click here to view the map. 
Also visit our Parking and Getting Around page for additional information.

Upon arrival at the visitor center, you will find numerous exhibits to explore.

Two guided outdoor tours are included with every ticket purchase. 

• The Slavery at Monticello Tour focuses on the experiences of the enslaved people who lived and labored at Monticello. 
• The seasonal Gardens & Grounds Tour explores Monticello’s restored gardens and discusses Jefferson’s lifelong interest in botany and the enslaved gardeners who maintained the landscape.

Guests can also Meet Thomas Jefferson (as portrayed by veteran historical actor-interpreter Bill Barker) most Tuesdays through Saturdays, year-round. During colder months or bad weather, this program meets indoors at the visitor center.

Families can visit our seasonal Mountaintop Activity Center to explore mystery objects and learn about the daily lives of the free and enslaved people who lived at Monticello. 

You can walk along Mulberry Row and learn about the enslaved people who lived and labored on the plantation through interpretive signage and virtual resources.

You can also explore the flower and vegetable gardens and take a scenic hike on the Saunders-Monticello Trail, which extends from the bottom of Route 53 and all the way up to the historic mountaintop.

Much of your visit takes place outdoors, so we recommend bringing water, wearing sun protection, and taking breaks in shaded or indoor rest areas throughout the property. On days with a heat advisory, outdoor tours and programs may be modified or shortened for guest and staff safety. Also see our Guest Policies.

Standard rate tours include: Highlights Tour, From Slavery to Freedom, Family Friendly Tour, the Founding Friends, Founding Foes Tour, Women at Monticello Tour, and Family Holiday Tour.

No, all guests must park at the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center and take either take a complimentary shuttle bus or walking trail to the historic mountaintop. More information can be found on the Parking and Getting Around page.

In addition to the shuttle, guests are welcome to enjoy taking a trail roughly half a mile from the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center parking area uphill to the house. Be sure to purchase your ticket(s) online first; a Monticello ticket is required to walk up this trail. 

Yes. Guests may leave the ticket area or the Monticello property and return the same day. Please keep your electronic or paper ticket with you to re-enter at the visitor center.  Also see our Guest Policies..

The Thomas Jefferson Foundation is committed to providing superior service to all our guests. Please click here to learn about Monticello’s accessibility services and resources. For questions, please call (434) 984-9800, email [email protected], or speak with a staff member upon arrival.

Membership is available online or on-site at the Ticket Office. 

Only leashed dogs are allowed on the grounds of Monticello. No other pets are allowed. Individual events (i.e. Independence Day) may have additional restrictions — check our events calendar before your visit. You can purchase a Gardens and Grounds Ticket to explore the historic mountaintop with a leashed dog.

Service dogs and service miniature horses, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), are welcome at Monticello, including indoors and onboard shuttles.

Emotional support animals are not permitted inside the house, exhibitions, buildings, or on shuttle buses.

Yes, personal photography and video on phones and cameras is welcome throughout most of the property, and we encourage guests to share their visit on social media. Flash photography and audio/video recording of tours, programs, or films are not permitted. Also see our Guest Policies.

Monticello offers a variety of exhibits, programs, and tours each day that are included with your ticket. Check out exhibits at our visitor center, do a self-guided tour on the historic mountaintop, or join a walking tour. 

For a full list of daily activities, go to our Today at Monticello webpage.