Monticello Blog

Monticello’s iconic west front has been undergoing a major change in the past few months. The columns on the West Portico (aka Southwest Portico) are being restored to their original Jefferson-era appearance.

On May 22, 1957, Marilyn Monroe and her husband of less than a year, Arthur Miller, walked into Monticello, hoping to take a tour without anyone recognizing them. Unfortunately for them, their hopes were dashed almost immediately.

Today, I am pleased to announce Monticello has received a $10 million gift from David M. Rubenstein, philanthropist and Co-CEO of The Carlyle Group.

Are you looking for ways to get back in the garden again after a long, cold winter spent indoors? Happily late winter, before the new buds break, is the perfect time to prune dormant shrubs that bloom on “new wood."

Winter at Monticello brings with it a solitary, clear beauty, with vistas that stretch for miles. When the shutters weren’t closed to contain the warmth, family, guests, and enslaved servants might have admired the snowy views out of the numerous large windows, but this pleasure was certainly tempered by the cold they endured.

A classic viniagrette seems a likely staple at Monticello's table. From Dining at Monticello, edited by Damon Lee Fowler.

The Wall Street Journal highlights the work of Monticello Research Librarian Anna Berkes and misquoting Jefferson.

CBS Sunday Morning took an in-depth look at how Monticello is telling the story of slavery—from our landmark exhibition Slavery at Jefferson’s Monticello: Paradox of Liberty to our Slavery at Monticello tours.

"It's as close as you can get to a conversation with Thomas Jefferson.”

The promise of increased rainfall during the autumn months, in addition to major weather events like the recent Hurricane Sandy, serve as reminders of the need to manage excess water in responsible, effective ways.