FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - November 16, 2012
Media Contact: Lisa Stites,434-984-7529
CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA—Monticello is lowering general admission prices to $5, December 7-11, 2012, in celebration of the 25th anniversary of its inscription on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List. Five dollars was the price for a ticket to Monticello in 1987, the year Monticello and the University of Virginia, along with the Great Wall of China and the Acropolis in Athens, were first recognized as ‘World Heritage Sites.’
The World Heritage Committee selects sites to inscribe to the World Heritage List based on specific criteria. The UNESCO Criteria for Selection states that each site must be “of outstanding universal value” and meet one of the ten selection criteria. Monticello is the only U.S. presidential and private home on the UNESCO World Heritage List. The designation’s “Statement of Significance” details Thomas Jefferson’s architectural ingenuity and use of neo-classical elements in creating both Monticello and the University of Virginia. The committee also noted how Jefferson’s architecture symbolizes the ideals of the Enlightenment and the awareness of Monticello’s natural surroundings in its construction.
Thomas Jefferson, third president, philosopher, scientist, and author of the Declaration of Independence, helped establish the foundations of self-government and individual freedom we know today. Jefferson’s words—the Declaration and his more than 19,000 letters—and his architecture—including Monticello and the University of Virginia—provide a lens for scholars and visitors to view the beginnings of the American republic.
A self-taught architect, Jefferson referred to Monticello as his “essay in architecture,” and construction continued on the mountaintop for forty years. The final product is a unique blend of beauty and function that combines the best elements of the ancient and old worlds with a fresh American perspective.
“On the world’s stage, Monticello symbolizes how Jefferson took Enlightenment ideals about the rights of man and crafted them into a new nation introducing self-government, liberty and human equality. As the creator of both Monticello and the Declaration of Independence, he introduced world-changing ideas which have given hope to people everywhere,” said Leslie Greene Bowman, President and CEO of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation. “It’s no coincidence that every year on Independence Day, we recognize Jefferson’s authorship of our nation’s birth certificate and naturalize a class of new citizens, very thoughtfully, on the steps of Monticello.”
The special $5 commemorative price applies to general admission day passes to Monticello, which includes a guided tour of the house and access to the grounds, the introductory film and exhibitions.
Promotion Details:
WE'RE GOING BACK TO 1987!
In celebration of 25 years as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, we're going back to 1987 ticket prices for 5 days December:
Individual General Admission prices are $5 from December 7 - December 11, 2012!
December 7, 2012 – December 11, 2012
All tickets $5 - Children under 6 free
Tours Subject to Availability
Reservations can be made by calling (434) 984-9880
Advance tickets can be purchased online at www.monticello.org
Offer good for individual, general admission tickets only; not applicable to group tours. Special offer must be used during the dates of December 7 – December 11, 2012. Not applicable to any special tours, premium ticketed events, workshops or programming. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer.