Preserving Monticello

Preserving Monticello Insights from Monticello’s Curatorial, Collections, and Restoration teams.

Where were you watching from?? We took in the eclipse from Curatorial’s backyard!
04/10/2024

Where were you watching from?? We took in the eclipse from Curatorial’s backyard!

Our favorite day of the year!
03/14/2024

Our favorite day of the year!

We can't believe it's already Leap Day! January and February are typically the busiest months for the Curatorial and Res...
02/29/2024

We can't believe it's already Leap Day! January and February are typically the busiest months for the Curatorial and Restoration teams in the historic house which involves a flurry of activity. From painting the floor cloth of the Entrance Hall to pulling out every single drawer to cleaning textiles in the Dome Room -- we did it all!

Three men walk into Monticello — Alexander Hamilton, Turgot, and Voltaire….So what do these three men have in common? Th...
02/01/2024

Three men walk into Monticello — Alexander Hamilton, Turgot, and Voltaire….

So what do these three men have in common? These gents reside in the Entrance Hall of Monticello but are currently taking a breather while the Restoration team is repainting the wall where they perch. Who doesn’t love a slumber party?

It’s hard to believe that last week we were in a winter wonderland but today we’re in the upper 70s. The weather on the ...
01/26/2024

It’s hard to believe that last week we were in a winter wonderland but today we’re in the upper 70s. The weather on the mountaintop is already full of surprises in 2024!

📷: Lori Allen

Thursday, January 18, 2024

A Tale of Twin TJs 👯Did you know that we have 2 copies of the Edgehill portrait of Thomas Jefferson? It’s true! We joint...
01/24/2024

A Tale of Twin TJs 👯

Did you know that we have 2 copies of the Edgehill portrait of Thomas Jefferson? It’s true! We jointly own the original work by Gilbert Stuart with the and exchange the painting every 3 years. When the original is in D.C., we use a reproduction in its place. Being a swap year, the two had a brief reunion while we prepped to make the switch on the scaffold above.

Can you tell who is who!?

Don’t worry! This is NOT a sofa vs. human situation. In fact, it’s a prime example of cleaning every nook and cranny dur...
01/23/2024

Don’t worry! This is NOT a sofa vs. human situation. In fact, it’s a prime example of cleaning every nook and cranny during the Big Clean.

For the second installment of Curatorial’s Pro Tip Tuesday, we are highlighting the importance of cleaning under furniture. Not only are we able to capture built-up dust, but we can also inspect the upholstery for any pest activity and respond accordingly if found. We’re happy to report that we are in the clear!

Preparing to launch our publicly accessible collections database has been in the works for years. Old files and photos d...
01/18/2024

Preparing to launch our publicly accessible collections database has been in the works for years. Old files and photos don't always tell the full story about an object's maker, construction, or repairs over the years so we spent a lot of time with each object to make sure that the file is complete. This meant we also spent A LOT of time crawling, crouching, squatting, and perching to make sure that we had all the information each item had to offer. All of that is to say, we love these kinds of days! 😍

The Big Clean may be our favorite time of the year, but coming in for a close second is ! This year we're sharing the s...
01/17/2024

The Big Clean may be our favorite time of the year, but coming in for a close second is ! This year we're sharing the selfies from our 2021 series of "kind of creepy mirror shots." 😳

And if you have any selfies of yourself at Monticello -- creepy or not -- we'd love to see them!

We can’t help but love when it snows around here!📷: Barry DeanTuesday, January 16, 2024 • 8:15 am • 29°
01/16/2024

We can’t help but love when it snows around here!

📷: Barry Dean

Tuesday, January 16, 2024 • 8:15 am • 29°

We were greeted by this stunning sunrise on Day 2 of the Big Clean. 📷: Tabitha Pryor CorradiWednesday, January 10 • 7:17...
01/10/2024

We were greeted by this stunning sunrise on Day 2 of the Big Clean.

📷: Tabitha Pryor Corradi

Wednesday, January 10 • 7:17 am • 39° F

For the first day of the Big Clean, there were a lot of pointing fingers. Well, more like antlers….with gloves. When cle...
01/10/2024

For the first day of the Big Clean, there were a lot of pointing fingers. Well, more like antlers….with gloves.

When cleaning around any antlered friends, it’s best to flag where the points are — otherwise you may lose an eye. Consider this the first installment of Curatorial’s Pro Tip Tuesday.

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1050 Monticello Loop
Charlottesville, VA
22902

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+14349849800

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Restoration and Collections Department at Monticello

We are responsible for the care, preservation, study, and public presentation of the Monticello house and the Thomas Jefferson Foundation's collection of objects related to Thomas Jefferson, his family, and their lives at Monticello. Since the Foundation purchased Monticello in 1923, several generations of curators have worked to locate and acquire the approximately 5000 objects in this collection. The process is ongoing, and involves a combination of documentary and provenance research and connoisseurship.