Thomas Jefferson’s Cabinet taken around 1923. This image records one of the Foundation's first acquisitions: Jefferson’s revolving chair made by Thomas Burling c1790. The second image shows the space after we reinstalled and restored the iconic room #PreservingMonticello

Monticello's iconic West Front, or "nickle view", has been the subject of photos for over a century. From the first image here (c1880s!), these capture major changes over time: 1924 roof restoration, 2013 restoration of the columns to their original unpainted plaster, and today.

We present you with what are believed to be the earliest known photos of Monticello Thought to be taken by Charlottesville photographer William Roads in the late 1860s, these photos show a very different version of Monticello's East and West fronts. #glowup

What do we DO all day? For our teams, every day is different! While we're closed to the public, Restoration is working hard to maintain the structures while social distancing. Here Restoration Specialist Jolen Bain reinstalls a recently replicated threshold in the Greenhouse.

Many people face the new challenge of how to stay connected despite distance & limited in-person communication. Jefferson faced similar limitations—especially at Monticello. Charlottesville, far removed from the bustling cities of early America, was considered the frontier. (1/2)

Next week our livestreams focus on how Jefferson “worked from home,” his workspace, and how he stayed connected to distant friends, family, and colleagues. Join the conversation with Mr. Jefferson in his home “office” on Tuesday, May 5, at 1:00 p.m. EDT.: bit.ly/2WfV797

This video, with its dog distractions & shaky spouse camera work, so encapsulates #WFH energy that we’re sharing it unedited. 😂 Join our “working from home” focused-livestream w/ Associate Curator of Decorative Arts, Diane Ehrenpreis on 5/6 at 1 pm EDT: bit.ly/3c9927y

It's the age of Zoom and WiFi, but I still prefer holding a book and taking notes by hand. Today’s topic: Jefferson’s portrait bust by Jean Antoine Houdon, of the Marquis de Lafayette, Courtesy of the Boston Athenaeum -Diane Ehrenpreis, Associate Curator or Decorative Arts

There are many important projects still happening on the Mountaintop. Here, Carol Richardson is painting the roof of the North Privy. She’s been making sure every square inch of Monticello is in tip top shape for 21 years and counting. Thanks, Carol - the place looks GREAT!

In this photo from 1938, O.F. Ostergren, the first clock conservator at Monticello and his assistant are seen removing the interior face of the clock. Today we use a multi-tiered, modern scaffolding; Ostergren used this small wooden ladder with a platform to reach the face 😳

When the Great Clock was removed for conservation, it revealed something special: evidence that the clock was originally installed before the walls in the Hall were plastered.

During our closure to the public, conservator Andy Compton has been hard at work restoring composition ornament in the Dining Room. Go Andy go!

While we've been closed to the public, there's still a lot going on behind the scenes to make the mountaintop ready for visitors. Museum Tech, Samantha Schmucker, tackled solo-packing our reproduction buffalo robe that's a part of our winter installation. We named him Nigel 🤷‍♀️

As we look forward to welcoming visitors back on the mountaintop, Carol Richardson is applying oil (on a very dry day!) to soak into the exposed wood of the North Terrace and prevent deterioration. BTW: it's Carols birthday today! Send her some good cheer!🎉🎉🎉

We've been prepping for reopening over the last few weeks, so the Collections Team was back in action in our visitor center galleries! After some much needed rest, these Jefferson family personal objects are back on display. We hope you'll visit soon!

The Dome Room window embrasures are getting some love from Jolen Bain this month. He is carefully patching the plaster where it was previously damaged due to leaks. Thank you Jolen!

Ever see an eel spear? We have! To keep fish on the mountaintop, Jefferson created a series of ponds, some named for the type of fish they held. In 1819, Jefferson noted “the uppermost pond is for eels.” However, we don’t think this spear was ever used at Monticello 🤷‍♀️

Limewash was the original finish used on many buildings on Monticello's mountaintop. It's anti-fungal, sustainable, and breathable...it's even fire retardant! But it does require some upkeep. Here, Carol refreshes the limewash on the Textile Workshop.

Join us 8/26 for our Constitution Series: Equality And Justice For All featuring Paradox of Liberty: Slavery at Jefferson's Monticello, an interactive forum w/Gayle Jessup White & Preserving Monticello's Emilie Johnson. Free registration: oconnorinstitute.org/constitution-s… #EqualityForAll #SDOI

Today we are excited to announce that Monticello has received a $3.5 million grant from the Mellon Foundation to expand the Getting Word African American Oral History Project at Monticello. Learn more about this transformational, multi-year donation: bit.ly/3TzW1KN