Ongoing Virtual Historical Tours

Monticello
Although closed for the time being to maintain visitors’ safety, you can still explore Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello through one of their virtual tour experiences. Monticello is offering a variety of ways to tour the historic estate, including a 360-degree virtual tour of the home complete with information about the items in each room, a Google Street View tour of both the home and the grounds surrounding it, and an option for schools to conduct virtual field trips to Monticello via video chat with a tour guide to educate students. Each option provides information on the home and its history through additional sources embedded within the tour. Information and access for each tour option are available at monticello.org. 

Highland
Those interested in touring James Monroe’s Highland can learn about the home through a 360-degree virtual tour of the interior and exterior spaces of the home and grounds. Additional information about the various areas of the house are included in the virtual tour, which covers all of the same exhibits and areas of the house as a usual in-person tour would. The virtual tour is made possible by Encyclopedia Virginia, a branch of the Library of Virginia, which helps provide the additional sources available throughout the tour. Virtual tour access is available on Highland’s website at highland.org/virtual-tour/.

Montpelier
While closed to the public in response to the global pandemic, James Madison’s Montpelier is offering “Unlocking Montpelier,”  a virtual tour experience powered by donations from online visitors. Rooms of the home remain “locked” on the virtual tour site until donation goals are met; but, as visitors continue to donate gifts to finance the home, rooms are unlocked one by one, helping maintain the staff and preservation efforts at Montpelier. Once a room is unlocked, staff release videos, images and other content from the experts who preserve and study the home. All donations are matched by the Nancy Woodson Spire Foundation. To visit the unlocked rooms of Montpelier, visit montpelier.org/unlock.