Visit updated Jefferson homes in the pursuit of history
— -- He may be remembered as the chief drafter of the Declaration of Independence, but third president Thomas Jefferson was also a master of building design. A self-taught architect, Jefferson was inspired by the Palladian villa — yet two of his Virginia homes were cutting-edge modern in their day. This spring, both Monticello, Jefferson's main residence, and Poplar Forest, a lesser-known retirement retreat 70 miles away, boast new features. USA TODAY's Jayne Clark takes the tour.
Monticello
What's new: A $43 million visitor center opens Wednesday. It consists of five handsome stone-and-cedar pavilions that blend nicely into the lush countryside of what was, in Jefferson's day, a 5,000-acre plantation. After wandering through four exhibit areas and seeing an introductory film, visitors can tour the house with a better understanding of the man, his ideas and his lifestyle.
Back story:Monticello has been open for public tours since 1924 but had little in the way of visitor facilities. Besides the exhibit galleries and theater, the new 42,000-square-foot center has a separate "discovery room" offering hands-on experiences. A pleasant café and sprawling gift shop with comfortable reading spaces complete the amenities.
The experience:The house received 447,000 visitors last year, and tours, which require timed tickets, are tightly choreographed as guides usher group after group from room to room. Decorated circa 1809, the home contains lots of fascinating exotica (mastodon bones, an Indian buffalo robe), along with some furnishings designed by Jefferson.
Don't miss:There's loads of high-tech wizardry in the new exhibit spaces. Step on one of the words, such as "religion," projected on the floor of one gallery, and it triggers related Jeffersonian quotes beamed onto the wall. Nearby, a wall of flat-paneled interactive screens trace how Jefferson's radical ideas shaped the new nation and beyond. The low-tech, hands-on features in the new Griffin Discovery Room will grab the attention of children (it's geared to 6- to 11-year-olds) and adults, too. A replica of Jefferson's alcove bed, with its crimson, fur-lined (in this case faux fur) spread is next to a copy of his writing desk, with its red leather lounge chair. A re-created slave dwelling offers a vivid picture of how the 150 to 200 slaves here lived.
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