james madison's montpelier

I loved our visit to Montpelier. While many historic sites have been set for years in the way in which information is presented, history is still being discovered at Montpelier. It's very interesting to visit such a site as they are still working to understand how the home was lived in. Our tour guide was excellent. One of the best tour guides I've ever had. Very knowledgeable and flexible with all questions.

Montpelier is fantastic . We learned and felt the history of this place . A Real American Patriot President he was.

I love going to Montpelier. I've been multiple times over the years and it is always enjoyable. It is unique among the local Presidents' homes (of which there are quite a few nearby) since it is still in the process of being restored. You get a true look into the archaeological work to bring the property back to the days of James and Dolly Madison. This is a great place for all ages to enjoy!

What a great learning experience we had touring Montpelier. The home has been restored and is worth the visit. Our tour guide was wonderful. We learned about the lives of James and Dolly Madison and their contribution to our country. Very fascinating. We plan ro return for a more indepth tour when the weather will permit outside touring.

James Madison is not as well-known as Washington, Adams and Jefferson, but his story is interesting and important. (And of course Dolley Madison is one of the great characters of American history.) The restored home and grounds, plus the visitor center, tell the stories very well. Since the restoration is still in progress, that's also part of what makes Montpelier an interesting place. One unexpected bonus is that the setting is exceptionally beautiful! Montpelier is well worth visiting. I'd recommend at least two to three hours, and it would be possible to enjoy a longer visit.

I didn't know much at all about Montpelier--always hear people talking about Monticello but only recently found out about Montpelier being close by. This tour was fantastic. It wasn't just a quick tour of the house. Our guide spent around 90 minutes with us, giving us so much interesting information and answering questions. The house itself was very nice but her insight made it great.

Great place to visit, the home of one of America's forefathers as well as home to Dolly Madison. They are restoring the Slave quarters which will add the real sense of what the estate was really like with slave quarters included.

This home was fantastic. Very historical, restored beautifully, tour guide very knowledgeable, grounds unbelievable. Made you want to learn more about the Madison's and the timeline they lived in. Would definitely recommend this to anyone visiting the area.

Great visitor center, another historic site worth seeing, the views of the mountains and countryside are outstanding

We just revisited Montpelier after many years. One word...Perfection! The house has undergone a multi-million dollar restoration in the last few years and additional improvements are being made now. At one time part of the house was decorated and furnished in the Madison style, while one wing was fashioned the way the DuPont family had it when they owned the home, which was very Art Deco. Frankly, it made things confusing, as visitors were forced to leave Madison's day and bolt into Art-Deco-meets-Equestrian-Ferver. The house is now back to Madison's era and they have done a superb job. Gone is the DuPont salmon colored stucco veneer so one may now see the differentiation in the brick as the house grew over time. Docents are fantastic and able to really bring the house to life. Being a docent is hard, by the way (I used to be one at another historic Virginia home) and these folks were wonderful and you can really tell they care for the former inhabitants and their surroundings. Of special note to me is Mr. Madison's upstairs Library and the placement of his desk before a grand window. From that perch he would have been able to peer out that window, which is on the front of the home under the porch overhang, and look out onto the "Blue Mountains", today's Blue Ridge Mountains. Actually seeing the calming natural surroundings of what he helped to become the United States, you can almost imagine the inspiration he might have gained there. With the magnificent love of his life, Dolly, by his side, a passion for man's self-government (in the style of Scottish Enlightenment) and those lovely mountains ahead of him he crafted our Constitution. Yup, I'd say this home is a place of inspiration. The gift shop is in the visitor center and is a nice one and well-stocked with books about Madison and our founding fathers, their culture, struggles and eventual intentional delay in addressing a "cure" for slavery. There is also a Madison Gallery with a few belonging on display. Additionally, they have recreated all the DuPont rooms in a DuPont Gallery in this building. Very nice. The snack bar is somewhat limited if looking for a lot of choice in your eats, but a nice place to grab a snack and a drink. They also have nice picnic grounds just behind the visitor center so one may purchase a drink and take it out to the picnic area. This is the route we will take on our next visit which won't be too far in the future. Love this home!

Tour guide was very knowledgeable and pleasant. The grounds are very nice with lots to see in a short walking distance.

We went to Montpelier on over the weekend. While it wasn't the most beautiful of houses our Docent (Susan) was outstanding. Her knowledge of all things both Dolly and James Madison was amazing. She was able to describe the time period without a flaw. She made our visit both interesting and informative. So, Thank you Susan.!The house and grounds are still being restored to the original. I think it will take some time (and money) to get everything back to the original Montpelier. That being said the visit was still a worthwhile experience. The gardens are beautiful . They must be amazing in warm weather. The property, view and overall beauty of the area is not lost.

What a great way to learn about Dolly and James.The few extra dollars for the Behind the Scenes is well worth it! Ask for Garnett, he will give you an amazing tour.Take time to learn about our Constitution from the man deemed the father of the constitution. Lean what it intended and what it didn’t. Learn about the real Dolly and James. Great experience not to be missed.

....often by passed for the closer in Charlottesville sights like Jefferson's Monticello....but do not miss it. Nicely preserved with on going renovations, well worth the visit to James and Dolley Madison's home. He was father of our Constitution, architect of the Bill of Rights and she was truly our nation's first lady. Tour includes an intro doctor film, a guide tour limited to 25, museum exhibits, walks around the grounds and Madison family and slave burial sites. Visits in the springs well worth visiting the gardens. Good gift shop and a small cafe for tea, coffee, sandwiches, etc. Free WiFi too.

The area is very pretty if you are a drive into the Shenandoah Valley and want a place to stop. Be forewarned that the house is unlike that of most homes of other historical figures in that there is almost nothing in the home (furnishings, objects, etc) that actually belonged to James and Dolley Madison other than one painting which the museum bought back many years later. The grounds are pretty and the information panels upstairs in the house which you can see at the end of the tour are the most useful aspect. The house itself is barely furnished and those furnishings are, as the tour guide noted, are "museum quality" that would be representative of the kind of furnishings and objects that someone of the Madison's stature would likely have had during that time. That was disappointing. The tour itself is thus very expensive for what you see.