Special Interest Tours & Lectures

Add an in-depth special interest guided tour or private lecture to your group's tour.

Special Interest Tours — $5pp, minimum 20 people

• The Enslaved Community Tour — Montpelier was home to over 200 slaves in the Madisons' lifetimes, and it was their work and skill that made Montpelier. On this walking tour you will visit the places they lived, loved, and labored.

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  Garden and Grounds — Explore both the natural and human landscape at Montpelier: home to champion native trees, rare flowers, unique specimen plantings, and 200 years of landscaping that is still being revealed daily by Montpelier's archaeologists.
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  The Gilmore Cabin: A Freedman's Farm — Visit the home of an emancipated family after the Civil War, and learn what life was like for newly freed slaves striving to make their way as citizens.

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  Big Woods Walk — Hike through the National Landmark Forest—a rare hardwood climax forest composed of towering poplars, stately oaks, and sprawling beeches. Guests will learn about ecology, conservation, and Madison's role as an early environmentalist. The trail is a gentle mile loop.
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  Civil War Trail and Confederate Encampment — Parts of the Confederate army parked in Montpelier's woods over the winter of 1863-1864. On this tour you will see the archaeological remains of those camps, and the recreated huts re-enactors have built to represent them.
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  Constitutional Conversations — In true Madisonian fashion, a Montpelier interpreter will facilitate a discussion contrasting the Constitution and current events with the Constitution and those events in Madison's time. Where it goes from there depends on the group's opinions and knowledge.

Expert Experiences — $250, up to 25 people

• Curatorial Experience — Join Montpelier's curators and examine the latest discoveries and research in the Presidential Detective Story. Discussion subjects vary, but can include ceramics, artwork, furniture, and the Presidential Library.

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  Restoration Experience — Join Montpelier's Director of Restoration for an illustrated overview of the architectural evolution of Montpelier from 1763 until today, highlighting the research, process and execution of work.
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  Archaeological Experience — Take a behind-the-scenes look at the archaeology lab. Learn how archaeologists restore ceramics, conserve iron, and process all artifacts at the lab. A tour of the active dig site is included when excavations are in progress.
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  Constitutional Experience — Join Montpelier's Constitutional Expert and discuss how Madison's document is still relevant and influence people's lives around the world today.

Executive Experiences — $500, up to 25 people

Book a private discussion with Montpelier's Executives on topics such as the Constitution, James Madison and Religious Freedom, or a special one-on-one with Montpelier's "James Madison" or "Dolley Madison" interpreters.

Additional tours and lectures should be reserved when booking your group's tour. Reservations will be scheduled based on availability. For more information on group tours please download our Group Tour Manual. To inquire about pricing and availability please contact our Group Tour Reservations department.