Starting March 13 open Thursday – Monday – Ticket information

Department of Curatorial & Collections

CURATORIAL AND COLLECTIONS AT MONTPELIER

Acqusitions

Preservation

Conservation

Research

The Curatorial department researches and acquires objects that help provide context for those who lived at Montpelier, including the Madisons, the duPonts, and enslaved individuals. The Collections department is responsible for the maintenance and preservation of the 5,000 objects on exhibit and in storage at Montpelier.

Curatorial & Collections Projects

Many of the projects our department undertakes are not done within the view of visitors. Our work is seen in the interpretation of the rooms, exhibit cases, and in the care of the objects. Read about our projects to get a behind the scenes look at how exhibits come together and the special objects at Montpelier.

Digging Deeper Blog

Check out our blogs and read about our projects to learn about what we've done in the past and what our department is currently working on. Find out how we install objects, care for the Montpelier collection and what day-to-day collections work is like.

Preventative Measures In the House

“Good storage is preventive conservation.”   Storing Objects When you think of museum storage, what do you think of? Do you think of the giant ...
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Stone planter with floral arrangements on top of two statues in a garden, with trees and stone steps leading to a pathway in the background.

Garden Statuary Care

Ever wonder how our garden statuary is cared for? Read here to find out more!
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A storage room with shelves full of labeled boxes, wrapped items, folded chairs on an upper shelf, and miscellaneous furniture and objects.

Out of Sight, But Not Out of Mind

Dive into collections storage with this in-depth blog all about the ins and outs of storing Montpelier’s decorative arts collection.
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Open beige travel toiletry set in a blue-lined case, includes scissors, combs, nail tools, and various rectangular containers with blue emblems.

What’s in a Number?

When looking at labels in your favorite museum, you might notice that the objects are referred to with specific sets of numbers. Sometimes a combination ...
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An archaeological excavation site in front of a large brick building, showing a grid of cleared earth and tools scattered around the area.

The South Yard: Archaeology

What did the Archaeology Team find in the South Yard?
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Silhouettes on a brick wall show a pregnant woman in one circle of light and the same woman holding a baby in another, suggesting life stages.

The South Yard Dwellings: The Taylor and Stewart Families

The Taylors and Stewarts were two married couples who were likely born at Montpelier and served the Madison family for decades.
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A handwritten list with names, numbers, and crossed-out text. Some names include "Harriet," "Mary," "Abe," and "Guy." Dollar amounts and notes like "Indy's Children" are visible.

South Yard Dwellings: Research

Learn more about the interviews conducted with the Works Progress Administration and the images found that helped to shape the South Yard Dwellings at Montpelier. ...
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A pencil drawing of a family gathered around a fireplace. Two women are seated, two children stand, another is seated with them, and a woman stands hanging clothes. The room has a rustic interior.

South Yard Dwellings: Food & Cooking

We know enslaved cooks prepared food for the Madisons. How did the enslaved community cook and what did they eat themselves?
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Wooden box containing vintage blue and white dishes, a small brown jug, coins, a grey knitted item, a brush, and light-colored folded pants.

South Yard Dwellings: Household Items

Work tools vs. leisure tools- what's the difference?
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Read all of the Curatorial & Collections Blogs

Learn about taking care of the Montpelier collection.

The Team

A person with black hair and glasses smiles at the camera. They are outdoors with green foliage in the background.

Jenniffer Powers, BA

Collections Manager
Jenniffer Powers joined Montpelier in May 2014, after completing her degree in Historic Preservation from the University of Mary Washington. As the Collections Manager, Jenniffer works behind the scenes and beyond the ropes to provide care and maintenance for the entirety of the Montpelier Collections – both on display and off display. This includes everything from proper storage to vacuuming textiles, to cleaning silver and sweeping floorcloth! Jenniffer is passionate about making collections and collections management accessible to the public and loves using the Collections Department Instagram account to highlight pieces of the collections both on and off display as well as the work that it takes to preserve the objects and spaces for decades to come!
EChew 2022

Elizabeth Chew, PhD

former Senior Director of Museum Programs and Chief Curator
An art historian, she holds a B.A. from Yale, an M.A. from the Courtauld Institute of the University of London, and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has worked at museums and historic sites since 1985, including as a curator at Monticello for thirteen years, and as the Betsy Main Babcock Director of the Curatorial and Education Division at Reynolda House Museum of American Art in Winston-Salem, N.C. She has taught art history at the University of North Carolina, the University of Virginia, James Madison University, Wake Forest University, and Davidson College and published and lectured widely on ways that art and architectural patronage relate to gender, race, and family politics.