Galleries and Exhibits
Color Through A Child’s Eyes
Color Through a Child’s Eyes is an exhibit that invites children and their caregivers to explore, ask questions and learn more about race and slavery from a child’s perspective. Interactive elements allow young visitors to learn about children who were enslaved at the Montpelier plantation, handle artifacts, read stories, and discover ways one can be an “upstander” in our communities. Many years in the making, this exhibit was created with input and feedback from Descendants and Early Childhood educators. Tickets and Tours information.
The Mere Distinction of Colour
On June 5, 2017, The Mere Distinction of Colour, a groundbreaking exhibition on slavery, opened to the public. The culmination of nearly two decades of historical and archaeological research, this exhibition explores how the legacy of slavery impacts today’s conversations about race, identity, and human rights. Visitors will also see Montpelier’s connection to the national story of slavery – and discover the economic, ideological, and political factors that cemented it in the newly-created American nation and Constitution.
Mysteries of Montpelier
In the Joe and Marge Grills Gallery in the David M. Rubenstein Visitor Center, “Mysteries of Montpelier” aims to put visitors into the shoes of museum curators. Using artifacts that have been discovered across Montpelier’s 2,650 acres, guests will learn how these objects answer questions about the past and tell stories about who lived at Montpelier, what they ate, how they dressed, and more.
The exhibit showcases how Montpelier has changed through time using objects from our curatorial collection, artifacts from archaeology, and historic building materials from preservation. Explore how Montpelier has changed through time with a wide range of artifacts, including Native American projectile points, Mount Pleasant artifacts, items related to or belonging to James and Dolley, artifacts from the South Yard, a rat’s nest found during the restoration, building materials and objects belonging to the duPonts, and much more!
Check out our Collections team on Instagram for a behind-the-scenes look!
Gilmore Cabin
George Gilmore was born a slave at Montpelier in 1810. Following his emancipation after the Civil War, he purchased land across the street from what are now the gates of Montpelier, and built his family’s cabin in 1873. In 2001, The Montpelier Foundation took control of the Gilmore Cabin and began the 4-year-long restoration process. In 2005, the Gilmore Cabin re-opened to the public and has since been a permanent installation of Montpelier.
The Gilmore Cabin at James Madison’s Montpelier is a part of the National Parks Service Reconstruction Era National Historic Network. Read more about it on the NPS site.
Access Gilmore Cabin’s site during Montpelier’s operating business hours. The Gilmore Cabin interior is open only on select event days.
Train Depot
The 1910 Train Depot gives visitors a glimpse into the African American struggle for Civil Rights. Preserved to represent what it would have looked like during the Jim Crow era and located adjacent to the Montpelier gates, the Depot opened in 2010 as a permanent installation of the property.
The Train Depot is open during Montpelier’s operating business hours.
