Friday Field Days with Poplar Forest Archaeology

Talks every Friday at 1:30 p.m.Join Poplar Forest’s Department of Archaeology and Landscapes every Friday at 1:30 PM through November 22 for an in-depth look into their current excavations and what they are learning about the people who lived in and around the 1857 Slav......More

Talks every Friday at 1:30 p.m.Join Poplar Forest’s Department of Archaeology and Landscapes every Friday at 1:30 PM through November 22 for an in-depth look into their current excavations and what they are learning about the people who lived in and around the 1857 Slave Dwelling. While the 1857 Slave Dwelling was built after Jefferson’s lifetime, it is historically important as it is the only original dwelling built for enslaved people still standing on the property. As part of the 1857 Slave Dwelling Restoration Project’s efforts to stabilize, research, and restore this structure with the community, we invite you to visit our archaeologists to see what they are finding and learning about the people who lived here. Friday Field Days are included with regular admission which can be purchased in advance here. Admission to the property includes either a docent-guided or self-guided tour of Jefferson’s retreat home, access to exhibits in the lower level and wing of offices of the villa retreat, and outdoor exhibits throughout the property.

Kick off the Lewis & Clark American Tour with Clay Jenkinson

Join us for a Unique Learning Experience and Historic Launch!Clay Jenkinson, host of the podcast “Listening to America,” will be kicking off his epic Lewis and Clark tour of America at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest on May 6, 2025. Jenkinson will lecture that day at 2......More

Join us for a Unique Learning Experience and Historic Launch!Clay Jenkinson, host of the podcast “Listening to America,” will be kicking off his epic Lewis and Clark tour of America at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest on May 6, 2025. Jenkinson will lecture that day at 2:00 p.m. on Thomas Jefferson’s vision for Lewis and Clark’s “Corps of Discovery”. This talk will begin his 11,000-mile, transcontinental journey in the 23-foot Listening to America Airstream. The trek across America will trace the Lewis and Clark expedition from Virginia, where it was conceived by Thomas Jefferson, all the way across the country and back again. Admission to Jenkinson’s talk at Poplar Forest is included with general admission to the site and will include a house tour. Guests are invited to pack a picnic to enjoy on-site with fellow attendees after the short lecture. We hope you will join us for this historical event at Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest on May 6th. Click the ticket link above to reserve your tickets now.  

Jefferson's Curiosities: Jefferson and the VA Wine Industry

Thomas Jefferson was a man of many varied interests.  Join us at the house he deemed “the best dwelling house in the state” as we delve into topics he found particularly fascinating: from the arts to agriculture, literature to wine, philosophy to natural sciences, and m......More

Thomas Jefferson was a man of many varied interests.  Join us at the house he deemed “the best dwelling house in the state” as we delve into topics he found particularly fascinating: from the arts to agriculture, literature to wine, philosophy to natural sciences, and more. Each talk in the series includes a wine and cheese reception following the presentation. Tickets are $25/each or $80 for all four Curiosities Series talks. Christine Vrooman of Ankida Ridge Vineyards joins Poplar Forest to discuss one of Jefferson’s most famous passions: wine. Enjoy a discussion of Jefferson’s wine preferences and how they changed throughout his life, his attempts to begin the Virginia wine industry, and learn about the state’s industry today. Taking place in the dining room of Jefferson’s beloved villa, the talk will be an interesting exploration of one of Jefferson’s best known passions. Other 2025 Jefferson’s Curiosities Series Events: Botany & Friendship: March 27, 2025 6:30 p.m.Music: June 13, 2025 6:30 p.m.Shakespeare: September 5, 2025 6:30 p.m.

Public Archaeology Day

Join Poplar Forest’s Department of Archaeology and Landscapes for a day of discovery and community! Dig and screen for artifacts at the 1857 Slave Dwelling with our staff – gloves provided. Not a fan of dirt? Visitors can also wash artifacts and learn about the history ......More

Join Poplar Forest’s Department of Archaeology and Landscapes for a day of discovery and community! Dig and screen for artifacts at the 1857 Slave Dwelling with our staff – gloves provided. Not a fan of dirt? Visitors can also wash artifacts and learn about the history of the dwelling and the people who lived there from our archaeologists. Open to the whole community. Public Archaeology Day is included with regular admission which can be purchased in advance here. Admission to the property includes either a docent-guided or self-guided tour of Jefferson’s retreat home, access to exhibits in the lower level and wing of offices of the villa retreat, and outdoor exhibits throughout the property.

The Day is Past and Gone

Playwright Teresa Harris’s original drama returns to Jefferson’s plantation for two performances only. Drawn from real-life experiences of the men and women who were enslaved at Poplar Forest, the trilogy explores the complexity of their lives and their struggles to sur......More

Playwright Teresa Harris’s original drama returns to Jefferson’s plantation for two performances only. Drawn from real-life experiences of the men and women who were enslaved at Poplar Forest, the trilogy explores the complexity of their lives and their struggles to survive. Join Harris, the cast and Poplar Forest’s archaeology and interpretation staff for a Q&A following the performance. Bring your friends and family, a picnic and a blanket or chairs, and experience a little-known but important part of Poplar Forest’s history brought to life. NOTE: The performance consists of three vignettes performed at three different locations on the property. We recommend bringing chairs, blankets, picnics, etc. that are easy to move. Performance begins at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $20/adult (18+), $10 for youth ages 6-17 and college students (with valid ID), $5 for children under 6. Rain Date: June 1 *Please note, there are no refunds for event tickets for any reason. Event Tickets DO NOT include admission to the property during daytime hours. To tour the house and grounds between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., you must purchase a regular tour ticket here.

Poplar Forest, 1776 Poplar Forest Parkway, Lynchburg, VA, 24502, United States

Jefferson’s Curiosities: Music

Thomas Jefferson had a well-known love of music. He played the fiddle himself and purchased instruments for his daughters and grandchildren throughout much of his adult life. Join Poplar Forest as we partner with musicians from the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra to explor......More

Thomas Jefferson had a well-known love of music. He played the fiddle himself and purchased instruments for his daughters and grandchildren throughout much of his adult life. Join Poplar Forest as we partner with musicians from the Lynchburg Symphony Orchestra to explore Jefferson’s interest in music. Hear pieces Jefferson heard in concert or performed himself and explore one of Jefferson’s many curiosities. Following the performance will be wine and cheese reception with the musicians.  About the Series: Thomas Jefferson was a man of many varied interests.  Join us at the house he deemed “the best dwelling house in the state” as we delve into topics he found particularly fascinating: from the arts to agriculture, literature to wine, philosophy to natural sciences, and more. Each talk in the series includes a wine and cheese reception following the presentation. Tickets are $25/each per talk or $80 for all four 2025 events.  Other 2025 Jefferson’s Curiosities Series Events: Botany & Friendship: March 27, 2025 6:30 p.m.The Virginia Wine Industry: May 8, 2025 6:30 p.m.Shakespeare: September 5, 2025 6:30 p.m.

Poplar Forest, 1776 Poplar Forest Parkway, Lynchburg, VA, 24502, United States

1776 The Musical

Enjoy the 10th annual performance of events that took place 249 years ago at the retreat home of the principal author of the Declaration of Independence! Revel in the revolutionary spirit of America’s Founding Fathers at Poplar Forest’s presentation of 1776—the Tony Awa......More

Enjoy the 10th annual performance of events that took place 249 years ago at the retreat home of the principal author of the Declaration of Independence! Revel in the revolutionary spirit of America’s Founding Fathers at Poplar Forest’s presentation of 1776—the Tony Award-winning comedy by Sherman Edwards and Peter Stone based on the events leading up to the drafting and signing of the Declaration of Independence. View these events through the eyes of Ben (Franklin), Richard Henry (Lee), John (Adams) and Tom (Jefferson). Celebrate their contributions to our country’s history. Bring a chair or blanket, a picnic dinner (no outside alcoholic beverages allowed. Wine, beer and cider will be available for sale on site), and friends and family for an evening of theatre under the stars. Performance begins at 7:30 p.m., Rain Date is June 29, $20.00/Adults (18+), $15/College and Youth (6-17), $5/under 6.   *Please note, there are no refunds for event tickets for any reason. Event Tickets DO NOT include admission to the property during daytime hours. To tour the house and grounds between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., you must purchase a regular tour ticket here. 

VA250 Mobile Museum Experience

The Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission is bringing the spirit of the American Revolution to Poplar Forest! A hands-on, interactive, and immersive “museum on wheels,” the VA250 Mobile Museum Experience titled Out of Many, One is housed in a quad-expandable tract......More

The Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission is bringing the spirit of the American Revolution to Poplar Forest! A hands-on, interactive, and immersive “museum on wheels,” the VA250 Mobile Museum Experience titled Out of Many, One is housed in a quad-expandable tractor trailer that is traveling throughout Virginia and beyond. Guests visiting this unique traveling museum will embark on a journey through pivotal moments of our fight for freedom while learning about the Revolution’s key figures as well as the often-overlooked stories of the Indigenous Virginians, free and enslaved African Americans, and others whose efforts secured American independence. Out of Many, One will be open to the public free of charge (admission rates are applicable to experience the historic house and surrounding grounds and to attend 1776 the Musical). Out of Many, One will be open to the public from 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. June 26-June 28, 2025. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the founding of our nation and learn about Virginia’s vital role. *Please note, The Mobile Museum Experience does not include admission to tour the house and grounds or to watch 1776 the Musical. Tickets for house and grounds tours can be purchased here. Tickets are 1776 the Musical can be purchased here.