I enjoy historical homes, so the house was quite interesting to me, but my husband was fascinated by all the things Jefferson invented. It was interesting as well to see the ideas he had implemented to make life better, more efficient, and easier. One example is his alcove bed that was open to his bedroom on one side and his office on the other, with a closet in the space above the bed that was able to be reached by a ladder. He also used many variations of common items to make his work easier, like a revolving table and a copying machine for his office.
The guides are very knowledgeable and want the visitors to get a lot out of the tours. My husband wears a hearing aid, and I asked the guide if he could stand near her in order to hear. She made certain he could hear everything she said for the entire tour, which I thought was indicative of the quality of the tour.
I was amazed that this man had so many talents, although I knew of his interest in science and philosophy. The house also contains much evidence of his support for the Lewis & Clark Expedition, and some exhibits mention the Louisiana Purchase. The grounds are well laid out and maintained. You can buy plants to take home that are grown there, and there is a very nice shop on the premises stocked with a wide variety of items of historic as well as current interest, most of which are very well made, rather than the cheap imports we are so used to seeing at tourist attractions. The house is situated at the top of a "mountain," and the views are beautiful. We brought a picnic lunch and enjoyed it after the tour, sitting on the grounds and looking out at the mountains in the distance.