When you get a chance to visit Jefferson’s home at Monticello, be sure you make the most of it. The home is just chock full of the most interesting items, collections, and inventions. But not only that, Thomas has given space to many of those he deemed to be great individuals.

He “Tea Room” is a great example. This room adjoined the dining room and was the coldest corner of the whole house. It became so cold it was closed off during the winter months. The rest of the year Jefferson took his breakfasts here. He loved the room. He referred to this room as his “most honorable suite.”

Jefferson had designed the room with shelving material around the upper portions of each wall. On these shelves he displayed his busts of Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, John Paul Jones, and Lafayette. These pieces of art were sculpted by Jean Antoine Houdon, who was considered the premier sculpture artist of his time in France. You may recall that Jefferson had also enlisted Houdon to craft that wonderful statue of George Washington which adorns the Richmond Capitol Building, which Jefferson also designed.

In his “honorable suite” Jefferson also had another one of his reading and writing arrangements built under a niche in the north wall. This was for his enjoyment during the late afternoon light. There is so much to see and learn at Monticello.