James Monroe's Highland

What James Monroe's Highland does

James Monroe's Highland is a nonprofit public history museum and historic site located at 2050 James Monroe Parkway in Charlottesville, Virginia, spanning 2,000 acres of wooded and agricultural land. The organization operates the 1818 Presidential Guesthouse, 3,000 sq ft of curated exhibition space, and 6 miles of free public hiking trails, delivering inclusive historical interpretation of fifth U.S. President James Monroe's life and the approximately 178 enslaved individuals who lived and worked at Highland between 1799 and 1865. The site is owned and operated by William & Mary, Monroe's alma mater, with the Monroe-Highland Commission advising the university president and the Highland Council of Descendant Advisors exercising shared authority over interpretation.

The business model is a diversified nonprofit revenue stack: general admission ($17 online, $20 at door for adults; $13 youth), private guided tours ($150 per group of up to six), annual passes (Locals Pass and Monroe's Farm Friends at $50 each), museum shop sales of books and local artisan goods, private event and conference venue rentals, photography session fees ($50), and tax-deductible donations including a tiered Bee Project giving ladder ($25-$500). Distribution occurs through the Bookeo online ticketing platform, walk-in daily operations (9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., seven days a week), group tour reservations, and partner channels including the Virginia 250 Passport Program across 70+ historic sites and the Virginia Tourism Corporation. Customer segments span general tourists, K-12 and adult educational groups, military families (Blue Star Museums), SNAP/EBT recipients (Museums for All), corporate event clients, and descendants of the enslaved Highland community.

The underlying technology is conventional museum infrastructure: a WordPress website, Bookeo booking engine, QR-coded bilingual exhibit content, and standard social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, X). No proprietary technology, AI/ML systems, patents, or software products are described. Strategic priorities center on inclusive narrative interpretation through the Council of Descendant Advisors, academic partnership with William & Mary's Institute for Integrative Conservation, and event-driven audience development around the America's 250th anniversary commemoration.

Name

James Monroe's Highland

Legal name

James Monroe's Highland

Website

https://highland.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1793

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

James Monroe's Highland is a nonprofit public history museum and 2,000-acre historic site in Charlottesville, Virginia, operated by William & Mary. It serves tourists, K-12 students, descendant communities, and corporate event clients through museum admissions, guided tours, venue rentals, and educational programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Historic Site Museum

NAICS

Historical Sites (71212), Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions (712)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Historic Sites, Heritage Landmarks & Archaeological Sites (THAJACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cultural Heritage & Indigenous-Led Visitor Services (Tribal Tours, Heritage Sites, Co-management) (THAAAGAL)

Keywords

• Historic house museum
• Cultural heritage education
• Group tour programs
• Event venue rental
• Museum shop sales

Headquarters

HQ city

Charlottesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. General Admission Tickets: Visitors purchase tickets for museum access to the 1818 Guesthouse interiors, outdoor exhibits, and self-guided outdoor exploration. Tickets are sold online via Bookeo system and at the door.
2. Private Guided Tours: Small group exclusive guided tours at $150 per group (up to 6 guests), sold by reservation only.
3. Annual Passes: Locals Pass (5-visit punch card for $50) and Monroe's Farm Friends annual family grounds pass ($50 annually) provide recurring revenue from frequent visitors.
4. Museum Shop Sales: The Museum Shop sells books, Highland souvenirs, hand-crafted giftware, honey, and items from local juried artisans. All purchases directly support daily operations.
5. Private Events and Conference Rental: Highland hosts corporate meetings, conferences, retreats, company picnics, family gatherings, rehearsal dinners, and photography sessions for venue rental fees.
6. Donations: Tax-free donations support visitor programs, interpretation, and research. The site operates a Bee Project with suggested donation levels ($25-$500).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

James Monroe's Highland is a nonprofit public history museum and historic site operated by William & Mary, offering daily general admission to indoor exhibits in the 1818 Presidential Guesthouse and outdoor interpretive spaces, private guided tours for small groups, structured group tours for school and adult learners, and venue rentals for corporate events, retreats, and photography. The site runs annual community events including the Albemarle County Fair, Descendants Day, sheep shearing, and Independence Day celebrations, and operates the free Highland Rustic Trails. A Museum Shop sells books, souvenirs, and goods from local juried artisans to support daily operations.

Product overview

James Monroe's Highland is a historic presidential museum and site operated by William & Mary. The organization offers a unified visitor experience combining general admission tickets and private guided tours to explore the 1818 Presidential Guesthouse and outdoor grounds. Supporting offerings include the Museum Shop, Highland Bee Project donations, and venue rentals for conferences and photography. Additional programs include group tours for adults and students, the Locals Pass and Monroe's Farm Friends annual passes, and Teacher Resources educational materials. The site features free public hiking on the Highland Rustic Trails.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General Admission Tickets General admission grants entry to the interior exhibits of the 1818 Guesthouse, the A Window to a New America exhibition, and outdoor grounds with spoken interpretation. Available online via Bookeo at $17 and at the door for $20, with youth pricing at $13 and free admission for children six and under.
• Private Guided Tours Exclusive guided visits for small groups of up to six guests through the 1818 Guesthouse and A Window to a New America exhibition, scheduled at 9:00 a.m. on Thursdays through Sundays. Priced at $150 per group with no discounts or special offers.
• Group Tours Facilitated group tours for adult, youth, and student groups led by Highland educators either in-person or via Zoom, aligned with Virginia and National Standards of Learning.
• Locals Pass A 5-visit punch card priced at $50 that grants general admission for the cardholder and up to two guests per visit, with a 10% discount on Museum Shop merchandise. No expiration date.
• Monroe's Farm Friends Annual Pass An annual household grounds pass for $50 covering two adults and children 18 and under, providing outdoor access during regular hours and free admission to the annual spring sheep shearing event. Excludes indoor exhibits and spoken interpretation.
• Gift Vouchers Redeemable vouchers for Private Guided Tours or General Admission Tickets, issued as personalizeable PDFs suitable for gifting.
• Museum Shop A staff-curated retail selection of books, Highland souvenirs, hand-crafted giftware, nature-related items, honey, and specialty food items from local juried artisans. All purchases support daily operations.
• Highland Rustic Trails Six miles of public hiking trails spanning wooded hillsides, meadows, and streambanks across the 2,000-acre Highland property. Free of charge and accessible during regular operating hours.
• Conferences and Meetings Venue Rental Indoor and outdoor event spaces at Highland for corporate meetings, retreats, company picnics, family gatherings, and rehearsal dinners. Booked by phone or email with a downloadable conference packet.
• Photography Sessions Outdoor photography sessions for engagements or family portraits at Highland, scheduled by appointment during regular public hours at a $50 session fee.
• Highland Bee Project Community beekeeping initiative maintaining six beehives in partnership with Monticello, with tiered donation levels ($25 Honey Bee, $50 Beekeeper's Friend, $100 Hive Supporter, $500 Queen Bee) and seasonal honey jars as donor rewards.
• Teacher Resources Educational materials for secondary educators including primary source activities, document transcriptions, object analysis, bibliographies, and lesson plans aligned with Virginia and National Standards of Learning on themes of slavery, diplomacy, and early American history.

Quantifiable outcome

• 3,000 sq ft of newly curated exhibition space opened September 2021
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• William & MarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJames Monroe's Highland is part of William & Mary, Monroe's alma mater. The university provides institutional oversight through the Monroe-Highland Commission serving the President of William & Mary. Executive Director Sara Bon-Harper holds a Research Professor appointment in Anthropology at William & Mary and is a Faculty Affiliate of the Institute for Integrative Conservation.
• Highland Council of Descendant AdvisorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA group of descendants of people enslaved at Highland exercises shared authority for Highland's historic content and strategic direction. Council members provide input on interpretive content, create vision for research, teaching, public interpretation, and community activities, and develop initiatives including Descendants Day.
• Virginia 250 CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHighland is a Virginia 250 Passport partner site celebrating America's 250th anniversary. The partnership includes the VA250 Book Series, VA250 Mobile Museum Experience hosting, and promotional cross-collaboration across 70+ Virginia historic sites.
• Thomas Jefferson's MonticellominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint apiary/beekeeping stewardship project with Monticello. Highland and Monticello share beekeeper Paul Legrand who maintains apiaries at both properties.
• Thomas Jefferson Soil & Water Conservation DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for environmental education programs including Family Watershed Walk exploring the watershed along Highland Rustic Trails. Joint programming for conservation awareness.
• Virginia Cooperative ExtensionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for the Deer Processing Workshop providing hands-on instruction in field dressing, butchering techniques, and food safety at the Highland Pavilion.
• Virginia Department of Wildlife ResourcesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-presenter of the Deer Processing Workshop alongside Virginia Cooperative Extension, providing wildlife management education.
• Charlottesville Albemarle Convention and Visitors BureauminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership supporting the VA250 Mobile Museum Experience at Highland. The CACVB provides promotional support and is credited for making the mobile museum event possible.
• The Residence Inn by Marriott Charlottesville DowntownminorOthersProvided overnight accommodations for the VA250 Mobile Museum team during their visit to Highland.
• Piedmont Master GardenersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Garden Basics programming at Highland. Hosted educational sessions on cool weather crops and extended garden harvests in the Highland vegetable garden.
• William & Mary Institute for Integrative ConservationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with William & Mary's Institute for Integrative Conservation for the Highland Descendants Foodways Project. Three students and three faculty advisors conducted oral histories with the Council of Descendant Advisors exploring foodways traditions.
• Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and MuseumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerExecutive Director Christina Shutt of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum participated in Highland's VA250 Book Series discussing 'Doing History' and the power of connecting human stories.
• Heifetz International Music InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPerformers at Highland's Independence Day Concert, providing classically-inspired ensembles for annual July 4th celebrations.
• Local Juried ArtisansminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with local artisans providing hand-crafted goods, textiles, ceramics, jewelry, and wood objects sold exclusively through the Highland Museum Shop.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Stratford Hall: Historic Virginia plantation operated as a house museum with grounds, ticketed tours, and educational programming; comparable scale, nonprofit status, and visitor experience mix to Highland.
• Thomas Jefferson's Monticello: Thomas Jefferson's plantation home and presidential museum located within miles of Highland in Charlottesville. Both are Virginia presidential plantation sites offering interior tours, exhibits, and shared tourism traffic along the same heritage corridor.
• George Washington's Mount Vernon: Mount Vernon is the most-visited presidential historic site in the U.S., offering similar ticketed tours, museum exhibits, grounds trails, and group/educational programming as Highland, albeit at much larger scale.
• American Revolution Museum at Yorktown: Living-history museum operated by the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation focused on the Revolutionary era, with ticketed galleries, educational programming, and group tours similar to Highland's offering.
• Berkeley Plantation: James River plantation house museum in Charles City County offering ticketed tours, special events, and grounds visits; comparable size, business model, and Virginia heritage tourism customer base to Highland.
• James Madison's Montpelier: James Madison's home in Orange, Virginia, is a fellow founding-era presidential plantation museum with comparable ticketed tours, descendant-centered interpretation, and Orange County/Charlottesville tourism overlap.
• Poplar Forest: Thomas Jefferson's retreat plantation in Bedford County, Virginia, is operated as a nonprofit historic site with archaeological research, restoration, and public interpretation, closely mirroring Highland's operational and interpretive model.
• Historic Jamestowne: Colonial-era historic site operated in partnership with the National Park Service, offering ticketed archaeology-based tours, museum exhibits, and group programs under a similar public-history model to Highland.

Broad incumbents

• Virginia Museum of History & Culture: Statewide history museum in Richmond offering broader Virginia and U.S. history exhibits, archives, and educational programming; comparable audience but much broader scope than Highland's site-specific narrative.
• Colonial Williamsburg: Large-scale living history museum in Virginia offering ticketed site visits, educational programming, and event rentals; operates at much greater scale than Highland but in the same Virginia heritage tourism space.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/MonroeHighland
• YouTubeyoutube.com/watch?v=FjspLQtHuu8
• Facebookfacebook.com/MonroeHighland
• Instagraminstagram.com/monroehighland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/james-monroes-highland

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about James Monroe's Highland