CHARLOTTESVILLE

On a gloomy morning last week, dignitaries from former Virginia Gov. Gerald L. Baliles to presidential historian Michael Beschloss, said a few words in the courtyard of the new three-level marvel of cedar and stone.

There was a Baptist choir, a University of Virginia marching band and a fife and drum corps that played long after the official ceremony ended.

And yet, perhaps the most inspiring moment was entirely unscripted.

On a day when dark clouds had remained snuggled up against the top of what Jefferson once called his little mountain, sun suddenly peeked through and shined down into the courtyard.

With water bubbling noiselessly from a fountain and rows of new shrubs and trees glistening in the sudden sunlight, the white shafts of light seemed a heavenly affirmation of the new center's arrival.

The Thomas Jefferson Visitor Center and Smith Education Center is interesting in its diversity.

On one hand, it's a natural building, both in its look and design.

Located on the lower slope of Monticello Mountain, the complex is set into the contour of a hillside that's landscaped with bushes, trees and flowers.

Some 42,000 square feet of wood, stone and brick went into the complex, at a cost of more than $40 million, with two green roofs and the soothing stained wood providing a natural feel to a complex that has a geothermal system for heating and cooling.

But inside the complex--which includes a ticket and information center, a gift shop, displays, educational spaces, a cafe and a small theater--are high-tech, user-friendly flourishes an inventive fellow like Jefferson would be tickled with.

Those features include interactive screens, where touching particular Jefferson writings or ideas opens up other areas of exploration; displays that highlight how tools and Jefferson inventions worked; and a hands-on activity room for children.

The modern gateway to Monticello is the largest capital project and most ambitious educational initiative of the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, the private, nonprofit entity that has owned and operated Monticello since 1923.