Established in 1976, the James Madison Museum houses exhibits on James and Dolley Madison, featuring one of the nation’s most outstanding collections of Madisonia. On display are a number of James’ and Dolley’s personal items, papers, and furnishings.
In addition to Madison memorabilia, the museum also houses items from other past presidents. There is a large collection of items from James Monroe and Madison’s second cousin, Zachary Taylor. The picture at right features the bed of James Monroe’s daughter, Eliza Hay, from the White House.
The James Madison Museum is host to the Virginia Convention document ratifying the Constitution along with the twenty proposed amendments attached to it. These were written by Madison and a later version them would become the first ten amendments or the Bill of Rights. There is also a letter from George Washington to his aide Tobias Lear about the celebrations of the ratification observed in Alexandria, Virginia.