Historic preservation on one level is understanding and appreciating history and what it teaches us about ourselves. However, preservation also means taking action.

For the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), "it's the process of maintaining and preserving our heritage assets, which at the U.S. Capitol include the buildings, grounds, memorials, monuments, statuary, artwork, furniture, chandeliers, mirrors and even historic plant species at the Botanic Garden," says Mary Oerhlein, Historic Preservation Officer.

Historic Preservation: U.S. Capitol Campus

Since the U.S. Capitol and most of the other buildings under the jurisdiction of the AOC are working office buildings, AOC employees must be mindful that their work to support the occupants does not damage or destroy the parts of the buildings that are architecturally or historically significant.

Oerhlein, offers a simple explanation for why historic preservation matters to every AOC employee. "As the most important building in the country and the symbol of our democratic nation, the U.S. Capitol needs to be here 500 years from now," she said. "We need to be conscious of what we do every day that could impact the life of the building."

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Recent Articles

A tree on the U.S. Capitol campus.
History & Discoveries

The Original Olmsted Trees

Celebrating the history of tree planting and tree preservation at the U.S. Capitol Grounds by highlighting some of the oldest trees on the grounds.
The Caucus Room chandelier, a prominent feature of the space, can be seen in original photos dating to 1908.
Projects

Cannon Light Fixture Restoration

While light fixtures are like jewelry to a room, they can also set a tone for the significance of the space. Naturally, they also provide illumination to enable work and safe movement.
One of the four Olmsted lanterns on the west side of the U.S. Capitol Grounds, restored in 2020.
Projects

Olmsted Lanterns Restoration

The large bronze and glass lanterns are mounted on stately sandstone piers with intricately carved sandstone caps.
The finished SR-253 hearing room, with the ceiling and plaster reliefs repainted to appear like carved stone, which is truer to the architects' original intention.
Behind the Scenes

Before and After: Hearing Room Renovation

The Senate Office Buildings jurisdiction recently completed a project to restore the hearing room for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (SR-253) in the Russell Senate Office Building.

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