Our Work

A Tradition of Ingenuity

Our work inspires a nation. We are the artisans, historians, and craftspeople who preserve and maintain the landmark buildings, monuments, art and grounds of the Capitol campus.

Buildings & Grounds

The Capitol campus is made up of more than 18.4 million square feet of facilities, and 570 acres of grounds.

Discover the Buildings and Grounds

Projects

We must ensure every visitor to Capitol Hill experiences the grandeur of these historic treasures at their very best.

Our Projects

Art & Artists

We are responsible for the care of thousands of works of historical art.

View the Collection

Stories

New & Noteworthy

Delve deeper into the stories behind the people, art, history and grounds that make up the Capitol.

Graphic for Architect of the Capitol Family Resources: Home Activities, Virtual Tours, Videos.
Public Notice

AOC Offers Family Resources for Distance Learning and Virtual Visits

The Architect of the Capitol is delivering virtual Capitol experiences to those unable to visit because of the coronavirus (COVID-19). Resources for students and families learning from home are grouped into elementary, middle school and high school levels. There are also virtual field trips and online exhibits.
Map illustration of John Adam's route: 1. Philadelphia 2. Downingtown 3. Lancaster 4. York 5. Frederick 6. Rockville 7. Georgetown *. Final Destination: Washington, D.C.
History & Discoveries

John Adams' Carriage Ride to Washington D.C., in 1800

President John Adams issued a letter to all federal agencies on May 15, 1800, directing the "removal of the public offices, clerks and papers" from the capital city of Philadelphia. In that single sentence, Adams started the final move of the U.S. government to its permanent home, the newly created city of Washington, in the District of Columbia.
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.
View of the U.S. Capitol during Sunrise in January 2019.
Behind the Scenes

U.S. Capitol Clean-up

The events of January 6 left most of the nation at a standstill, but Architect of the Capitol (AOC) employees immediately went to work, restoring the building and grounds to their proper condition so that Congress could safely reconvene and inaugural preparations could get back on track.

More Stories

A talented employee of an Architect of the Capitol sheet metal shop.

Expertise

Skillful Craftmanship

We serve in diverse roles applying both modern techniques and historical tradecrafts in the care and preservation of the Capitol campus.

Areas of Expertise