Delve deeper into the stories behind the people, art, history and grounds.
History & Discoveries
Given that the United States Capitol was once expected to be the final resting place for George Washington, replete with a crypt, should we be surprised that multiple Capitol-related ghost stories exist? Discover the myths, mysteries and folklore of this historic American building.
It's been more than 500 years since Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue. See how his 15th century journey was depicted by 19th century artists in art throughout the U.S. Capitol, including frescoes by Brumidi, a sandstone relief and the bronze the Columbus Doors by Randolph Rogers.
We have made some interesting discoveries about the details of the sculptures and the sources of some of the depicted figures; we discovered and solved a few puzzles, and we also came across a few mysteries that we're still working on (and we'd welcome your help!).
A variety of letters and numbers appear on buildings or in art work on Capitol Hill.
Just like us, plants need special care in the extreme heat. Follow these tips from the United States Botanic Garden, including finding your own location on U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) plant hardiness zones map, to help protect your plants during the hottest days of summer.
The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial in Washington, D.C., is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Curator for the Architect of the Capitol describes the restoration work on the bronze components and marble pedestals. When completed viewers will again see the subtle details of the original sculpture.
Guesses for what is behind the Capitol Building's smallest doors are as varied as the architectural details that encompass the Capitol campus. The correct explanation for their existence involves Christmas Eve, the Library of Congress and engineer Montgomery Meigs.
With the recent Kennedy Center announcement that the award-winning musical "Hamilton" is coming to Washington, D.C., the options to explore and experience one of our Founding Fathers in our nation's capital has never been better.
There are currently about 890 trees surrounding the immediate Capitol Building on Capitol Square and more than 4,300 trees throughout the entire 274-acre Capitol Grounds. Some of the most majestic and unmistakable trees on campus were planted during the Frederick Law Olmsted period.
On average, July is the hottest month in Washington, D.C. Excessive heat can lead to sunburn, cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke. If you live on, work or visit Capitol Hill during the summer, stay alert for signs that you, a colleague or a loved one is too hot.
While the most frequent calls from building occupants are related to climate, being successful in this line of work is about more than overcoming hot and cold conditions.
Opened to the public on October 1, 2006, the National Garden is a key element of the USBG, along with the Conservatory and Bartholdi Park.
The U.S. Capitol jurisdiction has introduced a new auto brake machine which offers an unprecedented capacity to bend metal. Electronically stored diagrams also save precious time that was previously spent sorting through hundreds of paper copies and manually recalling historical diagrams.
Millions of Americans volunteer every year, but few feel compelled to form their own organization. This doing good story is of an Architect of the Capitol employee who saw a problem in his community that had no solution, so he created one by starting his own non-profit.
We are all an assembly of parts, pieces and life experiences, and we bring those experiences to the things we do every day.