Delve deeper into the stories behind the people, art, history and grounds.
Projects
The first female Chief Operating Officer for AOC reflects on the experiences that introduced her to extraordinary women and helped shape her management style. She serves as an inspiring example to young women interested in competing – and succeeding – in historically male-dominated fields.
The Capitol Building's Insulation Division is as "behind the scenes" as you can get, often working within containments to ensure the safety of those who visit and work on the U.S. Capitol campus. In addition to insulation, the shop also performs dust control and hazardous materials abatement.
LaTisha Williams finds and gives encouragement by serving with her community church.
As the country grows, so does the Capitol campus and, with it, the AOC's responsibilities.
A story of AOC employees coming together to improve safety on the U.S. Capitol campus for everyone: The Capitol Grounds and Arboretum uses a management tool to track vehicles owned and operated by the agency. The success of this fleet tracker system is leading to more improvements.
Things don't slow down just because it's winter. See five reasons to explore the U.S. Botanic Garden this season, including tropical flowers like this Epicatanthe Volcano Trick Orange Fire orchid.
The entry sequence and progression through spaces are carefully thought out by architects as buildings are designed. Architect of the Capitol Stephen Ayers describes how we can experience Capitol Hill's magnificent national treasures the way they were originally imagined.
On Friday, October 13, Architect of the Capitol employees set out to look into a new Capitol Building mystery involving delicate pink fabric with hand-stitching. Construction sites often yield historic artifacts, including bottles, newspapers and tools, but this find is new for the agency.
While the Architect of the Capitol's core mission is to preserve the buildings in our care, we realize that preserving knowledge is just as important. The AOC ExCEL Program provides opportunities for jurisdictions to work together and for employees to share their knowledge with fellow colleagues.
The Capitol Grounds have long been a haven for wildlife, with residents ranging from squirrels to red-tailed hawks to a red fox. But sheep? If it had been left up to one Virginia farmer more than 90 years ago, flocks of sheep might be spotted grazing on the grounds today.
The cornucopia, a traditional symbol of the Thanksgiving holiday, appears in a variety of places in the U.S. Capitol including the Rotunda and Brumidi Corridors. Frequently depicted in classical art, this "horn of plenty" is a cone-shaped object overflowing with fruits, grains and/or vegetables.
There's a cool tool that enables the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) to quickly respond to requests to dig on the U.S. Capitol grounds. It has eight receiving antennas making it easier for the person operating the locator to get a signal from buried utility lines as deep as 15 feet.
Employee spotlight on an Architect of the Capitol elevator mechanic who started as a night shift laborer in the U.S. Capitol building and has continued to rise through the ranks by participating in on-the-job training and taking agency-sponsored courses.
Historic preservation tricks: some windows in the U.S. Capitol's National Statuary Hall are actually cubbyholes for electrical equipment used by the media and others during special events. There are also what appear to be tall, square sandstone columns, but these are actually speakers.
This past year has been filled with many sweet moments around the Capitol campus. Here are 10 that stand out.