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The bald eagle is painted, sculpted and carved throughout the Capitol campus. Its white head, wide wingspan and gnarled talons are ubiquitous.

Recent historical research has confirmed that the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is home to the first federal government photography office, what is today called the AOC Photography and Technical Imaging Branch (PTIB).

Donna Klee has worked for the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) for more than 10 years and was named the agency's Historic Preservation Officer in the fall of 2023. In this capacity, she works to implement the agency's preservation policy.

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.

While most people have one structure to take care of, the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is hard at work on multiple projects to care for the buildings across Capitol Hill.

What Began as a Demonstration for Kids Is Now a Unique Training Tool

The new U.S. Capitol Materials Cart Program showcases a variety of AOC trades, including masonry, sheet metal, paint and wood-crafting. The cart's trays allow Capitol visitors to see and touch elements of the building often out of reach or hidden to an untrained eye.

The preservation of the Cannon House Office Building's historic windows and doors allows the building to retain much of its original character and charm, while increasing the building's functionality for those who work and visit within its walls. Learn more about the process.

During the process of renewing the Cannon House Office Building, workers have found hidden treasures that had been lost or discarded by the laborers who constructed the building more than 100 years ago. Here's a small sampling of what has been discovered since the start of the project.

How a successful immigrant family left their mark on the U.S. Capitol campus, and Architect of the Capitol's work to clean and preserve a historic treasure: the Cannon House Office Building basement rotunda with a Guastavino tile vaulted ceiling intact as it was originally constructed in 1907.

LaTisha Williams finds and gives encouragement by serving with her community church.

All around the U.S. Capitol campus, there is something that you cannot avoid seeing as you look at the historic buildings: stone. Stone preservation will continue to be a priority of the Architect of the Capitol as the best way to maintain these buildings is to constantly monitor them.

One of the Architect of the Capitol's strategic goals is to foster an innovative and empowered workforce. Here are a few examples of what that looks like in day-to-day operations at the AOC from a team in the House Office Buildings and from the Capitol Grounds crew.

Described during his lifetime as hardworking and humble, our sixth Architect of the Capitol can be considered an American success story.

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.