Delve deeper into the stories behind the people, art, history and grounds.
Projects
When Jim Kaufmann, Capitol Grounds and Arboretum Director, happened across an 1891 street-sweeping map while going through cultural landscape reports, he had no idea how simple an old map could make caring for the U.S. Capitol Grounds.
Throughout 2020 while the United States Botanic Garden was closed to the public, the Horticulture team continued stewarding its plant collection. Several Horticulture team members were paying special attention to a new batch of plants grown from seeds harvested during a plant-collecting trip to Texas.
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.
One of the most important credentials for Architect of the Capitol (AOC) gardeners to obtain and maintain is pesticide applicator licensing. It's a certification that advances the AOC's core value of safety in multiple ways.
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.
The large bronze and glass lanterns are located just off Garfield Circle and Peace Circle.
Hear from a few employees about the incredible effort they and their teams put forward in the aftermath of the Capitol breach on January 6, 2021.
Every four years Americans cast their vote for president in November and watch as the newly elected president takes the oath of office the following January. Architect of the Capitol (AOC) staff also spend these months preparing for the inauguration at the U.S. Capitol.
Several of the men who first led tours through the U.S. Capitol are buried in Congressional Cemetery. In December 2019, a group from the Capitol Visitor Center Social Committee gathered at the cemetery to place markers on the graves of these guides and learn more about their lives.
Showing Incredible Dedication in Uncertain Circumstances
What Began as a Demonstration for Kids Is Now a Unique Training Tool
Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Is All the More Important During the Pandemic
The Second Architect's Neoclassical Style Made a Lasting Impact
AOC Teams Adjusted to New Safety Protocols and Successfully Served This Unprecedented Event
AOC Staff Put In the Work to Keep Us Safe During COVID-19