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View of the north congressional stand under construction for the 2021 inauguration.
Programs & Events

Article

By the Numbers: Presidential Inauguration 2021

By Erin Nelson
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Much goes into the presidential inauguration at the U.S. Capitol. Here are a few numbers that help set the stage for this special day.
Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C.
History & Discoveries

Article

Honoring the U.S. Capitol Guides Buried in Congressional Cemetery

By Blake Lindsey
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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.
Sequester Team Leader Ladislaus “Dave” Jagoda in front of the cogeneration system at the Capitol Power Plant
Behind the Scenes

Article

Capitol Power Plant Employees Power Through the Pandemic

By Kate Holder
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Showing Incredible Dedication in Uncertain Circumstances
Charles “Buddy” Greenwell III in front of “The Box.”
Behind the Scenes

Article

Cool Tools: "The Box"

By Kate Holder
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What Began as a Demonstration for Kids Is Now a Unique Training Tool
Children pick beans in the Bruno Vegetable Garden at Birmingham Botanical Gardens in Alabama.
Doing Good

Article

U.S. Botanic Garden Helps Urban Agriculture Programs at 28 Public Gardens Affected by COVID-19

By Devin Dotson
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Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Is All the More Important During the Pandemic
Benjamin Henry Latrobe was the second Architect of the Capitol, first hired in 1803 by President Thomas Jefferson.
History & Discoveries

Article

Benjamin Henry Latrobe's Capitol Contributions

By Kate Holder
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Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the second Architect of the Capitol, is considered by many to be the "father of American architecture." Latrobe was one of the first fully trained architects in America; he helped popularize Neoclassical and Greek Revival architecture in the new nation.
A small funeral for Representative Lewis was held in the Rotunda, with social distancing measures in place.
Programs & Events

Article

John Lewis' Lying in State: A New Normal

By
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AOC Teams Adjusted to New Safety Protocols and Successfully Served This Unprecedented Event
Anthony Littlejohn completes the COVID-19 cleaning protocols for AOC vehicles.
Behind the Scenes

Article

COVID-19 Cleaning Protocols

By Erin Nelson
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AOC Staff Put In the Work to Keep Us Safe During COVID-19
This 1873 photograph shows how the USBG's first Conservatory had grown from a single Victorian greenhouse to this large, five-part Conservatory with 14 support greenhouses.
History & Discoveries

Article

U.S. Botanic Garden at 200: Deeply Rooted, Branching Outward

By Devin Dotson
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For 200 years, the U.S. Botanic Garden has been showcasing plants to visitors from around the globe. Originally proposed by George Washington to establish a place for Americans to learn about useful and engaging plants.
The AOC team at the American College of the Building Arts (ACBA): Mike Miller, John McPhaul and Marvin Cortez.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Beyond the Dome – A Visit to the American College of the Building Arts

By Kate Holder
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Last fall, hopes were raised for establishing a new, long-term source of skilled labor when AOC staff members spent a day touring the American College of the Building Arts in Charleston, South Carolina.
The finished SR-253 hearing room, with the ceiling and plaster reliefs repainted to appear like carved stone, which is truer to the architects' original intention.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Before and After: Senate Hearing Room Renovation

By Elizabeth Yoder
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The Senate Office Buildings jurisdiction recently completed a project to restore the hearing room for the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (SR-253) in the Russell Senate Office Building.
AOC employees discussing permit requirements during a self-inspection at the U.S. Capitol.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Capitol Building Self-Inspections

By Erin Nelson
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The Architect of the Capitol continues to evaluate how best to keep our employees safe. One of the important ways we're advancing our safety efforts is through self-inspections, which are part of the agency's Strategic Plan.
CVC employee sewing face masks during the novel coronavirus.
Doing Good

Article

Capitol Visitor Center Employees Find Ways To Give

By Laura Trivers
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The coronavirus inspired many of us to wonder what, if anything, we could do to help when it seemed the needs around us were overwhelming.
Graphic for Architect of the Capitol Family Resources: Home Activities, Virtual Tours, Videos.
Public Notice

Article

AOC Offers Family Resources for Distance Learning and Virtual Visits

By AOC Staff
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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
Conditions of the U.S. Capitol's copper roof before replacement.
Projects

Article

Continuous Care of the U.S. Capitol Roof

By Laura Condeluci
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Like most beloved national treasures from the Golden Gate Bridge to the Statue of Liberty, the U.S. Capitol Building roof requires continuous care.
A five-pointed star was cut within seconds by the Architect of the Capitol Sheet Metal Shop.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Cool Tools: Plasma Cutting Machine, a Matter of Precision

By Kate Holder
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It generates temperatures of 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit or more and accelerates to nearly the speed of sound.
View of the Carson National Forest in New Mexico.
Programs & Events

Article

A Christmas Spruce from the Land of Enchantment

By Jim Kaufmann
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The Architect of the Capitol selects the annual U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree in consultation with the United States Forest Service.
Close look at a door hinge in the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, patented Nov. 22, 1887.
Projects

Article

Fire Egress at the Library of Congress

By Erin Nelson
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The Architect of the Capitol's Construction Division with the support of the AOC Library Buildings and Grounds jurisdiction worked together to complete the Fire Door Improvements project.
This donated orchid adds to the rich heritage and importance of the U.S. Botanic Garden's collection.
Programs & Events

Article

U.S. Botanic Garden Orchids Gain 600 New Siblings

By Devin Dotson
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This newly donated collection — the second largest single donation in U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) history — adds to the rich heritage and importance of the USBG's orchid collection.
The tombstone of Colonel Charles De Witt. Born 1727 - Died Aug. 27, 1787. Patriot, statesman and leader in the revolution. Voting to ratify the Declaration of Independence.
History & Discoveries

Article

Charles De Witt: Founding Farmer, A Life of Service

By Franklin Bradley
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Colonel Charles De Witt's career extended far beyond his home county, including being named as delegate to the Continental Congress.
History & Discoveries

Article

Six Special Rooms by Brumidi

By Sarah Davis
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Beginning in 1855, Constantino Brumidi decorated many walls and ceilings in the U.S. Capitol, most prominently in the Capitol Rotunda and the corridors of the Senate wing.
Drawing and design for the Grant Memorial replica lamp posts.
Public Notice

Article

Lamp Posts Installed at Grant Memorial

By AOC Staff
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Eight bronze lamp posts were recently installed by the Architect of the Capitol on the marble pedestal of the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial in Washington, D.C. These posts are replicas of fixtures first designed and installed by Edward Pearce Casey, the architect for the memorial's pedestal.
The Capitol Materials Cart being shown to visitors in Emancipation Hall.
Programs & Events

Article

Cool Tools: Capitol Materials Cart

By Erin Courtney
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The new U.S. Capitol Materials Cart Program showcases a variety of AOC trades, including masonry, sheet metal, paint and wood-crafting.
Section, Revised Dome Design for U.S. Capitol. Pen, Ink and watercolor by Thomas U. Walter, 1859.
History & Discoveries

Article

Dancing by Dawn's Early Light

By Franklin Bradley
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Did you know that the 15,000-pound bronze Statue of Freedom, standing atop the nine million pounds of cast iron of the U.S. Capitol Dome, dances every day?
The Blackjack painting discovered in the U.S. Capitol.
History & Discoveries

Article

Rediscovering Black Jack

By Erin Courtney
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During a recent renovation, members of the Architect of the Capitol uncovered a long-forgotten painting of the famous horse, Black Jack.
The artifacts in this photograph were passed down through the family of Brumidi's third wife and given to the Architect of the Capitol.
History & Discoveries

Article

Personal Artifacts of a Capitol Artist

By Curator Division
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Constantino Brumidi, born in Rome in 1805, was fully trained in classical and Renaissance painting techniques, including true fresco. He painted murals for Popes and princes and was considered one of the city's best artists. In 1852 he emigrated to the United States. In 1855, after painting a trial
Paul Miller (left) and Anderson Alleyne (right) are two AOC employees that embody its mission to serve, preserve and inspire.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Preparing for the Moment Opportunity Knocks

By Erin Nelson
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After 12 years of service with the Virginia Army National Guard and two tours in Iraq, Anderson Alleyne began his career with the Architect of the Capitol (AOC) in 2013. He was hired as a night shift laborer in the Capitol Building jurisdiction and was responsible for maintaining the building's
AOC employees test an underground utility locator on the West Front lawn of the U.S. Capitol.
Behind the Scenes

Article

We Dig Technology

By Erin Courtney
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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.
Restoring the windows of the Cannon House Office Building in Washington, D.C.
Projects

Article

Preserving Historic Windows and Doors

By Kristen Frederick
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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.
Close-up view of bronze door handle in the shape of a snake. Once part of the entrance to the U.S. Capitol's House chamber.
History & Discoveries

Article

Cast in a New Light: The Capitol Bronze Shop (1855-1859)

By Kate Holder
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At a critical time in the U.S. Capitol's evolution, there was a Capitol Bronze Shop established by Montgomery Meigs. From 1855 to 1859, the shop helped serve the needs of the Capitol Extension, a major expansion project to accommodate a growing Congress in Washington, D.C.