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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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Members of our trade teams showcased their expertise in electrical systems, masonry, sheet metal, woodcrafting and painting. The Capitol Grounds and Arboretum team highlighted the Olmsted Plan and the gorgeous features of the grounds, from living trees and plants to historic fountains and walls. The United States Botanic Garden team encouraged visitors to participate in a wide variety of activities. Attendees also got a sneak peek at one of the agency's largest construction projects, the Cannon Renewal . Capitol Hill Day was a success. Adult, Family and Youth Program Coordinator …
The new U.S. Capitol Materials Cart Program showcases a variety of AOC trades, including masonry, sheet metal, paint and wood-crafting.
Artifacts on a table.

Highlight

First Cornerstone

By
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The cornerstone was laid on Wednesday, September 18, 1793, during the first large public event staged in the federal city.
View of a pagoda tree on the north side of the U.S. Capitol.
Public Notice

Article

Living On, The Olmsted Way

By AOC Staff
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Capitol Grounds , a delightful design he used to accentuate the U.S. Capitol Building. In his submission for the Architect of the Capitol's annual report, Olmsted wrote, "the ground is in design part of the Capitol, but in all respects subsidiary to the central structure." Olmsted incorporated hardscapes – fountains, lanterns, lamps, walkways and terrace walls – into his plan for the U.S. Capitol Grounds. He also was very careful and deliberate with his placement of trees to afford attractive views of the U.S. Capitol.   Olmsted explained his aesthetic, and the central role of trees in it, in an 1882 essay, in …
Two original Olmsted trees will be removed for safety reasons this spring.
Blue heron carved in stone at the focal point, the central fountain, in the perimeter wall surrounding Capitol Square.
From the Architect

Article

Architect's Notebook: Design with Purpose

By Stephen T. Ayers
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This sense of order and balance are comforting to me. I hope you're able to take in some of the finer details around our beautiful campus this spring as the flowers and fountains burst to life. Stephen T. Ayers is the 11th Architect of the Capitol. … As many of you know, I love birds. I made the mistake of announcing at a meeting some time ago that I occasionally listen to CDs of bird calls and songs as I drive to and from work. Most of the members of my team have made fun …
Stephen Ayers, 11th Architect of the Capitol, describes his love of birds and their role in the focal point of Capitol Square's perimeter wall. As one approaches the central Olmsted fountain, it's easy to sense that this is both a great place and a place of greats.
Robert Gannon smoothes out imperfections in a plaster cast.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Behind the Scenes: Senate Office Buildings Masonry Branch

By Elizabeth Yoder
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Image Donald Kline removes failing caulking from the Russell Courtyard fountain. Their work is time consuming and exacting, but, because of their skill, is largely invisible once it's complete. Masons restore marble, color matching the epoxy to carefully hide the seams. They clean granite in the Senate fountains which gets stained because of sediment in the water. And they repair ornate decorative plaster elements which serve as focal points in key rooms in the Senate office buildings. Masonry staff also cut holes in the walls and the floor for needed infrastructure repairs and upgrades, then seamlessly …
Some AOC employees are highly visible, while others work behind the scenes to preserve the awe-inspiring facilities on Capitol Hill. Learn more about the work of this team, beginning at 4 a.m. each morning.
Building at the end of a tree lined path.

Place

Botanic Garden Administrative Building

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The offices of the United States Botanic Garden's (USBG) executive director are located in a residential building at the south end of Bartholdi Park.

Highlight

Peace Monument

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The white marble Peace Monument was erected in 1877-1878 to commemorate the naval deaths at sea during the Civil War.
Path in trees.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Arboretum in the City

By Carol Campos
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Capitol Grounds. This area includes lawns, parks, historic and commemorative trees, statuary, historic fountains and water features that provide an awe-inspiring setting for the U.S. Capitol. The U.S. Capitol Grounds were designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted in a Capitol campus expansion project performed from 1874 to 1892. Olmsted used trees heavily in his design to both frame the building …
Walking around the U.S. Capitol Grounds you can't help but be in awe of the impressive buildings and their historic meaning, what you probably don't know is that the U.S. Capitol Building is surrounded by an arboretum.
Behind the Scenes

Article

Photography and Technical Imaging Branch Marks 75th Anniversary

By Michael Dunn
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Recent historical research has confirmed that the Architect of the Capitol is home to the first federal government photography office, what is today called the AOC Photography and Technical Imaging Branch.
One of the four Olmsted lanterns on the west side of the U.S. Capitol Grounds, restored in 2020.
Projects

Article

Olmsted Lanterns Restoration

By Kate Holder
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Commissioned in 1873 by the U.S. Congress to design the enlarged grounds of the U.S. Capitol, Olmsted spent the next 20-plus years overseeing the development of the 58.8-acre site. His plan included not only planting hundreds of trees and shrubs but also constructing walls, walkways, fountains and the massive marble terraces surrounding the north, west and south sides of the U.S. Capitol. To help light walkways on the grounds, Olmsted also designed and constructed numerous lanterns with the help of his young architectural associate, Thomas Wisedell. Between 1882 and 1894, 14 of their …
The large bronze and glass lanterns are mounted on stately sandstone piers with intricately carved sandstone caps.
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.
Stone preservation on the U.S. Capitol.
Projects

Article

At the AOC, It's Always Home Improvement Time

By Justin Kieffer
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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.
Crowd in a room.
Behind the Scenes

Article

AOC Employees ExCEL in New Programs

By Erin Nelson
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The team is responsible for overseeing the HVAC, lighting and plumbing systems, as well as monitoring energy usage in all of the buildings. It plays a role in designing, engineering, installing and maintaining major systems campus wide, including air handlers, pumps, lights and even fountains, and also oversees the Building Automation Communication network. This particular partnership showcases how the ExCEL Program provides benefits for both jurisdictions involved. "Andy will take the knowledge he's gained here back to the Supreme Court and will be more self-sufficient. He'll be able …
While the Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) core mission is to preserve the buildings in our care, we realize that to be successful, preserving knowledge is just as important as preserving the buildings.
The Capitol Dome at night, as seen behind one of the East Front Olmsted fountains.
Behind the Scenes

Article

While You Were Sleeping – AOC Masons at Work

By Lori Taylor
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Masons working at the Architect of the Capitol get the campus ready for another day before the rest of the employees on Capitol Hill even wake. They have a small window of time very early in the day to complete any tasks that may interfere with visitors or the work of staff.