Programs & Events
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AOC Teams Adjusted to New Safety Protocols and Successfully Served This Unprecedented Event
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Doing Good
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Access to Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Is All the More Important During the Pandemic
Behind the Scenes
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Showing Incredible Dedication in Uncertain Circumstances
Behind the Scenes
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AOC Staff Put In the Work to Keep Us Safe During COVID-19
Projects
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The Ulysses S. Grant Memorial in Washington, D.C., is undergoing a dramatic transformation. Curator for the Architect of the Capitol describes the restoration work on the bronze components and marble pedestals. When completed viewers will again see the subtle details of the original sculpture.
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New pieces for the Grant Memorial are being cast in a Philadelphia foundry under the watchful eye of the conservator and the Architect of the Capitol team. On a recent visit, AOC employees observed the casting process in action, including the dramatic moment when the molten bronze is poured.
Projects
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Because weather and time have not been kind to the Grant Memorial, AOC staff developed a preservation strategy to restore the Grant Memorial to its original condition.
Behind the Scenes
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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.
Behind the Scenes
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What Began as a Demonstration for Kids Is Now a Unique Training Tool
Behind the Scenes
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While commuting to work in Washington, D.C., will always be a challenge, few modes of transportation leave the commuter with this feeling: invigoration. In fact, that's how Shaun Abell, Horticulturist with the U.S. Botanic Garden, describes his daily commute by bike every morning. And he's in good
Doing Good
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Buddy Paddy spends his days caring for the trees on Capitol Hill as a Tree Surgeon with the AOC Capitol Grounds. His job involves examining approximately 4,500 trees throughout the year to ensure that they are healthy and continue growing to maturity. His evenings are spent in much the same way, as
History & Discoveries
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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.
History & Discoveries
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September 2020 marks the 200th anniversary of the death of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, the second Architect of the Capitol who 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
Behind the Scenes
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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.
Programs & Events
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Noon, January 20, 2009. The polished brass doors on the West Front of the Capitol gleamed. Thousands of chairs glistened in the winter sun. Red, white and blue flags and bunting fluttered in a cold breeze. Hundreds of Architect of the Capitol (AOC) staff, who had helped plan, construct, secure, set
History & Discoveries
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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
History & Discoveries
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Hardly a week goes by in which a visitor touring the Capitol doesn't ask one of the Visitor Services staff, "Where does the president sleep?" The Capitol is, to be sure, a large, white, monumental structure in Washington, D.C., but it is not the president's residence. The Capitol and the White House
History & Discoveries
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One of the greatest privileges of working for the Architect of the Capitol is knowing we have our hands on history everyday and we are afforded the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of the giants of America's past. Perhaps no other person looms larger in that history than Abraham Lincoln. The
Behind the Scenes
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Recertifications during the COVID-19 pandemic required a new approach.
History & Discoveries
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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.
Programs & Events
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Found on every continent except Antarctica, orchids showcase a wide spectrum of diversity in color, shape, size, habitat, scent and many other aspects. Beginning this Friday, immerse yourself in the United States Botanic Garden's (USBG) annual orchid show, "Orchid Spectrum," presented in
Programs & Events
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If you stop by the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) through New Year's Day, you can see 'Jingle Bell' (pictured, above right) and 'Jingle Bell Rock' that are red with pink or white splashes. You might also enjoy finding 'Peppermint Ruffles' with its pink tones or 'Autumn Leaves' displaying unexpected
Behind the Scenes
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Although my disability from knee surgery is temporary, it has given me the opportunity to see Capitol Hill from a different perspective. Never have I appreciated the Capitol's consistently functioning escalators and elevators more than over the past month. From the elevators that take me from the
Projects
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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.
History & Discoveries
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Did you know that the 15,000-pound bronze Statue of Freedom, standing atop the 9 million pounds of cast iron of the U.S. Capitol Dome, dances every day?
Behind the Scenes
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The AOC's Deputy Facility Manager at the United States Supreme Court Building began her engineering career path from a love of roller coasters. Now, in an effort to give back to the community, she volunteers with school robotics competitions and at STEM type expositions.
Projects
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The large bronze and glass lanterns are mounted on stately sandstone piers with intricately carved sandstone caps.
Projects
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Addressing the stone pandemic across the Capitol campus takes a team of historic preservationists, structural engineers and stonemasons, among others.
History & Discoveries
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Few traditions associated with Senate furniture are as intriguing as the "candy desk" on the floor of the Senate Chamber. Although the desks on the Senate floor are cared for by the Senate, and not the Architect of the Capitol, they provide a fascinating story to share with friends. In 1965, Senator
History & Discoveries
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Working on Capitol Hill you hear your fair share of myths, mysteries and folklore about the historic buildings and its previous (we think) inhabitants. Given that the Capitol was once expected to be the final resting place for George Washington, replete with a crypt, should we be surprised that