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History & Discoveries

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Inspiration from History

By Sharon Gang
| March 19, 2014
When I point out the Car of History clock in National Statuary Hall to friends and family I inevitably get the same question: "Where's the car?" This marble sculpture, created in 1819, is among the oldest works of art in the Capitol. It depicts Clio, the muse of History, holding a book in which she
History & Discoveries

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Fast Forward to Spring at the U.S. Botanic Garden

By Lori Taylor
| February 25, 2014
As I entered the Garden Court in the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) Conservatory my senses came alive from the aroma of hundreds of orchids, the sight of colorful blooms — from deep orange to vibrant purple and the sounds of a symphony playing and fountains splashing. The warmth of the garden was a
History & Discoveries

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Monuments Man Creates Monumental Statue

By Franklin Bradley
| February 7, 2014
Not every fine art sculptor inspires a character in a WWII action blockbuster starring George Clooney, but not every sculptor is Walker K. Hancock, one of the Monuments Men, whose work resides in the U.S. Capitol, Library of Congress and the Supreme Court of the United States, and who is a true
History & Discoveries

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Grazing the Capitol Grounds

By AOC Staff
| February 3, 2014
Andria Leo, archivist for the Architect of the Capitol, digs through historical documents in the AOC's archives to uncover new history. The Capitol Grounds have long been a haven for wildlife, with residents ranging from squirrels to red-tailed hawks to a red fox. But sheep? If it had been left up
History & Discoveries

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Celebrating 150 Years of Freedom

By Lori Taylor
| December 2, 2013
When tracing back through history, it’s hard to pinpoint the exact day when the construction of the U.S. Capitol Building was completed. The Capitol, like the nation it represents, has continued to grow and change over the years, all the way up until the most recent addition of the Capitol Visitor
Programs & Events

Article

2013 Capitol Christmas Tree Arrives

By Lori Taylor
| November 25, 2013
The 2013 Capitol Christmas Tree arrives today, November 25, at 10 a.m. on the U.S. Capitol Grounds follow along here as the tree arrives and AOC staff put it into position on the West Front of the Capitol. This year's tree is an Engelmann spruce from the Newport Ranger District of the Colville
History & Discoveries

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Beyond the Dome – USBG Production Facility

By Erin Nelson
| November 12, 2013
The Architect of the Capitol manages all of the buildings and grounds on Capitol Hill, but also oversees several facilities around the National Capital Regional. One of which is the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) Production Facility. I recently had a chance to tour the facility and learn about the
History & Discoveries

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B.B. French – Blogger Extraordinaire

By Matt Guilfoyle
| November 6, 2013
Long before the advent of Twitter, Facebook and blogs – there were journals. 150 years ago this month saw one of the most transformative periods in the construction of the United States Capitol along with the historic address by Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg. One individual captured these events
History & Discoveries

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Unearthing Capitol Hill's Buried History

By Kristen Frederick
| October 31, 2013
While the U.S. Capitol has plenty of ghost stories and legends galore, no one is actually buried in the building — even though it contains a room called the Crypt! The Congressional Cemetery, on the other hand, has thousands of dead souls resting in its 35 acres of grounds. Never heard of the
History & Discoveries

Article

Nature at the Capitol - The Statue of Freedom

By AOC Curator Office
| September 24, 2013
This is the first in a series of articles, written by the Architect of the Capitol's Curator Office, about the use of nature in the art and architecture of the U.S. Capitol. The architecture of ancient Greece and Rome that inspired the United States Capitol’s early architects and builders is noted
History & Discoveries

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From the Archives: Bike Racks on Capitol Hill

By AOC Curator Office
| July 31, 2013
Architect of the Capitol archives reveal historical documents showing the purchase of the first bike racks on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. Back in 1896, the Lawn Cycle Stand Manufacturing Co. was hired by the AOC to provide bike stands for the United States Capitol Building. Parking in
History & Discoveries

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Beyond the Dome – Fort Meade

By Erin Nelson
| July 17, 2013
The Architect of the Capitol is responsible for managing all of the buildings and grounds on Capitol Hill, but we also maintain several facilities across the National Capital Region, including several off-site facilities in Fort Meade, Maryland. I recently had the chance to visit Fort Meade and view
History & Discoveries

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Keeping History in Perspective

By Stephen T. Ayers
| July 23, 2013
In 2013 as we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the placement of the Statue of Freedom atop the Capitol's current cast iron dome, I think it's also important to remember the Capitol's humble roots in the early years of the nation's budding democracy. The man behind the Capitol's original wood and
History & Discoveries

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Rising High – AOC's Elevator Mechanics

By Lori Taylor
| July 9, 2013
"We deal with a lot of history." No, those aren't the words of the Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) Curator office. It's Ron Bailey, shop supervisor of the Library Buildings and Grounds Elevator Division, who runs some of the oldest elevator systems on Capitol Hill, the oldest of which date back to
History & Discoveries

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Five Items Not to Miss at the U.S. Capitol

By Sharon Gang
| June 25, 2013
Sharon Gang, Communications & Marketing Manager for the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) lists some lesser known highlights not to miss when you visit the United States Capitol. Most visitors are drawn to admire the obvious “big ticket” items at the U.S. Capitol Building – the Rotunda paintings, the
History & Discoveries

Article

Constructing the Capitol: The Oven

By Matt Guilfoyle
| June 18, 2013
Control of the office thermostat – an office debate that has probably existed since the first one was installed – becomes even more "heated" in humid Washington summers. Too hot or too cold – there is no pleasing everyone, but while today the AOC provides a climate-controlled environment to the
Behind the Scenes

Article

Inspired by the Past, Preserving for the Future

By Lori Taylor
| June 7, 2013
Meet the Architect of the Capitol's decorative painters at the Library of Congress who work to preserve the ornate designs of one of the world's most beautiful buildings. Watch this video to go behind the scenes and see the techniques used to keep the Thomas Jefferson Building looking as striking as
History & Discoveries

Article

Beyond the Dome – Packard Campus of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center

By Erin Nelson
| June 3, 2013
The Architect of the Capitol (AOC) is responsible for managing all of the buildings and grounds on Capitol Hill, but it also maintains several facilities across the National Capital Region. One such facility is the Library of Congress Packard Campus of the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center
History & Discoveries

Article

A "Slight" Capitol Contribution

By Kristen Frederick
| May 13, 2013
Kristen Frederick serves as Congressional Liaison for the Architect of the Capitol. Throughout the U.S. Capitol Building's 220-year history, there have been many workers who have labored in obscurity, their names forever lost to the passage of time. Recently when I was researching the third
History & Discoveries

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More Historically Accurate: Lincoln or Vampire Hunter?

By Matt Guilfoyle
| April 15, 2013
AOC Public Affairs Officer Matt Guilfoyle watches "Lincoln" and "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"-- and is surprised by which film more accurately depicts the U.S. Capitol. Instead of going to the movies, I am one of those people who "wait to see it on-demand" and recently had the opportunity to
History & Discoveries

Article

Top 5 Spots to Enjoy Spring on Capitol Grounds

By Lori Taylor
| April 8, 2013
Spring in Washington, D.C. is one of the most beautiful times to visit the nation's capital; it is also the busiest. The warmer weather and blooming of plants makes Capitol Hill picturesque and inviting. One of the most popular attractions in the city are the beautiful cherry blossoms on the Tidal
History & Discoveries

Article

A Cornerstone of American History

By Matt Guilfoyle
| March 18, 2013
Walk in the footsteps of the masons and laborers who worked the quarry at Government Island in Aquia, Virginia, to gather stone for the U.S. Capitol more than 200 years ago. On a cold March day, I decided to take a field trip back in time to a place where you can run your hands along history, and
History & Discoveries

Article

Capitol Illumination

By Franklin Bradley
| March 12, 2013
Each morning this week, as I've walked in the dim Daylight Saving Time pre-dawn light up to the Capitol, I've crossed paths with scores of my Architect of the Capitol (AOC) colleagues as they head home after a full night's work. These AOC employees work each night to get the buildings of Congress
History & Discoveries

Article

How The Crypt Got Its Name

By AOC Curator Office
| March 4, 2013
The term "crypt" has long referred to a space beneath the main floor of a church or a chamber in a mausoleum. For many of us it suggests somber, stony silence and perhaps dusty coffins. The U.S. Capitol Crypt, however, is a different thing altogether. This brightly lit circular room below the
History & Discoveries

Article

America's Greatest Engineer?

By Matt Guilfoyle
| February 20, 2013
For an organization known as the Architect of the Capitol – celebrating engineers may not be without controversy. But as a communication professional, I am neutral in the timeless "battle" between these two professions. And, in truth, America's greatest buildings could not have been built without
Programs & Events

Article

Supporting the State of the Union

By Stephen T. Ayers
| February 8, 2013
Architect of the Capitol Stephen T. Ayers, FAIA, LEED AP, reflects on the AOC's role in supporting the annual State of the Union Address. Every winter, Congress has the honor of welcoming the President of the United States to the U.S. Capitol for the annual State of the Union Address. As we do every
History & Discoveries

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The Liberty Cap in the Art of the U.S. Capitol

By AOC Curator Office
| January 29, 2013
The liberty cap was the symbol of freedom and liberty commonly used in the 19th century and is seen in many places in the United States Capitol. This soft cap evolved as a combination of two earlier symbolic head coverings. The peaked red Phrygian cap was worn in present-day Turkey as early as 800 B
History & Discoveries

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Windows of Capitol Hill

By Stephen T. Ayers
| January 22, 2013
"Even at the United Nations, where legend has it that the building was designed so that there could be no corner offices, the expanse of glass in individual offices is said to be a dead giveaway as to rank. Five windows are excellent, one window not so great." –Enid Nemy Recently I was honored to
Behind the Scenes

Article

Capturing the Seasons

By AOC Curator Office
| January 15, 2013
We first mounted a digital camera atop the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building in 2004. It was the perfect location to document the construction of the Capitol Visitor Center. Since the building was being constructed underground we needed to shoot from above to have a good view of the
Behind the Scenes

Article

A Legacy of Service

By Sharon Gang
| December 17, 2012
You never forget your first real job. A good one, with a good mentor, can ingrain work habits that will be carried with you throughout your career. My first job after college was on Capitol Hill working as a staff assistant for then-Rep. Daniel K. Akaka. At the end of the 112th Congress, now-Senator