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View of a walkway and benches on the U.S. Capitol Grounds.History & DiscoveriesTop 5 Spots to Enjoy Spring on the Capitol CampusSpring in Washington, D.C., is one of the most beautiful times to visit the nation's capital. Learn about five beautiful, and less known spots, to enjoy the warm weather near the U.S. Capitol.Read the Story

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      View of a walkway and benches on the U.S. Capitol Grounds.

History & Discoveries

  Top 5 Spots to Enjoy Spring on the Capitol Campus
By aoc staff |March 29, 2022
Spring in Washington, D.C., is one of the most beautiful times to visit the nation's capital; it is also the busiest. Learn about five beautiful, and less known spots, to enjoy the warm weather near the U.S. Capitol including where you can see more than 100 cherry blossom trees.
    The bronze Amateis Doors are on display in the House Wing of the U.S. Capitol, across from the Bulfinch stairway near the Memorial Door entrance.

History & Discoveries

  The Doors to Nowhere
By erin nelson |August 2, 2017
Few doors are created to lead to nowhere, but that is exactly where the U.S. Capitol's famed Amateis Doors have always led. As plans were being developed in 1901 to reface the West Front, designs began for a set of bronze doors that would be comparable to those at the entrances of the East Front.
    Person standing in front of columns.

Behind the Scenes

  Employee Spotlight: Honoring 50 Years of Historic Service
By erin nelson |May 9, 2023
In today's fast-paced, instant culture, few things seem to last, including career tenures. Perhaps it's the charm of the historic campus or the weight of the symbolism it carries around the world, but at the Architect of the Capitol (AOC), it's not hard to find an employee who has spent their entire career serving this treasured institution.
    Section, Revised Dome Design for U.S. Capitol. Pen, Ink and watercolor by Thomas U. Walter, 1859.

History & Discoveries

  Dancing by Dawn's Early Light
By franklin bradley |May 21, 2019
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?
    An Architect of the Capitol street sweeper cleans up in Washington, D.C.

History & Discoveries

  The Architect of the Capitol Sweeps Up the Past
By Morgan Green |July 13, 2021
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.
    Stone preservation on the U.S. Capitol.

Projects

  At the AOC, It's Always Home Improvement Time
By justin kieffer |June 24, 2021
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.
    The Apotheosis of George Washington in the United States Capitol Rotunda.

History & Discoveries

  Artfully Yours, George Washington
By erin courtney |February 22, 2024
Our first president had a significant impact on the nation and, while George Washington never actually graced the halls of the United States Capitol, his presence, influence and even his likeness, is everywhere. Approximately 35 pieces of art include Washington's likeness in the U.S. Capitol.
    Congressional Cemetery in Washington, D.C.

History & Discoveries

  Honoring the U.S. Capitol Guides Buried in Congressional Cemetery
By blake lindsey |December 15, 2020
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.
    Photograph of Milton Lee Dennis.

Doing Good

  Surviving to Thriving
By erin courtney |February 8, 2022
Losing one family member is tough. How does anyone deal with multiple losses? Architect of the Capitol employee Milton Lee Dennis has survived a lifetime of losses.
    Drawing.

Behind the Scenes

  Summer Interns Gain Experience for Future Seasons of Their Careers
By Madeleine Lucchetti |December 5, 2023
Every summer, dozens of skilled tradespeople and public service aspirants from around the country brave the Washington, D.C., humidity to come and intern for the Architect of the Capitol (AOC). Once they arrive, they're dispatched across the Capitol campus to every jurisdiction, where they take on special projects and assignments with their unique AOC teams.
    History & Discoveries

  Nature at the Capitol - The Statue of Freedom
By aoc curator |September 24, 2013
This is the first in a series of occasional 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. This week, they focus on the elements in the Statue of Freedom atop the Capitol Dome.
    Small tree in front of a building.

History & Discoveries

  Anne Frank Tree at the Capitol
By sharon gang |July 21, 2014
The planting of a tree in honor of Anne Frank on the U.S. Capitol Grounds
    Programs & Events

  Meet the Carillonneur of the Capitol
By erin nelson |May 8, 2014
The United States Capitol's Carillonneur at the Taft Memorial has perhaps one of the most unique and least visible jobs on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. What's a carillon? Think of it as a big keyboard instrument made out of bells. Fun fact: it's played annually on the Fourth of July.
    America the Beautiful poem written on a wall in the Cox Corridors of the U.S. Capitol.

History & Discoveries

  Capitol Lyrics: "America the Beautiful"
By sarah davis |July 3, 2023
The lyrics of this patriotic song are found easily at the U.S. Capitol. Once inside the building, a portion of "America the Beautiful" by Katharine Lee Bates can be found written in the Cox Corridors of the south wing. It is also played every July 4th from the Taft Memorial and Carillon.
    Ducklings using the special duck ramps at the Capitol Reflecting Pool.

History & Discoveries

  Three Quacks for Union Square Duck Ramps
By erin courtney |May 15, 2017
Since its completion, the Capitol Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C, has been a popular attraction – for ducks and humans! See the ramps developed to safely and effectively assist ducklings climbing out of the pool or returning to it once out of the water.
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