British Burn the Capitol, 1814
On August 24, 1814, during the War of 1812, British troops burned the Capitol and
Architect of the Capitol employees are responsible for the care and preservation of more than 300 works of art, architectural elements, landscape features and more.
Browse our pieces below or learn more about the artists, collections and subjects.
Bronze Railings of the Members' Private Staircases
During the mid-19th-century expansion of the U.S.
Brumidi Corridors Murals
The first floor of the U.S. Capitol's Senate wing is elaborately decorated with these wall and ceiling murals.
Burial of DeSoto
Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto died of a fever while searching for gold in Florida and the territory north of the Gulf of Mexico. To protect his body from enemies, his men buried him at night in the Mississippi River, which he had been the first European to discover. (1542)
Busts of Vice Presidents of the United States
The vice president of the United States presides over the United States Senate, and the Senate honors these individuals in a collection of marble busts displayed in the U.S. Capitol. The Architect of the Capitol is responsible for working with the subject to select a sculptor, contracting with the artists with the approval of the Senate, monitoring and approving the work, and designing and procuring the pedestal.
Caesar Rodney Statue
This statue of Caesar Rodney was given to the National Statuary Hall Collection by Delaware in 1934.
Canal and Locks
Along the Erie Canal at Lockport, New York, horses are shown pulling the barges that have just gone through the locks.
Capitol Cornerstone Ceremony, 1793
The Capitol's first cornerstone was laid on September 18, 1793, by President Washington