Our Blog

While Architect's Notebook is often used to write about architectural features found on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., this time it's about Stephen Ayers' favorite and most important part of this organization: AOC employees! More specifically, their giving and generous spirit.

Armed to Urban Farm is a new program presented by the U.S. Botanic Garden and the National Center for Appropriate Technology to teach veterans about urban farming careers providing opportunities for military veterans that combine classroom sessions with farm tours and hands-on activities.

The Architect of the Capitol selects the annual U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree in consultation with the United States Forest Service. Follow along as our Director of Capitol Grounds and Arboretum travels to the Willamette National Forest in Oregon to select the 2018 tree.

Similar to many other Founding Fathers, John Adams appears in several pieces of art throughout the United States Capitol. He played a large role in the Declaration of Independence, and art involving the signing of this document is where he can be found the most.

Hard hats are designed to protect from falling objects, not bumps in narrow spaces. A bump cap resembles an elongated baseball cap with a short brim. Inside are squares of gray foam in a checkerboard pattern. This lightweight cap is the key to head protection in tight spaces at the U.S. Capitol.

A profile story on Job W. Angus, who built multiple structures for ceremonies held for Abraham Lincoln's time as president in Washington, D.C. from his inauguration ballroom to the catafalque for his Lying in State.

The Capitol Visitor Center serves as the main entrance for visitors to the U.S. Capitol. It is a facility rich with informational exhibits, two gift shops, a cafe and two orientation theaters. Find out more about the age of the facility, its hours and the number of people who have entered.

Fountains and formal pools of water abound on the U.S. Capitol campus in Washington, D.C. These small areas of urban "blue space" may provide other benefits though, including mental tranquility and increased creativity. Here is a collection of seven water features that inspire.

Stephen Ayers, 11th Architect of the Capitol, describes how order, balance and proportion are all achieved through architecture in the Library of Congress' Main Reading Room. The Thomas Jefferson Building is one of his favorite examples of classical architecture on the U.S. Capitol Campus.

LaTisha Williams finds and gives encouragement by serving with her community church.

Solving the mystery of numbers inscribed on a block of the Senate pediment.

A story highlighting two women artists of the National Statuary Hall Collection as we celebrate Women's History Month. Sculptors Joy Flinsch Buba and Anne Whitney both have works of art on display in the U.S. Capitol with the Florence Sabin statue and the Samuel Adams statue, respectively.

Take a look back at the U.S. Capitol's baking operations during the Civil War. When Congress was not in session, the House and Senate Chambers were used to house troops, the Rotunda became a makeshift hospital and bakeries were created in the basement and terraces in the center of the building.

Why change our clocks twice a year, spring forward and fall back? The idea of saving the daylight goes back centuries. The Capitol Visitor Center hosted a workshop to think about these issues and learn about Congress' role in time including the Standard Time Act of 1918 and the Uniform Time Act.

Not all internships are created equal. The Architect of the Capitol strives to make the intern experience substantive, challenging and rewarding. And that philosophy was evident during the piloting of the AOC's new work-for-credit intern program in the House Office Buildings.