Statue of Freedom Conservation

This recurring inspection and conservation effort includes washing the statue, inspecting and documenting the condition of the surfaces, performing repairs as necessary, replacing caulking and epoxy fills, sharpening the lightning points and reapplying a protective coating.

This project was last completed fall 2023.

Conservation History

On May 9, 1993, after almost 130 years in place, the bronze statue was lifted from its pedestal atop the U.S. Capitol Dome by helicopter and lowered to the ground for restoration. The work was needed because of extensive pitting and corrosion on the surface of the bronze and because of a crack and rusting on the cast-iron pedestal. The project was guided by the recommendations of a thorough conservation and engineering study conducted in 1991. The U.S. Capitol Preservation Commission provided privately raised funds to cover all project costs.

Work on the statue was performed in a special scaffolded enclosure on the Capitol's East Front Plaza. The disfiguring caulk and much of the corrosion were removed by water blasted at medium pressure. This revealed an unusual amount of porosity in certain areas where during the casting process air or gas bubbles left voids that opened into pits as the surface weathered.

Repairs to the statue included the insertion of over 700 bronze plugs in the largest pits; bronze patches were also inserted where needed. Rusting original iron support rods left from the casting were removed to the extent possible, necessitating temporary removal of the feathers. The interior was cleaned of lead paint and repainted white so that any future leaks could be detected.

Image

The bronze, which varied in composition and condition, was painstakingly repatinated to the "bronze green" noted in early records; a small piece of original pedestal paint was used to determine color, since early records state that the pedestal was painted the same color as the bronze.

Finally, layers of acrylic lacquer and wax were applied to protect the surface against further corrosion, and small gaps were sealed with caulk.

The Statue Lifted and Lowered

Early on the morning of May 9, 1993, a Skycrane helicopter removed Freedom from its pedestal and set it on a custom-built support structure; a scaffold was soon built around the statue to give conservators access to all areas.

While this work took place on the ground, the cast-iron pedestal was restored in place atop the Dome. All surfaces of the cast iron were cleaned of paint, the crack was repaired, and the pedestal was repainted with modern paint with a color specially mixed to match the fragment of dark green original paint.

Restoration of the statue and the pedestal was completed in approximately four months. The Statue of Freedom was returned to its pedestal by helicopter on October 23, 1993, amidst the congressional celebration of the bicentennial of the U.S. Capitol.

Today the bronze is protected with a thick coat of lacquer proven to retain its integrity. With access provided by scaffolding that is stored in the tholos, the statue has been conserved in 1995, 1997, 2000, 2002, 2007, 2012, 2015, 2018 and 2023, keeping this important symbol atop the U.S. Capitol Dome in excellent condition.