The United States Capitol, often called the Capitol Building, is the home of the United States Congress and the seat of the legislative branch of the U.S. federal government. It is located on Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Though no longer at the geographic center of the Federal District, the Capitol forms the origin point for the District's street-numbering system and the District's four quadrants.
The original building was completed in 1800 and was subsequently expanded, particularly with the addition of the massive dome, and expanded chambers for the bicameral legislature, the House of Representatives in the south wing and the Senate in the north wing. Like the principal buildings of the executive and judicial branches, the Capitol is built in a distinctive neoclassical style and has a white exterior. Both its east and west elevations are formally referred to as fronts, though only the east front was intended for the reception of visitors and dignitaries.
We will start by viewing
the
Capitol Visitor Center’s
current exhibits, located on the lower level to learn more about the work of Congress and the Capitol’s architectural history.
- Enjoy 10-minute films about the workings of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.
- Explore architectural models showing how the U.S. Capitol and the U.S. Capitol Grounds and Arboretum have changed over time.
- Look up your Member of Congress, find your state statues and take the congressional quiz. See the table from President Lincoln’s second inauguration made from surplus ironwork cast for the Capitol Dome.
- Learn about the long road to the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, which assured women the right to vote.
