Chapter 1 / Washington, D.C.
United States Capitol.
Start with United States Capitol. Let a detail decide which thread you follow next.
Pause here. What detail would you keep from this place?
Outdoor walks and façade observations. Interior admission is not included.
The full story
The seat of Congress combines a working legislature, a monumental dome and two centuries of expansion, with public tours beginning below ground at the Visitor Center.
A tour makes the building more than a distant icon. The Crypt, Rotunda and National Statuary Hall use architecture and art to narrate a national story, while the changed stonework and extended wings show how the Capitol grew with the country. Outside, the west front commands the Mall; the east front reveals the formal entrance and dome most clearly.
- The cast-iron dome crowned by the Statue of Freedom
- The Rotunda’s vast canopy fresco and historical paintings
- A building expanded outward as new states and legislators joined the Union
Reserve an official tour in advance and enter through the Capitol Visitor Center on the east side.
Allow time for screening and review the prohibited-items list; food, liquids and large bags can cause problems.
A standard tour does not guarantee access to House or Senate galleries, which follow separate procedures.
What is pulling you next?
Another door into this story
