The Capitol is one place—but it fills three roles. It’s a revered national symbol, a showcase of history, and a working office building. Balancing these functions is a great challenge.
The Capitol gained an east front extension in 1962. Its campus grew with three new congressional office buildings, an additional Library of Congress structure, and a federal judiciary office building. In 1993, a bicentennial celebration of the Capitol’s first cornerstone honored 200 years of its architectural, artistic, and political life, and in 2008 an underground visitor center opened. Like the country it serves, the Capitol continues to evolve and inspire.
