On June 27, 1829, British scientist James Smithson left his fortune “to found at Washington…an Establishment for the increase & diffusion of knowledge among men.” Join us to explore the life and times of Smithson and the roles of Congress and John Quincy Adams in the creation and development of the Smithsonian Institution.

Since the election of Jeannette Rankin, women in Congress have changed the physical blueprint of the Capitol. Learn about the Congressional Women's Reading Room and its namesake Louisiana Rep. Lindy Claiborne Boggs.

The Capitol Visitor Center is closed today. 

Create a Capitol craft project. Young visitors and their accompanying adults meet in the Democracy Lab.

Create a Capitol craft project. Young visitors and their accompanying adults meet in the Democracy Lab.

Learn about Amelia Earhart’s high-flying life and her statue given to the National Statuary Hall Collection by Kansas in 2022.

The American Revolution is depicted in several pieces of art displayed in the Capitol. Learn about John Trumbull's paintings, statues of figures connected to the war, and other pieces of art in the Capitol that commemorate our nation's fight for independence.

Learn about the first four Architects of the Capitol and their contributions to the construction of the U.S. Capitol.

Since 2000, Congress has allowed the states to replace their statues in the National Statuary Hall Collection. This program will discuss the 13 statues that have been replaced as of March 2024.