Architect of the Capitol (AOC)

Serve | Preserve | Inspire —
Stewards of the iconic buildings and grounds of #USCapitol Hill.
More AOC: 🙂 @aochiring, 🪴 @usbotanicgarden, 🎟 @visitthecapitol

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

At the Architect of the Capitol, preservation is not just a discipline. It's not just a duty. #HistoricPreservation is the heart of our mission.

📽️ Watch the full video: https://t.co/Gzvat7Edwl

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

Today we're highlighting one of the top 10 tree species to seek out for fall color enjoyment! 🥞🍁

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

Check out these tips for taking photos of the Capitol Grounds this fall: https://t.co/aZViR9rIby

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

What gives leaves their color? Our Urban Forester breaks it down with one of the white ash trees on the U.S. Capitol Grounds. 🍃💛🍂

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

Happy first day of fall! Soon, the U.S. Capitol campus will look a lot more like this… 🍁😍🍂

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

The tree is traveling from Idaho to Washington, D.C., by truck, making stops in communities along its route before it arrives at the U.S. Capitol on Friday, November 20. 🔜 https://t.co/QfpEW0Kpgt

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

Before the statue of Liberty Enlightening the World 🗽 was dedicated in 1886, its sculptor created another monumental public work: the Fountain of Light & Water. ⛲️

For nearly 150 years, the AOC & USBG team has cared for Bartholdi's historic fountain: https://t.co/2Ezz9AOvzu

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

#OTD 140 years ago, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled. 🗽 #LibertyBirthday

This trompe l'oeil bas-relief in the U.S. Capitol's Cox Corridors shows the statue in New York Harbor with an immigrant ship arriving.

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

#OTD 140 years ago, the Statue of Liberty was unveiled. 🗽 #LibertyBirthday

This trompe l'oeil bas-relief in the U.S. Capitol's Cox Corridors shows the statue in New York Harbor with an immigrant ship arriving.

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

The tools, supplies and sketches seen below offer a glimpse into the meticulous craft behind some of the U.S. Capitol's most recognizable murals... Reminders of the artistry and dedication that shaped the Cox Corridors.

🔍📖🔗: https://t.co/nHZlmjKnBZ

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

Other U.S. Capitol works of art related to events at Yorktown include:

1. A panel of the Frieze of American History
2. "Battle of Yorktown and the Gallantry of Alexander Hamilton" in the Senate Bronze Doors
3. A ceiling scene in S-128
4. "Yorktown, 1781" in the Cox Corridors

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

🎞️: "General George Washington, riding a brown horse, stayed in the background because Lord Cornwallis himself was not present for the surrender..." #OTD 1781 in Yorktown, VA.

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

Take a deeper look at the four large history paintings by John Trumbull in the #USCapitol Rotunda, which depict pivotal moments before, during and after the Revolutionary War.

🎬 Watch the full video: https://t.co/DvqjHMetla #America250

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

This month we celebrate our national tree: the oak. There are 40 different species of oaks (Quercus spp.) currently on the U.S. Capitol Grounds including some of the oldest trees, biggest trees & commemorative trees honoring pivotal moments and people: https://t.co/zqZviZgc7y 🐿️

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

Since 2004, the oak has been the USA's national tree. 🇺🇸🌳 There are 40 different species of oaks on the U.S. Capitol campus, including the swamp chestnut oak. #America250

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

The U.S. Capitol Grounds is an officially accredited arboretum full of thousands of trees, beneficial insects, native plants and even a hidden retreat.

Learn more with these 5 facts: https://t.co/uTqt1OLX2f 🌳

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

Happy first day of fall! Soon, the U.S. Capitol campus will look a lot more like this… 🍁😍🍂

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

"This South East corner stone, of the Capitol of the United States of America in the City of Washington, was laid on the 18th day of September 1793..." 🥁: https://t.co/RVi9VzUSsH

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

The tools, supplies and sketches seen below offer a glimpse into the meticulous craft behind some of the U.S. Capitol's most recognizable murals... Reminders of the artistry and dedication that shaped the Cox Corridors.

🔍📖🔗: https://t.co/nHZlmjKnBZ

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

Today is 100 days until Christmas, but the U.S. Capitol's tree will arrive in 65 (on November 20)! 🎉

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

Selected 🎄 species & height just announced!📣: https://t.co/LWw4n4W3iu

Chosen from a different national forest each year, the 2026 tree will hail from Idaho's National Forests, named for the Nimíipuu (Nez Perce) people & their term Koos-Koos-Kai-Kai, which means "clear water."

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

American persimmon! Native to the region, this dioecious species has a distinct corky bark with alligator skin texture. 🍃🌳🐊

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

25 years later. We remember. 🇺🇸

Smoke from the Pentagon. U.S. Capitol evacuated; spared when Flight 93 overcame hijackers, crashing in Pennsylvania. Names of the passengers and crew are displayed on a plaque near the Rotunda. A commemorative oak is planted on the Grounds.

[David M. Rubenstein @DM_Rubenstein]

Here is your chance to see one of the true icons of American history — a William J. Stone engraved copy of the Declaration of Independence, printed by the State Department in 1823. This extremely rare document is on view at the U.S. Capitol as part of its “Spirit of ’76 — Congress Celebrates the Nation” exhibit. If you see an image of the Declaration reproduced anywhere, it is likely a Stone copy and not the original manuscript at the National Archives, which is faded and barely legible.

This exhibit features original artifacts, images and videos that illustrate how Congress and Americans have commemorated the Declaration on its milestone anniversaries. @visitthecapitol

Link to exhibit: https://t.co/71DYYkfjHn

[U.S. Capitol @visitthecapitol]

Happy birthday to the U.S. Capitol Guide Service! 🎉 For 150 years, official Capitol Guides have welcomed countless visitors to the halls of the U.S. Capitol and served as the public face of Capitol tours. Explore the history: https://t.co/aRneT32JoG

[U.S. Capitol @visitthecapitol]

Our September schedule of Capitol Conversations presentations is now live! Join us online every Wednesday at 2 p.m. for engaging discussions on a variety of U.S. Capitol-related topics. https://t.co/5bKMcuAmOh

[U.S. Capitol @visitthecapitol]

Outdoor tours of the beautiful U.S. Capitol Grounds resume September 1! 🌳🌻 Meet our knowledgeable Guides at 11 a.m., Monday-Saturday, at the north entrance of the Capitol Visitor Center. No reservations or tour passes required. https://t.co/0KvMjqSHdf

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

A design for the Car of History sculpture first appears in this August 1815 drawing by architect Benjamin Henry Latrobe.

The drawing shows his proposal for rebuilding the former Hall of the House of Reps, which was destroyed when British troops burned the Capitol #OTD 1814. 🔥

[Architect of the Capitol (AOC) @uscapitol]

Follow the path the British took #OTD 1814 to burn the #USCapitol, learn more about damage done to this historic building, and discover how the 2nd Architect of the Capitol helped prevent total destruction.