We made reservations for a tour of the US Capitol building. The tour provided a good overview of the building and it’s history with the notable exception of the mob that smashed their way into the building on January 6th, 2021. We still have trouble understanding how anyone who considers themselves a patriot could support the only person in our history who orchestrated the interruption the peaceful transfer of power.
The tour started in a surprisingly large underground visitors center which included an orientation video. We could feel the difference when we left the expansive visitor and entered the historical Capitol Building in a cramped elevator. Some of the building’s history is still preserved and continues to be used. The room where the Senate used to meet is still set up as it was and is still occasionally used for committee meetings. The Supreme Court also used the Capitol Building before getting their own building.
It felt noteworthy how the tours (there were numerous groups at the same time) seemed to coexist with the working staff and elected officials. There was etiquette about not blocking hallways or using loud voices. All in all it seemed to work surprisingly well. It was a reminder that it is not only an active workplace, but one of the most important ones in the country.
One highlight of the tour was the statuary. By an act of Congress itself, each state is allowed to display 2 statues in the Capitol. Exactly who is honored with a statue is decided by each state, and some of the choices can be novel. Johnny Cash, Helen Keller and the astronaut Jack Swigert. Of course there also numerous statues of founding fathers and state politicians.
All in all, the Capitol Building is a wonderful structure. It’s elegant in it’s design and decoration while still being an active workplace.
