Stewards of the iconic buildings and grounds of Capitol Hill since 1793.

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A black and white photograph of the United States Capitol in 1846.
The history of the United States Capitol Building begins in 1793. Since then,...

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View of the U.S. Capitol Building from above at dusk
In order to ensure the safety of visitors and staff and to preserve the...

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Photo of Dome damage and scaffolding.
As scaffolding installation is completed on the Capitol Dome, the restoration...

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Black and white portrait of Benjamin Brown French
Long before the advent of Twitter, Facebook and blogs – there were journals....

Stewardship

Stewardship

Stewardship

The Architect of the Capitol is committed to the preservation and stewardship of the national treasures under its care. 

The Architect of the Capitol preserves the Capitol facilities and grounds while providing Congress with safe, comfortable, efficient, and modern office environments. The AOC is responsible for the vigilant stewardship of more than 30 buildings and leased spaces located both on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. and in remote facilities.

Examples of stewardship projects undertaken by the AOC include preserving and protecting the U.S. Capitol Dome exterior cast-iron surface in anticipation of a more comprehensive restoration in the future. In addition AOC made significant progress on the Capitol Complex Master Plan (CCMP). This plan provides a 20-year strategy to line up our infrastructure priorities, investments, and projects.

AOC is also responsible for the care, maintenance and preservation of a number of heritage assets entrusted to our care. AOC leads curatorial preservation projects such as the relocation and conservation of the Magna Carta display, the multi-phased restoration of the U.S. Botanic Garden’s Bartholdi Fountain, and the continued conservation of the Brumidi Murals in the Capitol.