The Tourist’s Capitol
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Collection of the U.S. House of RepresentativesAbout this object Postcards of the Capitol were instantly recognizable as a memento from a Washington jaunt.
Starting around 1820—when the Capitol was fully functional—visitors arrived to see the impressive building and to watch their government in action. The oldest objects included in this exhibition codify the Capitol as the seat of government, and the United States as an established nation with impressive sights to see. After the Civil War, the development of Washington, D.C., accelerated, and the variety of landmarks to visit and ways to immortalize the trip expanded rapidly. In the 20th century, the nature of souvenirs further expanded with the market for commercially-produced objects, many of which focus on the image of the Capitol itself and the public declaration of the visitor's experience.