As it turns out, Memorial Day is an awesome day for a tour of the Capitol building. Most tourists are outside waiting for the Memorial Day parade to start.
Our flight did not leave until 5:30 PM so we needed a short, fun activity to fill our time before heading to the airport. I was able to reserve 4 tickets for a Capitol tour at noon. When we checked in for our tour we were able to change our time to 11 AM due to the low volume of visitors. It was perfect!
We had just enough time to cruise the visitor center to see some of the statues before our group was called in to watch a short movie about the history of the Capitol.
Helen Keller is one of the newest additions to the visitor center’s collection. She is the only person depicted as a child and the only one with disabilities.
May I just say that our Capitol is a breathtaking building? Simply stunning. Brumidi’s Apotheosis of Washington was reminiscent of the Sistine Chapel for me. The fresco was so lovely, yet so far away! It was hard to see all of the beautiful details of the masterpiece at the top of the dome.
All of the details in the Rotunda were almost too much to take in. I was on artistry overload. It was all so beautiful. I love how the band of scenes from our country’s history is painted to look like a relief sculpture. Amazing!
The above photo is just because I read The Lost Symbol… Those who have read it will get it 🙂
We saw other cool things like the exact spot where John Quincy Adams sat during his time as a House Representative.
Ronald Reagan’s statue was particularly interesting because it had pieces of the Berlin Wall embedded into the pedestal in a thin band.
I liked this unfinished bust of Abraham Lincoln. Half of his face has one expression and half has another.
When we finished our tour we had enough time to take the tunnel over to the Library of Congress. I have seen photos of it’s famous Reading Room and wanted to see it for myself. Unfortunately, it was closed to the public. I was able to snap a quick photo through a window in a door. It’s not the best picture but you get the idea.
We had a quick lunch back at the visitor center before heading for the airport. Let me just say that the restaurant over there is outstanding! So many healthy and organic food choices. I was very impressed especially after consuming so many unhealthy things while on vacation. It was a welcomed treat for us.
This concludes my five part vacay re-cap. Hope you enjoyed reliving the trip with me!
Adventures of Four 