Luckily, I was recently invited to a press conference hosted by Dr. James Billington, the Librarian of Congress, where the new Library of Congress Experience was being debuted.

The library’s new visitor experience located in the stunning Thomas Jefferson Building, take visitors on a tour of some of the library’s most treasured pieces, including a rough draft of the Declaration of Independence, the Gutenberg Bible, and Thomas Jefferson’s original book collection. 

Besides the collections, there’s the building itself, which should be on everyone’s Top 10 List of places to see while visiting Washington, DC. The architecture and ornate decorating make it one of the most impressive building interiors in Washington, DC.

The four main exhibits in the library’s new visitor’s experience include:

• The Art and Architecture of the Thomas Jefferson Building – Starting in the ornate Great Hall, the tour guides visitors through the spectacular architectural details focusing on the of the Minerva mosaic and the lamps of knowledge. Embellished with art from 50 American painters and sculptors, the Great Hall also hosts a collection over a dozen Old World bibles, including two world-famous bibles, the Gutenberg Bible (1455), the first great book printed using moveable type, and the Giant Bible of Mainz (1453). The Mainz bible is one of the last  large-format handwritten bibles, which took 15 months to create by hand.
• Creating the United States – From a purely historical point of view, this was my favorite section of the experience. The National Archives holds the original copies of the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights and the Constitution, but the LOC has on display several other critical historical documents regarding the founding of our nation. Some of the documents that we might today call “working copies”, include a rough draft of the Declaration of independence, which show changes and contributions made by Benjamin Franklin and  John Adams. A second document, called the John Beckley’s Bill of Rights, which was ratified by Congress a full two years before the current Bill of Rights was approved. And another rare document, a copy of the draft Constitution, with George Washington’s annotations. Numerous other documents allow visitors to follow the road of America, from British colony to independent nation.

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• Exploring Early Americans – Using audiovisual presentations and interactive touch-screen stations, the visitor can tour artifacts and learn about Native American life and culture in the time before Europeans arrived in America and shortly thereafter.
• Thomas Jefferson’s Library – When the British army invaded Washington, DC in 1814 and burned the Capitol Building, the Library of Congress was also completely destroyed. Thomas Jefferson, who had retired from public life to his Monticello plantation, offered to sell his collection of 6,500 books to Congress. The collection doubled the original size of the Library of Congress and expanded it to include not just volumes on law, history and government, but everything from farming and philosophy to music and the arts. Many of the books have been digitally reproduced to allow visitors, using an interactive kiosk, to read, from cover to cover, each book in the collection (see example below).

Besides a new experience for people who have the opportunity to visit the library, the LOC also unveiled a new interactive web site that offers online visitors the ability to view ongoing exhibitions.  The online Passport to Knowledge also offers audio and video tours of some the library’s most popular exhibits and artifacts.

At www.myLOC.gov, and www.loc.gov, online visitors can tour over 13 million of the library’s 138 million item collection and enhance their learning and knowledge of American,world and literary history. Additionally, there are online educational learning activities for school children and teachers.

If you visit the LOC in person, don’t miss the often overlooked view of the famous circular Main Reading Room from the visitors gallery.  Surrounded by eight tall giant marble columns, each crowned with a 10-foot tall female statue, and representing a different aspect of life and learning (commerce, history, science, law, art, philosophy, poetry and religion), the room is one of the most ornate in the country.

Library of Congress
Jefferson Building Visitor’s Center
101 Independence Ave. SE, between East Capitol and Independence Ave.
Washington, D.C. 20540 (map it)
202-707-3399

Dates and Times – Daily, except Sundays and holidays, 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Admission – Admission to the visitors center is free. Researches must have a current Reader Identification Card to enter the Main Reading or other library rooms. ID cards are free, but must be obtained in person.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Capitol South – Orange and Blue lines, then a 2-block walk, or use the DC Circulator.

Parking – Limited metered street parking is available, especially during business hours. Try parking south of the Capitol in the residential neighborhood behind the Supreme Court or at Union Station.

Images – from personal collection – © 2008 – Jon Rochetti

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Post from: The DC Traveler

Drafted by Thomas Jefferson in June of 1776, The Declaration of Independence is the most important U.S. symbol of liberty and self determination. The famous document lists a number of grievances against King George of England as a form of justification for breaking of colonial ties between England and the colonies.

After a month-long absence due to its protective case being upgraded, it’s once again on display.

The U.S. Constitution was initially ratified in 1787.

Throughout the Constitution’s history, over 10,000 Constitutional amendments have been introduced by Congress, yet only 27 changes have been it through the Ratification process.

By 1791, the initial ten amendments (Bill of Rights) were added.

Since then, an 17 additional amendments were added, including the abolition of slavery (1765), giving women the right to vote (1920) and making the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors illegal (1919) and then repealing the same 14 years later.

Averaging a new amendment about once every 13 years, the last amendment was added in 1992, limiting congressional pay raises.

The longest period in history without an amendment to the Constitution was 64 years, from 1801 until 1865.  And the busiest period was the eight years from 1913 until 1920, when Congress and the states passed the 16th, 17th, 18th and 19th amendments, dealing with income tax, the election of senators, prohibition and women’s right to vote.

Currently 4 amendments could technically be ratified by the states, but are highly doubtful to be ever considered. They include:

• The Congressional Appointment Amendment - Last voted upon in 1791. This amendment created during the early stages of the American Congress sets a minimum number of members of Congress to be maintained at either 100 or 200, whenever that number was reached.  Considering there are over 400 members today, it doubtful it will ever be resurrected.
• The Anti-Title of Nobility Amendment - Last voted upon in 1812. This anti-royalty amendment would result in the loss of citizenship if any citizen, without the consent of Congress, accepted or received any title of nobility from a foreign power. 
• The Slavery Amendment – Last vote upon in 1862 – This pre-Civil War amendment would have prohibited Congress from making any law interfering with the State’s “domestic institutions” (including slavery). 
• The Child Labor Amendment - Last ratification attempt 1937.
  In 1926, an amendment was proposed to allow Congress the power to regulate child labor.  Eleven years later it had not passed.  Other laws were enacted making an amendment not necessary.

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Additionally, two other amendments have expired, including:

• The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) – Sent to the states in 1972, expired in 1982.
• The Washington DC Voting Rights Amendment - Proposed in 1978 and expired in 1985.

Other documents are on display and rotate periodically, including several of George Washington’s letters to Congress, a police report on the assassination of President Lincoln, copies of FDR’s fireside chats, declassified documents from World War II, and President Richard Nixon’s resignation letter. Historical photos and other items are also on display.

The 300-seat McGowan Theater theater shows a short orientation film about the Archives, and twice-daily, a documentary on the Charters of Freedom (Declaration of Independence, The  Constitution and the Bill of Rights). 

The National Archives
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (Research Entrance)
Visitors should enter The National Archives Rotunda
Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW.
Washington, DC 20408   (map it)

Dates and Times – Daily 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., until 7:00 p.m. March 15th through Labor Day. The last admission is 30 minutes prior to closing.

The research library (entrance on Pennsylvania  Ave.) is also open a couple evenings each month until 8:45 p.m.

Admission - Free.  You can avoid lines by making advanced  reservation for the self-guided tour. Contact Visitor Services at visitorservices@nara.gov to Request a date and time, noting the number in your party. If the date and time is available, you’ll receive a confirmation letter (must be presented upon entry). Use the Special Event entrance. Armed Forces personnel in uniform and their guests can also use the Special Events entrance and avoid the public lines.

Lines tend e longest on weekends, holidays and during the peak summer tourist season and during school breaks.

1-Hour Guided Tours – Available to individuals or groups (up to 20), Monday – Friday at 9:45 a.m.  Reservations are required and it’s best to make your request 6 weeks in advance by calling 202-357-5450.

Nearest Metro Subway Station – Archives/Navy Memorial – Green or Yellow line, then a 1-block walk or use the DC Circulator.

Parking – Metered street parking is available on Constitution Ave.

Images – Exterior – from personal collection – © 2008 – Jon Rochetti,   Rotunda interior – Nat’l. Archives,  Archives Rotunda – Flickr

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Post from: The DC Traveler

Due to some improvements being made to the protective case that holds the United States Constitution, the original document will not be on public view again until the end of February or early March. 

The original Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights and other milestone documents will remain on display in the Archive’s rotunda.

The National Archives
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW (Research Entrance)
Visitors should enter The National Archives Rotunda
Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW.
Washington, DC 20408   (map it)

Dates and Times – Daily 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., until 7:00 p.m. March 15th through Labor Day. The last admission is 30 minutes prior to closing.

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Post from: The DC Traveler