Members of Congress have traveled between the buildings on Capitol Hill for a century hidden from tourists, press, and storm clouds.

One critic described it as "middle Mussolini, early Ramses, and late Neiman-Marcus." Another called it an architectural "natural disaster."

A little marble compass above George Washington's (empty) tomb in the Capitol marks where D.C.'s four quadrants intersect.

This statue of the "father of television" stands prominently in the United States Capitol.

Rumor has it the uncarved lump behind the three famous suffragists is reserved for the first woman president.

Corn-inthian columns with a uniquely American take on neoclassical architecture.

Senators used to relax in the nearly forgotten marble tubs now hidden in the U.S. Capitol Building's basement.

A promising candidate for the lost rock laid by George Washington was unearthed, but the hunt is still on.

An ear-piercing buzzer calls lawmakers to a vote with a series of long and short rings to form coded messages.

In the basement of the U.S. Capitol Building is a hidden storage room full of ornate floor tiles leftover from the 1850s.

The 5.5-mile ring of steel posts around the Capitol Building is one of the largest (and most uniform) of its kind in the world.

Railroad officials in the early 1900s sought to spare travelers the sight of Roman soldiers’ private parts.

A 1,100-ton train fell through the floor in 1953. Workers got it patched up in just 72 hours.

An easily overlooked memorial to a Ukrainian famine-genocide that killed over 4 million people.

An unassuming, powerful monument north of the U.S. Capitol bears witness to the resilience of Japanese Americans during a time of grave injustice.

The tunnel under the Capitol Building where Congress takes out its trash.

A hidden gem on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building designed by landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted.

"Congress may voluntarily remain in session throughout the summer, in order that our Congressmen may be protected from the intolerable discomforts and dangers of the ordinary outdoor weather!”

Architecture lovers won’t stop touching the National Gallery's 19.5 degree marble prow.

A museum cafe showcases Native American dishes and indigenous ingredients from across the Western Hemisphere.

A muscular Art Deco monument represents the struggle between regulators and unbridled markets.

Washington's iconic carousel has a nice piece of Civil Rights history.

This stunning blue and gold room changed cities twice before becoming part of the Smithsonian.

Daredevil repair workers can worm their way out the access hatch, loop ropes over the apex and rappel down the monument.