U.S. Capitol: Recent renovations

The Capitol (Figure 1) has undergone numerous alterations, expansions, additions and renovations since the laying of the cornerstone by George Washington in 1793. Congress decided that the Capitol should be a working building rather than a museum or a monument fixed in time. As such, the Capitol has been almost continually changed and modified over time to meet the changing needs of the Congress and the People. Advances in technology have also caused and allowed modifications to the building. (Figure 2).