Getting Lost

For the first time in over a year congress is in a two-week recess, which began last Monday. For all the hill staffers it is a welcome break for the 8:30am-? schedule that they maintain when congress is in session. As for us interns it means things are quite a bit slower than normal, and it can be a struggle at points to fill every minute from 9-5.  Today I realized that getting lost in the Capitol building is the perfect remedy for the down time in our office.  Prior to this morning I had been a little weary of wandering to extensively for fear that I may not be able to find my way back or I may find myself in some trouble with my office or the Capitol Police, but this morning amidst a slow period I couldn’t help myself.

 As a disclaimer I highly recommend taking a tour of the Capitol Building if the chance ever presents itself, but I must admit that the true gems are hidden behind the velvet ropes and the “Authorized Personnel Only” signs. In fact it turns out that Constantino Brumidi completed far more impressive artwork than you will find in the rotunda. All of the ceilings on the Senate side of the Capitol are adorned with his elaborate murals representing the history of America (in fact these hallways are known as “The Brumidi Corridors”). As I looked carefully I realized that Brumidi had left a fair amount of his murals empty so that we can further expand his artwork as history progresses. There was one more recent addition that caught my eye, that painting is represented to the left. It was added as a tribute to the crew of the space shuttle Challenger and was painted in 1987 by Charles Schmidt. Although this painting is the result of a tragic event it is still an amazing addition to Brumidi’s artwork that will forever live on in the halls of the Capitol Building.

            Sadly this was where my unguided stroll through the Capitol ended for the day, but I am determined to make the Brumidi Corridors my most frequently visited part of the Capitol. As for you the reader, if you ever plan to visit Washington and take a tour of the Capitol, I recommend that you ask your Senator’s office to take you through the Brumidi Corridor’s, it will be more than worth your while.

-Dave C.