Library of Congress: Thomas Jefferson Building
Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C., United States
The Thomas Jefferson Building makes the Library of Congress an architectural attraction as well as a working research institution. Marble stairways, mosaics and painted decoration give the Great Hall its richness, while the domed Main Reading Room expresses a more concentrated grandeur. Exhibitions provide another way into the library’s collections. Reserve the visitor ticket, then check the separately managed opportunities to see the reading room; ordinary sightseeing access does not mean unrestricted access to research areas.