Issue Date: January 4, 2009
TravelSmart |
MELANIE D.G. KAPLAN |
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A new view of the Capitol
D.C.'s latest tourist spot is under ground.
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If you've always wanted to run your fingers across the Capitol dome, you're in luck. The $621 million U.S. Capitol Visitor Center, which opened last month, features a dollhouse-like replica of the storied dome that is 1/20 the size of the real thing. Tourists can touch every tiny detail of the exterior and see a cutaway of the interior of the rotunda.
The visitor center marks the largest expansion in the history of the Capitol, located at the center of Washington. The underground space, lit by massive skylights, includes the 19-foot plaster model used to create the Statue of Freedom, which was cast in bronze by a slave, Philip Reid, and placed atop the dome in 1863. You'll also find other statues, historic artifacts and documents, such as JFK's 1961 speech asking Congress to send a man to the moon by the end of the decade.
There are live feeds from the House and Senate floors when Congress is in session and multiplayer interactive games that test your knowledge of our legisla-tive branch.
To tour the capitol: You can reserve your free spot online at visitthecapitol.gov. (Be aware that there are airport-like security restrictions.) The visitor center is open Monday through Saturday, except major holidays and Jan. 19 and 20 for the presidential inauguration.
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