The current building was designed by Robert Mills and constructed over a 33-year period beginning in 1836. It is the oldest departmental building in Washington.
The Washington Monument was formally dedicated on February 22, 1885, and at the time of its construction, it was the tallest building in the world; it remains the tallest stone structure in the world.
The museum first opened in 1964, and among the items on display are the original Star-Spangled Banner and Dorothy's ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz.
Created in 1800 the library is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution & the largest library in the world. In 1815 Thomas Jefferson sold his entire personal collection of books to the library
President Roosevelt asked the Commission of Fine Arts about the possibility of erecting a memorial to Thomas Jefferson. Construction went from 1938-43, & Roosevelt laid the first cornerstone himself.
