Livin’ Large at The Library of Congress!

Think the Library of Congress is for bookworms only? Think again, my friends! I took a short trek to Washington, D.C. last May and this is what I discovered on my very first visit.

IMPORTANT TIP:

Before I proceed, I need to advise all of you that entry to the Library of Congress requires a free timed, electronic ticket that you should sign up for several weeks ahead of time. I saw numerous folks turned away at the door because they didn’t have a reservation. The Library of Congress gets 1.5 million+ visitors per year so they must utilize a system of crowd management control. You can find out more and sign up at the Visitor Information page. Luckily I had researched this before I left and secured a free electronic ticket.

https://www.loc.gov/visit/

The Library of Congress is HUGE! I was amazed by the size of the Thomas Jefferson building. And there are three buildings just in downtown DC! I only made it to the Jefferson building, but that was enough to make my jaw drop in amazement. See the link below for more info on the three buildings, their floor plans, and online tours.

https://www.loc.gov/visit/maps-and-floor-plans/

The next thing I learned was that the Jefferson building is GORGEOUS inside! I was unprepared for that. It reminded me of European buildings or castles I have seen. I wandered the building for at least an hour and couldn’t stop taking photos. It was beautiful!

It is a monument to knowledge, a concept I can readily support. Much of the artwork and architecture embodies that theme. The thought below sort of sums it up for me.

The Library of Congress (LOC) is also a museum with some awesome exhibits and collections. For example, when I visited you could view the following photographic exhibit called “Not An Ostrich.” I recognized numerous photographs from books I’ve previously read, photos I’d seen in the media, and places I’ve been. I was fascinated by it. You, too, can see it from wherever you are at the link below. Here’s just a few photos to give you an idea of the breadth of the exhibit.

https://www.loc.gov/exhibitions/images-from-americas-library/about-this-exhibition/

The LOC hosts numerous special events - even concerts! The day I visited, they had a lunchtime concert. It was free and I wanted to rest a bit, so I decided to attend. I had a front-row seat and I loved it! It was standing-room only and a fascinating blend of two different types of music and two different cultures. Actually, this free concert ended up being one of the highlights of my trip to DC. I was so glad I went!

I also got to do three other special things. The LOC has a Gutenberg Bible on the first floor. I enjoyed looking at that and the information about it. Take a peek yourself and read about it below.

https://www.loc.gov/exhibits/bibles/the-gutenberg-bible.html

You can enter the main reading room at certain times each day. It is beautiful as well! If you ponder all the thinkers, inventors, and leaders who have studied and researched in this room, it will blow your mind. 🤯

Made me smile. ⬆️☺️😉

You can view Thomas Jefferson’s original collection of 6000+ books purchased by Congress to re-create the Library of Congress. (The original 3000 books were burned in a fire at the Capitol building in 1814). At the time the collection was the largest private collection of books in the United States. I enjoyed seeing the collection and then discovering that the LOC collection now contains more than 175 million items of all kinds. AMAZING!!!

https://loc.gov/exhibits/thomas-jeffersons-library/overview.html

The Library of Congress is remodeling its visitor experience as I write this. There will be a new visitor experience called “A Library for You” partially opening soon. The new visitor experience will provide increased access to special collections and exhibits. It looks great! I’ll just have to go back when it’s complete. Oh, shucks! 😉😏😁

https://www.loc.gov/visit/library-for-you/

So, the Library of Congress is a pretty awesome place with lots of cool things to see and do. Even for those who are not bookworms! And I assure you I was not shushed even once. 🤓 (Shatter those stereotypes!) There was so much life there, the noise level was something like a dull roar at times. That’s just the way it should be! 🤩