Dome Tour

Right up there with the coveted West Wing tours are tours of the interior of the Capitol dome, aka the "Dome Tour." In order to go on this tour, a willing Congressman/Senator must volunteer to take a group up, notwithstanding a possbile fear of heights. :) Just such an opportunity came up for 2 interns in our Summer 2008 intern class, Chris Shirts and Erin Carr. Here are their thoughts on the experience:

Erin Carr, Intern for Congressman Sali:

The dome tour can be summarized in two words: freakin’ amazing! This is the best tour I have ever had in my 20 long years of tour-taking experience :) Although I’m afraid of heights, it was incredible to see the details in Brumidi’s fresco and the spectacular 360° view of DC, Virginia and Maryland from the outside of the dome. It helped that our tour guide was knowledgeable; he made the tour that much better. And who knew there were two whisper spots in the Capitol building! In addition to being up close and personal with America’s great artists, architects and history, I got a really good cardio workout!

Chris Shirts, Intern for Senator Crapo:

I can honestly say that it was one of the most amazing things I have ever done. Walking up the long set of stairs and seeing the massive cast iron dome from the inside really puts into perspective how remarkable the dome really is. Close to nine million pounds, the dome seems to sit like a crown atop its queen and you can easily tell why it’s one of the most recognizable pieces of architecture in the United States. The domes beauty is unrivaled and venturing to the top was a truly moving experience.

After the long hike up the inner part of the dome, and seeing down into the capitol rotunda along the way, we finally reached the best part of our tour which was going outside on top of the dome. This was by far the pinnacle of the tour, and standing on the highest point in Washington, D.C. where you could be outside was astonishing. It is the best view of Washington, D.C., and its surrounding areas without a doubt. The views were so incredible, and I felt very fortunate to have been able to go on the tour.