Who Are the People? 1.1

The U.S. Capitol displays a collection of several hundred statues and busts. Elevate your exploration of these historic artworks with the augmented reality app available for download. Through your device's front-facing camera, position a statue in any setting of your choice and delve into a virtual experience unlike any other. Engage with each statue to unveil compelling images and narratives about the individuals portrayed and the skilled artists behind the sculptures. Gain insightful knowledge on the artistic merit of each piece from the Curator for the Architect of the Capitol. Embark on this journey and accomplish all designated tasks to receive a distinctive reward.

Featured Statues:

• Statue of Freedom by Thomas Crawford
• Sarah Winnemucca by Benjamin Victor, gifted by Nevada in 2005
• John “Jack” Swigert, Jr., by George and Mark Lundeen, presented by Colorado in 1997
• Kamehameha I by Thomas Ridgeway Gould, bestowed by Hawaii in 1969
• Helen Keller by Edward Hlavka, donated by Alabama in 2009
• Sojourner Truth bust by Artis Lane, contributed by the National Congress of Black Women in 2009

Historical Insight:

Many of the sculptures featured in this application are part of the renowned National Statuary Hall Collection, which invites individual states to contribute two statues each, totaling 100 striking artworks.

The inception of this remarkable initiative dates back to Congressman Justin Morrill's proposition in 1864, seeking to enrich the Capitol with portrait statues created by states at minimal cost. This visionary concept materialized into law on July 2, 1864, empowering every state to provide up to two bronze or marble statues portraying deceased individuals of historical, civic, or military prominence. These pieces found a home in the former Hall of the House of Representatives, evolving into what is now recognized as a "national statuary hall."

The vibrant history of this collaboration came alive with the arrival of the first state statue in 1870, setting in motion a wave of artistic contributions. Over the years, efforts were made to accommodate the growing number of statues within National Statuary Hall—a space that eventually reached its capacity by 1933. Subsequent legislative measures allowed for statue replacements and expansions, fostering an enhanced representation of diverse American figures within the Capitol.

The exclusive information available in this application is up-to-date as per the publication date.

Kindly note that the tactile reward associated with the Helen Keller experience is unavailable on iPads.