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This page is about the collection of statues in the U.S. Capitol. For a list of these works, see Statues of the National Statuary Hall Collection. For the room after which the collection is named, see National Statuary Hall.
National Statuary Hall Collection
Part of the National Statuary Hall Collection.
Car of history
Presiding over the Hall, Carlo Franzoni's 1819 sculptural chariot clock, the Car of History depicts Clio, the Greek muse of history.

The National Statuary Hall Collection is a group of statues found in the United States Capitol building in Washington, D.C. Each statue is a gift from a U.S. state. They honor important people from that state's history.

Each state can donate up to two statues. The collection first started in the old room of the House of Representatives. This room was later renamed National Statuary Hall. As more statues arrived, the collection grew too big for one room. So, the statues are now displayed all over the Capitol building and its Visitor's Center.

Today, the collection is complete with 100 statues. These come from all 50 states. There are also two statues from the District of Columbia and one special statue of Rosa Parks. Some states have even replaced their original statues with new ones. This was allowed by a law passed in 2000.

History of the Statues

How the Collection Started

The idea for a National Statuary Hall began in the mid-1800s. The House of Representatives moved into a new, larger room in 1857. This left their old chamber empty. People started thinking about what to do with the space.

In 1864, a representative named Justin S. Morrill had a great idea. He suggested using the old chamber to display statues. Each state could send statues of people important to their history. This idea became a law on July 2, 1864. The law said states could send up to two statues. These statues could be made of marble or bronze. They had to be of people who had died and were famous for their history or service.

Moving the Statues Around

At first, all the statues were placed in National Statuary Hall. But over time, it got very crowded. By 1933, there were 65 statues. They were sometimes three deep, making it hard to see them. Also, the floor of the hall could not hold the weight of any more statues.

Because of this, Congress passed a new rule in 1933. This rule allowed the Architect of the Capitol to move statues around. The goal was to make the Hall look better and to make space for new statues. It was decided that only one statue from each state would stay in Statuary Hall. The others were moved to other important areas and hallways in the Capitol.

In 1976, the statues were rearranged again. This was to make the collection look less crowded. Some statues were moved to the Central Hall on the first floor. Others were placed in the Hall of Columns and connecting hallways.

Replacing Old Statues

A law passed in 2000 allows states to replace their statues. If a state wants to honor someone new, they can remove an old statue. Then they can send a new one to the Capitol. The old statue is usually returned to the state.

Special Statues in the Capitol

Rosa Parks' Statue

A special law was passed in 2005 to add a statue of Rosa Parks to the Capitol. She was a famous civil rights activist. Her statue was placed in National Statuary Hall on February 27, 2013. She was the first African-American woman to have her likeness in the Hall.

Rosa Parks' statue is unique. It is not part of the National Statuary Hall Collection. This means it doesn't count as one of the two statues for Alabama (her birth state) or Michigan (where she lived). Congress directly asked for her statue.

District of Columbia Statues

The District of Columbia is not a state. But it now has two statues in the Capitol. These statues honor abolitionist Frederick Douglass and D.C. planner Pierre Charles L'Enfant.

It took a long time for these statues to be accepted. A bill was introduced in 2002 to allow D.C. to have statues like the states. After many years and discussions, the statue of Frederick Douglass was placed in the Capitol Visitor Center in 2013. The statue of Pierre L'Enfant was added in February 2022.

Who is Honored?

The collection includes many different kinds of people.

Women Honored

There are twelve statues of women representing states:

Native Hawaiian and Native American Members

The collection includes statues of:

Hispanic Members

  • Dennis Chávez (New Mexico) - the first person of Hispanic descent elected to a full term in the U.S. Senate.
  • Saint Junípero Serra (California) - born in Spain, he founded many missions in California.

African American Members

Catholic Clergy and Nuns

The collection includes statues of:

Confederate Statues

Some statues in the collection honor leaders from the Confederate States of America. These include former CSA President Jefferson Davis and Vice President Alexander Stephens. Other statues are of Confederate soldiers.

Due to national discussions, several states have decided to replace their Confederate statues:

Statues That Have Been Replaced

Since the law changed in 2000, several states have replaced their statues. Here are some examples:

See also

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