A five minute walk from the Capitol lower level, through a tunnel, led me to the Library of Congress. The Library was established by Congress in 1800 and today receives copies of every book, pamphlet, map, print and piece of music registered in the United States, approximately 10,000 pieces a day. The Thomas Jefferson Building, opened in 1897, is the main and oldest of the 3 library buildings. The library is open to tourists and the general public for academic research, but only with a Reader Identification Card, and only members of Congress or Supreme Court Justices may remove items from the library buildings.
This beautiful library also holds a vellum copy of the Gutenberg Bible, the first major book printed with a printing press, and a map with the first appearance of the word AMERICA, purchased from a German family for $10 million. Another exhibit was a collection of the music and memorabilia of George and Ira Gershwin.
