CHALLENGE #21 – ANSWERED – What room am I looking at?
All right. The last CHALLENGE was a bit obscure…but, in the end, I hope interesting to most . I will ease up a bit now. This should be an easy one for anyone who took their 8th grade field trip to the our nation’s capital. I was not actually allowed in the room, so this picture from the balcony was as close as I got to this esteemed place of learning…
What room am I looking at?
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Whether due to ignorance or apathy, there was not a tidal wave of correct answers on this one. One learned reader gets partial credit for correctly identifying the building as the Library of Congress in Washington D.C. However, the question was “what room…?” The answer is the Main Reading Room of the Library of Congress.
The Main Reading Room…the starting point for all the enthusiastic scholars who come to the Library of Congress in search of knowledge. Well, maybe it is not the starting point. First, there is lots of paperwork to get the right “library card” in order to get access to the research areas. But, other than the reading and research areas, much of the Library of Congress is open to anyone (disclaimer…my visit was pre-Covid). While most people think of trying to visit the Capitol or White House, be sure to visit the Library of Congress…it’s a lot easier. And, it has some of the best architecture. You do not need an appointment or tickets. Free tours are available everyday. Or, as we did, just walk in and wander about.
One of those bronze figures is Christopher Columbus…how offensive! 
Just architecture my wife liked…
As an example to the detail in the Library of Congress, use the left picture. At the top of the columns are some female figures. Apparently, each one represents some aspect of civilized life, such as Art, Commerce, Philosophy, etc. Then, one level down from these figures, you can see some bronze statues. These are all men that personified the aspects of life represented by the female figures, such at Michelangelo (Art), Christopher Columbus (Commerce), Plato (Philosophy), etc. I’m sure its all perfectly sexist and since Christopher Columbus is there…it will all be torn down soon. So, get there now before its all gone.
Thank you for reading Traveling with PugsleyTonks. PT
