Remember the Twilight Zone episode “Time Enough at Last” with Burgess Meredith who wants nothing more than time to read?  The Library of Congress is a place in which I would love to get lost, reading page after page of manuscripts, books and old maps. The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections. The artwork and architecture of this building alone is spectacular.  Make sure you look up to see the ceiling frescos, study the quotes on the walls and take in the intricate carvings on staircases and doorways.

The general tour is a wonderful place to start to get an overview of the history of the building and what is available.  And of course, there are the books….oh, the wonderful collection of books! Click here to start the tour.