National Statuary Hall, also known as the Old Hall of the House, is the large, two-story, semicircular room south of the Rotunda. The meeting place of the U.S. House of Representatives for nearly 50 years (1807-1857), and now the main exhibition space for the National Statuary Hall collection, this room is one of the most historic chambers in the Capitol. – Architect of the Capitol

This beautiful room had some great statues from each state, but on this day, crowds made it hard to photograph the room and statues. Ironically, the incredible ceiling created too many echos for it’s original use for the “House”. All attempts to improve the acoustics, including hanging draperies and reversing the seating arrangement, proved unsuccessful and the House moved into the new Hall in 1857.