The Virginia General Assembly has unveiled a new permanent exhibit at the Capitol Visitor Center designed to immerse visitors in the history, architecture and work of the state’s government.

Titled “People. Building. Democracy.,” the interactive exhibit was developed by the clerks of the Virginia House of Delegates and the Senate of Virginia to expand public access, modernize the visitor experience and encourage engagement with the General Assembly and the state Capitol. 

The exhibit introduces visitors to the Capitol through three interconnected themes. One section, which highlights people connected to the Capitol and the Commonwealth, features nearly 250 digital watercolor portraits and interactive kiosks that explain each subject’s “Capitol Connection.” 

Another focuses on the building itself through a translucent 3D-printed model of Capitol Square that uses LED lighting and projected video to trace changes to the site over time. 

A third explores democracy through a large ball machine that illustrates the path of a bill through Virginia’s legislative process, paired with an interactive kiosk that explains how a bill becomes law. 

“We set out to give the Virginia State Capitol the museum-quality visitor experience it deserves — and I believe we’ve exceeded that goal,” said G. Paul Nardo, Clerk of the House of Delegates. 

The enhanced visitor experience also includes an architectural display centered on a dollhouse-style model of the Capitol constructed from nearly 50,000 Lego bricks. The model was designed and built by Benjamin Edlavitch, a fourth-year architecture student at the University of Virginia, and is accompanied by a reproduction of the original Capitol model by Jean-Pierre Fouquet. 

The clerks also partnered with the Library of Virginia on a related display titled “Taking Office,” which examines the history of gubernatorial  inaugurations in Virginia. 

The project was created in collaboration with C&G Partners, a museum design firm.