Table, See Full Report, Page 137

Orchid Collection

There were over 5,000 total orchids in the Botanic Garden’s collections. The orchid collection is the single largest component of the USBG’s plant inventory, accounting for over 30 percent of its total collection.

Table, See Full Report, Page 137

8. Architectural and Engineering Artifacts

AOC maintains an inventory of small architectural and engineering artifacts and models for research or exhibition. AOC also maintains an inventory of large artifacts, such as pieces of stone removed from buildings or plaster models, for possible reuse or repairs. As an example, 150 tons of sculpture and stone removed from the East Front of the U.S. Capitol during its 1958 extension is held in a secure facility at Fort Meade, MD.

The AOC Curator tracks these artifacts and maintains lists of the objects in storage. It is not possible to provide a meaningful count as some crates hold multiple pieces and some items are stored in pieces in multiple crates.

9. Historical Records and Reference Materials

The Records Management and Archives Branch preserves and provides access to architectural and engineering drawings and textual records. The Branch uses approved records schedules based on archival appraisal and records surveys. The Branch arranges drawings and textual records in accordance with archival principles to facilitate control, access, reference, research and retrieval. Architectural and engineering drawings and manuscripts require special archival storage and handling because of their diverse physical attributes. The Branch maintains stable temperature and humidity conditions and high security for the records. Microfilm of many drawings is stored off-site for backup purposes. Digital scans of drawings are also important backups for the original drawings.

9.1. Architectural and Engineering Drawings

Beginning with plans for the construction of the Capitol in the early 1800s, and with primary holdings from the 1850s on, the architectural and engineering drawings collection contains a wide range of subjects and formats (e.g., pencil renderings, finely detailed ink and watercolor working drawings, polished presentation pieces, blueprints and modern computer-aided design drawings). These drawings are vital for current construction and maintenance projects, as well as for historic research. The specifications and files