A closely guarded room in the Senate wing

Tucked behind the Senate chamber and down the hall from the vice president’s office lies a hidden gem of the Capitol.

Senate curators tout the President’s Room as a showpiece of the building’s Senate wing, and it is closed to the general public unless accompanied by a senator, or his or her staff. A Capitol Police officer closely guards the area.

{mosads}In a letter written in 1789, President George Washington commissioned the small, ornate chamber to conduct “joint business of the President of the Senate.” For 150 years, presidents have used the room to sign legislation passed by Congress.

Aside from its historical significance, the room is brimming with art and eclectic artifacts, lending itself to the signing of hundreds of pieces of important legislation. It now gleams with rich gold and deep burgundy colors after a professional restoration in the mid-1990s returned the room to its original glory.

Frescoes adorn every visible inch of the walls, depicting Washington and the members of his Cabinet. On the corners of the arched ceiling hang four realistic portraits of historical figures lauded for the development of the nation, including Christopher Columbus, representing discovery; Amerigo Vespucci, exploration; William Brewster, religion; and Benjamin Franklin, history.

Constantino Brumidi — whose artwork enlivens many walls in the Capitol complex — painted the frescoes from 1859 to 1860, basing the room’s design on Raphael’s intricate and best-known frescoes in the Vatican Palace. Curators say Brumidi painted the room in the style of the Vatican Palace’s “Stanza della Segnatura” room, which holds Raphael’s famous painting, “The School of Athens.”

Two floor-to-ceiling, gilded mirrors face one another in the President’s Room, reflecting Brumidi’s frescoes throughout the room. Light from the windows and the original, custom-made chandelier bounces off the restored mirrors, casting a soft glow over the chamber.

Melinda Smith, an associate Senate curator, said the room was restored to resemble an 1890 photograph that depicted leather-covered Turkish furniture and ornate drapery. Smith said the Turkish couches in the room were reupholstered to replace the brown leather with a deep red leather. Red drapes were also added, giving the room a rich feel.

“We were very lucky that we had so much visual evidence as to what the room looked like,” Smith said.

Today, the room is often used as a meeting place for senators to debate legislation in private.

Former President Reagan was a particular fan of the space, starting a tradition of visiting the room after being sworn into office to sign documents and pose for photographers. He also used the room in the beginning of his first term to work with congressional leaders on a budget compromise.

George Colbert, a Capitol Police officer who has worked in the Capitol for 12 years, said he can find something new in the room every day and that he witnesses people marveling over its intricate detail.

“People come in and talk about how nice and pretty it is,” Colbert said.