I traveled to Washington DC with the 120 students, 7 teachers and approximately 40 parent chaperones of our 4th Grade. Last year the Washington Monument was being repaired due to the effects of an earthquake centered in Virginia. This year the Washington Monument re-opened but the dome of the Capitol has begun a full restoration. The dome is made of cast iron and has developed more than a thousand little cracks. It has not had a full restoration since 1959. The restoration project includes removal of old paint, repairs to the cast iron and repainting. It has a budget of just under 60 million dollars. The exterior work should be completed this winter and then the interior will be tackled. The building was open for tours, but the scaffolding does create an odd appearance.
