Dedication of the Old Senate Chamber

Prior to the room's reopening to the public, the historic chamber, which had served as the Senate Chamber from 1810 to 1859 and as the Supreme Court Chamber from 1860 to 1935, was mostly closed, though it was used occasionally for casual events such as conferences and dinners. By the early 1960s, members of the Senate began building support to have the room restored as a mid-19th-century legislative chamber and its historical significance interpreted for visitors. Congress appropriated money for the room's restoration in 1972, and the Senate officially declared the newly restored chamber reopened to the public on June 16, 1976. The U.S. Senate Commission on Art is responsible for the ongoing care and maintenance and regulation of the Old Senate Chamber.