The apex of the Federal style of architecture pioneered in the USA also happens to be the oldest museum in America dedicated to architecture and design. Designed by William Thornton (the Capitol’s first architect) in 1800, the building is a symmetrically winged structure designed to fit an odd triangular lot. The inside is open for self-guided tours over creaky floors and into rooms with period furnishings.
President James Madison lived here after the British burned the White House during the War of 1812. The box that held the Treaty of Ghent (that ended the war) is on the 2nd floor. The American Institute of Architects operates the museum.
