The centerpiece of the National Academy of Sciences building in Washington, D.C., the Great Hall was designed by the esteemed architect Bertram Grosvenor Goodhue and dedicated in April 1924. This stunning interior dome is the hall’s signature feature, intended to evoke the grandeur of a classical Byzantine cathedral repurposed for the exploration of the natural world.

The intricate art in the dome was executed by the artist Hildreth Meière using Guastavino structural tile, which provided both structural integrity and a shimmering surface for her intricate mosaics. The Great Hall and its dome function as a visual encyclopedia. At the center is the Sun, surrounded by astrological signs and figures representing the four classical elements. A significant detail is the bronze text encircling the dome, which reads: “TO SCIENCE, PILOT OF INDUSTRY, CONQUEROR OF DISEASE, MULTIPLIER OF THE HARVEST, EXPLORER OF THE UNIVERSE, REVEALER OF NATURE’S LAWS, ETERNAL GUIDE TO TRUTH.”

The smaller, blue stained-glass windows depicted in the image are designed to give the illusion of open sky, reinforcing the concept of the hall as an open-air observatory.