June 12, 2024 Annual Summer Movies on the Lawn to Present National Film Registry Selections

Press Contact: Elaina Finkelstein, efinkelstein@loc.gov

The Library of Congress will host its annual “Summer Movies on the Lawn” series starting July 11. The series featuring films from the Library’s National Film Registry will be presented on Thursday evenings at sundown on the southeast lawn of the Library’s Thomas Jefferson Building.

The scheduled films include:

July 11: The Wizard of Oz” (1939) (1989 National Film Registry)

July 18: An American in Paris” (1951) (1993 National Film Registry)

July 25: “Love and Basketball” (2000) (2023 National Film Registry)

Aug. 1: Rocky” (1976) (2006 National Film Registry)

Aug. 8: Lady and the Tramp” (1955) (2023 National Film Registry)

  • Before the movie on August 8, enjoy a live performance from Panquility Band who will play island melodies starting at 7 p.m. on the Southeast lawn.

Located on the corner of 2nd Street SE and Independence Avenue, the southeast lawn of the Thomas Jefferson Building is a scenic space to enjoy films on Capitol Hill. No tickets are required, but visitors are encouraged to arrive early as space is limited. Visitors must stay with their items on the lawn at all times. 

The series is part of Live! at the Library. From 5 to 8 p.m. on Thursday evenings, visitors are invited to enjoy happy hour drinks and snacks available for purchase in the Great Hall overlooking the Capitol and the Thomas Jefferson Building’s beautiful architecture while immersing themselves in the Library’s exhibits, collections and programs. Free timed-entry passes for entrance to the Thomas Jefferson Building are required and can be reserved at loc.gov/visit. Find additional event details at loc.gov/live.

Under the terms of the National Film Preservation Act, each year the Librarian of Congress names to the National Film Registry 25 motion pictures that are “culturally, historically or aesthetically” significant, showcasing the range and diversity of America’s film heritage to encourage support for its preservation. The films must be at least 10 years old. The Librarian makes the annual registry selections after conferring with members of the National Film Preservation Board and a cadre of Library specialists. Thousands of public nominations are also considered. More information about the National Film Registry can be found at loc.gov/film/.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States — and extensive materials from around the world — both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov; access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov; and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

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PR 24-052
2024-06-13
ISSN 0731-3527