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Ground Floor

John Adams Building, Ground Floor

Ground Floor Overview

The building is rectangular. The west side of the building is parallel to 2nd St SE. The east side of the building is parallel to 3rd St SE. The Ground Floor is split into east and west sides connected by a central hallway and offices along the perimeter of the building. There are elevators, stairs, and restrooms accessible from both the east and west sides of the building.

The directions to locations of interest assume you are in the Ground Floor West Foyer, facing the elevators. In the directions below, symbols are placed after certain location names to indicate closure and restriction updates.

These directions were last updated August 2024.

Entrances and Exits

Main Entrance [ Wheelchair Accessible Wheelchair Access]

The Main Entrance is located on the west side of the building leading directly into the West Foyer. The Main Entrance is wheelchair accessible. You must present staff or researcher I.D to enter the building.

All visitors must be screened by security upon entering the building through any entrance. Security is located immediately after entering. For additional information about the security screening process, please seeKnow Before You Go.

Directions to Main Entrance

  1. From the corner of Independence Ave and 2nd St SE, face north and proceed down the sidewalk along 2nd St SE.
  2. Continue alongside the low stone curb bordering the right side of the sidewalk until the curb ends.
  3. Turn right and proceed forward up the path towards the building. Use caution to navigate around short poles and barriers. The path curves to the left up to the building.
  4. There are three sets of double doors to enter the building. Please proceed through the center set of double doors to reach the vestibule.
  5. Proceed forward through the vestibule through the center door to reach security screening. Please present your I.D. to security and follow all instructions from security personnel.

Main Exit [ Wheelchair Accessible Wheelchair Access]

The Main Entrance is located on the west side of the building leading directly into the West Foyer. The Main Entrance is wheelchair accessible. You must present staff or researcher I.D to enter the building.

Every exit has security screening; please refer to Know Before You Go for details on the security screening process.

Directions to Main Exit

  1. The Main Exit is in the West Foyer opposite the elevators. You will need to pass through a book detector on the right side of the room. Please follow all instructions from security personnel.
  2. After passing through the security screening, proceed forward through a set of double doors and immediately a second set of double doors to reach the vestibule.
  3. Proceed forward through the vestibule and through a third set of double doors to exit the building. Proceed forward, taking a slight left or slight right to reach the 2nd St SE sidewalk. Use caution to navigate around short poles and barriers.

3rd St SE Entrance and Exit [ Wheelchair Accessible Wheelchair Access] [ Closed]

The 3rd St SE Entrance is located on the east side of the building leading directly into the East Foyer. The Main Entrance is wheelchair accessible. You must present staff or researcher I.D to enter the building.

All visitors must be screened by security upon entering the building through any entrance. Security is located immediately after entering. For additional information about the security screening process, please see Know Before You Go.

Directions to 3rd St SE Entrance [ Closed]

  1. From the corner of Independence Ave and 3rd St SE, face north and proceed down the sidewalk along 3rd St SE.
  2. Continue alongside the low stone curb bordering the left side of the sidewalk until the curb ends.
  3. Turn left and proceed forward up the sidewalk towards the building. Use caution to navigate around short poles and barriers. The sidewalk curves to the right up to the building.
  4. There are three sets of double doors to enter the building. Please proceed through the center set of double doors to reach the vestibule.
  5. Proceed forward through the vestibule through the center door to reach security screening. Please present your I.D. to security and follow all instructions from security personnel.

Directions to 3rd St SE Exit [ Closed]

  1. Stand in the West Foyer facing the elevators. Proceed forward through the foyer to reach a hallway. Continue forward to the end of the hallway where it opens into the East Foyer.
  2. Turn left or right immediately when the hallway opens into the East Foyer. The 3rd St SE Exit is straight ahead. You will need to pass through security to exit the building. Please follow all instructions from security personnel.
  3. After passing through the security screening, proceed forward through a set of double doors and immediately a second set of double doors to reach the vestibule.
  4. Proceed forward through the vestibule and through a third set of double doors to exit the building. Proceed forward, taking a slight left or slight right to reach the 2nd St SE sidewalk. Use caution to navigate around short poles and barriers.

Tunnel to Madison and Jefferson Buildings

Entrance to the Tunnel to Madison and Jefferson Buildings is located on the Cellar Floor of the John Adams Building. Please refer to the Elevators and Stairs section for direction to the West Elevators with access to the Cellar Floor.

Reader Card Registration

Navigation to Reader Card Registration

Reader Card Registration is located in the Jefferson Building and the Madison Memorial Building. Please refer to Maps & Floor Plans to locate the Jefferson Building and Madison Memorial Building floor plans.

Restrooms

The Men’s and Women’s Restrooms are located in the north and south corners of the building inside the corner stairwells on each floor. Wheelchair accessible restrooms are located in the northeast corner of the Ground Floor.

The directions to the Ground Floor restrooms assume you are in the Ground Floor West Foyer, facing the elevators.

Wheelchair Accessible Restrooms [ Wheelchair Accessible Wheelchair Access] [ Men’s]  [ Women’s]

The Wheelchair Accessible Men and Women’s Restrooms are located on the Ground Floor in the northeast corner of the building.

Directions to Wheelchair Accessible Restrooms

  1. Stand in the West Foyer facing the elevators. Proceed forward through the foyer to reach a hallway. Continue forward to the end of the hallway where it opens into the East Foyer.
  2. Turn left and proceed forward through the East Foyer to reach a hallway.
  3. Proceed forward down the hallway. Continue through the double doors and to the very end of the hallway.
  4. Straight ahead is the entrance to Wheelchair Accessible Men’s and Women’s Restrooms. After entering, the Men’s Restroom is to the left and the Women’s Restroom is to the right.

Northwest Men’s Restroom [ Men’s]

The Northwest Men’s Restroom is located on the Ground Floor in the northwest corner of the building, inside a stairwell.

Directions to Northwest Men’s Restroom

  1. Stand in the West Foyer facing the elevators. Turn left and proceed forward through the foyer to reach a hallway.
  2. Proceed forward down the hallway. The door leading to the Northwest Men’s Restroom is the last door on the right.
  3. When entering, the entrance to the restroom is ahead and to the right, facing opposite the door to the hallway. You will need to pass through two doors to reach the restroom. The stairwell to the left is for staff only.

Southwest Women’s Restroom [ Women’s]

The Southwest Women’s Restroom is located on the Ground Floor in the southwest corner of the building, inside a stairwell.

Directions to Southwest Women’s Restroom

  1. Stand in the West Foyer facing the elevators. Turn right and proceed forward through the foyer to reach a hallway.
  2. Proceed forward down the hallway. The door leading to the restroom is the last door on the left.
  3. When entering, the entrance to the restroom is ahead and to the left, facing opposite the door to the hallway. You will need to pass through two doors to reach the restroom. The stairwell to the right is for staff only.

Elevators and Stairs

Elevators and stairs are located on each floor of the building. The elevators are located in the East Foyer and West Foyer. Access to the Cellar Floor is available using the elevators in the West Foyer. The stairs are located just outside the West Foyer and East Foyer on each floor.

West Elevators [Elevator]

West Elevators are located on the west side of the building in the West Foyer on each floor. There are two elevators on either side of the hallway that leads to the East Foyer. After pressing the button to call an elevator, one of the four elevators will audibly ding and display a green light before opening.

Directions to West Elevators

  1. Stand in the West Foyer with your back to the windows. The West Elevators are along the wall ahead on either side of the entrance to the hallway between the West Foyer and Science & Business Reading Room. Take a slight right or left to navigate to the West Elevators.

Northwest Stairs [Stairs]

The Northwest Stairs are located on each floor in the west side of the building, just outside the West Foyer.

Directions to Northwest Stairs

  1. Stand in the West Foyer facing the elevators. Turn left and proceed forward through the foyer to reach a hallway.
  2. Proceed forward down the hallway. The entrance to the Northwest Stairs is the first door on the right.

Southwest Stairs [Stairs]

The Southwest Stairs are located on each floor in the west side of the building, just outside the West Foyer.

Directions to Southwest Stairs

  1. Stand in the West Foyer facing the elevators. Turn right and proceed forward through the foyer to reach a hallway.
  2. Proceed forward down the hallway. The entrance to the Southwest Stairs is the first door on the left.

East Elevators [Elevator]

East Elevators are located on the east side of the building in the East Foyer on each floor. There are two elevators on either side of the hallway that leads to the West Foyer. After pressing the button to call an elevator, one of the four elevators will audibly ding and display a green light before opening.

Directions to East Elevators

  1. Stand in the West Foyer facing the elevators. Proceed forward through the foyer to reach a hallway. Continue forward to the end of the hallway where it opens into the East Foyer.
  2. Turn left or right immediately when the hallway opens into the East Foyer. The East Elevators are on either side of the entrance to the hallway between the East Foyer and West Foyer.

Northeast Stairs [Stairs]

The Northeast Stairs are located on each floor on the east side of the building, just outside the East Foyer.

Directions to Northeast Stairs

  1. Stand in the West Foyer facing the elevators. Proceed forward through the foyer to reach a hallway. Continue forward to the end of the hallway where it opens into the East Foyer.
  2. Turn left and proceed forward through the East Foyer to reach a hallway.
  3. Proceed forward down the hallway. The entrance to the Northeast Stairs is the first door on the left.

Southeast Stairs [Stairs]

The Southeast Stairs are located on each floor on the east side of the building, just outside the East Foyer.

Directions to Southeast Stairs

  1. Stand in the West Foyer facing the elevators. Proceed forward through the foyer to reach a hallway. Continue forward to the end of the hallway where it opens into the East Foyer.
  2. Turn right and proceed forward through the East Foyer to reach a hallway.
  3. Proceed forward down the hallway. The entrance to the Southeast Stairs is the first door on the right.