Visitors to the Ohio Statehouse will get a special look at the building’s historic art during the Statehouse art and architecture tours this weekend.

The tours will be given as part of the Columbus Arts Festival and will focus on The People’s Art Collection and on the building’s historic architecture.

“Art and architecture go hand-in-hand at the Ohio Statehouse. The Statehouse itself is a work of art,” said Gregg Dodd, the director for Communications, Marketing and Events at the Statehouse. “The special tour will focus on the artistic components of the building design as well as the priceless pieces of art that depict our heritage as Ohioans.”

This year is the fourth year the tours will be offered as part of the Columbus Arts Festival, Dodd said.

“Thousands of individuals travel to Columbus annually to visit the Arts Festival, which is a short distance from the Statehouse,” Dodd said. “Four years ago, we decided to try to draw in these art lovers to show off ‘The People’s House’ and the artwork.”

The People’s Art Collection fills the Statehouse and represents the story of Ohio and its residents, according to the Statehouse website.

The works in the collection depict different aspects of life in Ohio. Some paintings represent important people in Ohio’s history, and others show important events that have affected the state’s history.

The collection also includes different art mediums, such as the painting “The Battle of Lake Erie—Perry’s Victory” and the bronze plaques that show the contrast between classrooms in the past and the present.

The tours will also give participants an opportunity to explore the unique architecture of the Ohio Statehouse.

The building’s design is based on the designs of ancient Greek buildings, according to the Statehouse website. This Greek Revival architecture style was used because ancient Greece was the “birthplace of democracy,” the website states.

The public can view this art and architecture during Statehouse tours year-round, but the art and architecture tours are unique in that they focus solely on the Statehouse’s art rather than on the building’s government use, according to the Statehouse website.

“I hope people take away a strong appreciation for this magnificent building and a sense of the important role that Ohio has played in American history since 1803,” Dodd said.