Matthew Shuckerow, press secretary to U.S. Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), in front of the Kodiak bear that greets visitors to Young's office in the Rayburn building. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5

Rep. Don Young keeps an "animal trophy" collection in Rayburn - his personal office includes animals from North America. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5

A collection of hats from Alaska, in Young's outer office. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5

Young keeps an "oosik" gavel on this desk - it's made from a walrus penis bone. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5

U.S. Rep. Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan) made sure that local touches from her district, like this Shinola blanket, were part of her new office in the Cannon building. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5

Dingell , who now holds the seat her husband occupied for decades, has made her new space her own. The quilt on the right hung in John's office as well. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5

A collection of gavels from John Dingell's time in Congress. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5

The model cars Dingell keeps around are a nod to the auto industry - a big part of the district she represents. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5

Dingell insisted our reporting team visit the office of her neighbor in the Cannon building - Erik Paulsen (R-Minnesota), who has a Wenonah canoe hanging on the wall in his personal space. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5

Paulsen's office also includes a Schwan’s ice cream freezer. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5

Rep. Bill Foster (D-Illinois) was a physicist before he joined Congress. His office includes a mercury barometer, located on his left, that's been passed down from generation to generation of physicists in Congress. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5

Many of Foster's scientific achievements are too large to keep in his congressional office. He keeps an historic artifact around that maintains his connection to science - a piece of graphite from the first nuclear reactor, which went critical in 1942 at the University of Chicago. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5

A photo of Foster with two other phycisists who no longer serve in Congress - Rush Holt of New Jersey and Vernon Ehlers of Michigan. Michael Martinez, WAMU 88.5