Tour Information
Request a Tour Online
During a visit to Washington, D.C., you may want to tour The White
House, The Capitol, and other famous landmarks. Here's a handy guide to
assist you with tours:
The White House
Please click here
to visit the White House web site, or call the 24-hour Visitors Office
Info Line at 202-456-7041 to find out more. Tour requests may only
be submitted through a Congressman or Senator.
Capitol Tours
Please notify Congressman Jenkins' office with as much advance notice
as possible to schedule a Capitol tour. They are very limited due
to new security precautions. Click here
to visit the Architect of the Capitol web site, or call 202-225-6827 for
more information on new safety regulations for touring the Capitol.
Please Note: It is very important to be on time
for your scheduled tour. The lines are usually long, and Capitol
guides will not admit guests who are late for their scheduled time.
Also, please be aware no backpacks or large bags are permitted in the Capitol;
you are welcome to leave your personal items in Congressman Jenkins' office
during your tour.
Transportation
Airports:
Baltimore/Washington
International Airport
Maryland Telephone: (301) 261-1000 or 1-800-I-FLY-BWI for general information,
(301) 261-1091 for ground transportation, and (301) 674-1167 for Amtrak
BWI Station.
Dulles International
Airport
Chantilly, Virginia, Telephone numbers: (703) 471-7838 for general
information, (703) 572-8479 for lost and found, (703) 528-4440 for taxi
service, and (703) 661-8636 for travelers aid.
Ronald Reagan National
Airport
Telephone: (703) 685-8000 for general information, (703) 417-0673 for
lost and found, (703) 637-7000 for metro information, and (703) 684-3472
for travelers aid and paging.
Metro
Metrorail (Subway)--Open 5:30 am to 12:00 pm, Monday-Friday. 8:00 am
to 12:00 pm on Saturday. 10:00 am to 12:00 pm Sunday, & special schedules
on holidays. Metrobus: 6:00 am to 11:30 pm (days & times vary by route).
Telephone: (202) 637-7000 for transit information, timetable requests &
parking information; (202) 962-1245 for handicapped assistance; & (202)
962-1195 for lost & found. (TDD 638-3780)
Tours
The Arlington National Cemetery--Open daily October through March
from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm & April through September from 8:00 am to 7:00
pm. Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Amphitheater, the Custis-Lee Mansion
& the graves of Presidents John F. Kennedy & William Howard Taft.
Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier every hour on
the hour & every half-hour during the summer months. Narrated bus tour:
Adults--$2.75; Children--$1.25 (the buses run one half hour after opening
to one half hour before closing). Telephone: (703) 692-0931; (703) 697-2131.
The Botanical Gardens--Maryland Avenue, SW. Open daily from 9:00
am to 5:00 pm & 9:00 am to 9:00 pm during the summer months. Group
tours are available by request except Saturday & Sunday or during any
shows. Telephone: (202) 225-8333. Metro: Federal Center South West.
The Bureau of Engraving & Printing--14th & C Streets,
SW. See how U.S. currency is printed. Tours Monday through Friday from
9:00 am to 2:00 pm. Closed weekends, Federal holidays and December 24 through
January 3. Re-open January 4 with regular hours. Group tours are available.
Telephone: (202) 283-2646. Metro: Smithsonian.
The United States Capitol Building--Open 9:00 am to 3:45 pm daily.
Summer hours are 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. Closed Christmas, New Year's &
Thanksgiving. The Visitor's Entrance is on the east side of the Capitol.
Passes to the House of Representatives and Senate Visitor's Galleries are
available in Congressman Jenkins' office. Telephone: (202) 224-3121. Congressman
Jenkins' office: (202) 225-6356. Metro: Capitol South or Union Station.
The Capital Children's Museum--The whole city block at 3rd and
H streets, NE, about three blocks behind Union Station at 800 3rd Street,
NE. The museum specializes in hands-on, interactive educational exhibits.
Open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Metro: Union Station.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (F.B.I.)--Open 8:45 am to 4:15
pm, Monday-Friday. This is a guided tour, lasting approximately 1 hour.
Tours run every 20 minutes. Enter rear of FBI Building on E Street between
9th & 10th Streets, NW. Closed on weekends & Federal holidays.
Congressional tours are not available. Reservations are required for groups
of 15 or more people. Note: This tour usually books months in advance.
Telephone: (202) FBI-3447. Metro: Gallery Place.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts--This tour
is conducted by Friends of the Kennedy Center volunteers. Visitors should
go to the Tour Desk on Motor Parking Lobby A. Here tours leave approximately
every 15 minutes and last about an hour. Telephone: (202) 254-3774. Metro:
Foggy Bottom/GWU.
The Library of Congress--Jefferson Building, First Street &
Independence Avenue, SE. Tours are conducted at 10:00 am, 1 pm, and 3 pm,
Monday through Friday. These tours follow the showing of an orientation
film which begins in the Visitors' Orientation Theater, Room LM-139 in
Madison Building. Groups of 10 people or more need reservations. Telephone:
(202) 287-5458. Metro: Capitol South or Union Station.
The National Archives--7th & Constitution Avenue, NW. Open
daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; Saturday from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Telephone:
(202) 523-3183.
The Old Post Office-Pavilion--1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Open
daily from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm. National Parks Service offers a tour of
the bell tower with a splendid view of the city. The lines for this tour
are normally much shorter than for the Washington Memorial. Telephone:
(202) 289-4224. Metro: Federal Triangle or Navy Memorial.
The Pentagon--Across the 14th Street Bridge in Virginia (I-395).
Open Monday through Friday from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm. Tours begin every half
hour. Sights to see: the Flag Corridor & Hall of Heroes. Telephone:
(703) 697-1776. Metro: Pentagon.
The Washington Navy Yard--At 9th & M Streets, SE, on the
banks of the Anacostia River. The original buildings date back to the 1800's
& contain the Navy Memorial Museum & Marine Corps Museum. The Navy
Museum is free & open from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm weekdays. Docked near
the Navy Museum is a real Vietnam-era destroyer, the USS Barry. The USS
Barry is open from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm.
The Department of State--2201 C Street, NW. Tours are conducted
Monday through Friday at 9:30 am, 10:30 am, & 3:00 pm. Tours are by
reservation only. Telephone: (202) 647-3241.
The Supreme Court--First Street & Maryland Avenue, NE. Open
Monday through Friday except on Federal holidays. Tours & public lectures
are conducted in the courtroom from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm every hour on the
half-hour, except when court is in session. No tours are given during August.
Telephone: (202) 479-3000. Metro: Capitol South or Union Station.
The Department of the Treasury--This building was built in 1836
and since then has served as the headquarters for the Treasury Department.
The tour includes the history of the Treasury Department and the building's
architecture history. This includes a tour of the Andrew Johnson suite,
where, in 1865, President Johnson conducted official business for 6 weeks
after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. It also includes the beautiful
Salmon P. Chase suite, the Cash room (the site for Grant's inaugural reception),
and the 1864 burglar proof vault. Entrance through Appointment Center doors
located next to the White House on 15th Street between F and G Streets,
NW. Metro: Metro Center. Hours: Saturday morning, lasting 90 minutes. Admission:
free. For tour information or to make an advanced reservation call (202)
622-0896. For hearing-impaired tours call (202) 622-0692.
The United States National Arboretum--444 acres of trees, shrubs
and assorted plants in the northeast section of the District of Columbia.
Hours: 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday; 10:00 am to 5:00 pm,
Saturday and Sunday. Guide services for organized groups are available.
Please make reservations for groups. Entrance: New York Avenue, NE. Metro:
Stadium Armory on the blue or orange lines, then Bus number B-2, B-4, or
B-5 to the intersection of Bladensburg Road and R Street. Walk east of
R Street 300 yards to the R Street gate. Telephone: (202) 637-7000.
The United States Naval Observatory--34th & Massachusetts
Avenue, NW. Evening hours are available Monday at 8:30 pm, weather permitting,
except on Federal holidays. Telephone: (202) 653-1543.
The White House-Public tours of the White House are available for
groups of 10 or more people. Requests must be submitted through one's Member of
Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance. These self-guided tours
are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (excluding
federal holidays), and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis
approximately one month in advance of the requested date. We encourage you to
submit your request as early as possible since a limited number of tours are
available. All White House tours are free of charge. For the most current tour
information, please call the 24-hour line at 202-456-7041. Please note that
White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation.
White House Visitor Center
All tours are significantly enhanced if visitors stop by the White House
Visitor Center located at the southeast corner of 15th and E Streets,
before or after their tour. The Center is open seven days a week from 7:30
a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and features many aspects of the White House,
including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events,
and relations with the press and world leaders, as well as a thirty-minute
video. Allow between 20 minutes to one hour to explore the exhibits. The
White House Historical Association also sponsors a sales area. Please note
that restrooms are available, but food service is not.
Memorials, Monuments and Points of Interest
The Jefferson Memorial--South bank of the Tidal Basin. Open 24
hours daily. At the Swan Boathouse you can rent a paddle boat to cruise
on the Basin.
The Lincoln Memorial--West Potomac Park at the foot of 23rd Street,
NW. Open 24 hours daily. Telephone: (202) 426-6895.
The United States Navy Memorial and Visitors Center--Located
at 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Metro: Navy Memorial. Hours for Visitors
Center are Monday through Saturday, 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, and Sunday, noon
to 5:00 pm. Telephone: (202) 737-2300.
The Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial--Located between the Potomac
River and the Cherry Tree Walk of the Tidal Basin.
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial--Henry Bacon Drive & Constitution
Avenue, NW. Always open. Constructed of black granite to honor all Americans
who served in the Vietnam War. As a special tribute to those who did not
return, the names of more than 58,000 who gave their lives or who remain
missing are inscribed on the Memorial's walls. The names are in chronological
order.
The Washington Monument--On the Mall at 15th Street, NW. Open
daily April through Labor Day from 8:00 am to midnight. September through
March from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. Telephone: (202) 246-6841. Free tickets
are available and are required usually for visits prior to 2:30 p.m. Tickets
are available at the Monument.
The Corcoran Gallery of Art Museum--17th Street & New York
Avenue. Open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm and on Thursday
from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm. Telephone: (202) 447-9709.
Ford's Theater & Lincoln Museum--10th Street between E &
F Streets, NW. Building is open every day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm with
the exception of Christmas. Telephone: (202) 426-6924. The Peterson House,
where President Lincoln died, is across the street and free tours are available.
The Hall of States Building--444 North Capital Street, NW. This
building houses 32 state offices. For information call the Council of State
Governments at (202) 624-5386.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum--100 Raoul Wallenberg
Place, SW (old 15th Street between Maine Avenue & Independence Avenue).
There is an entrance also on 14th Street, next to the Bureau of Printing
& Engraving. Open 7 days a week from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. Closed on
Christmas. Permanent exhibition is recommended for ages 11 and up. Daniel's
Story is recommended for ages 8 and up. The visit will take from 1 1/2
to 3 hours. Currently tickets are required. Tickets can be purchased by
telephone through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 551-7328. The cost is $3.00/ticket
+ $1.25/order handling charge. It is hoped that this practice can be terminated
by the end of the summer. Metro: Smithsonian on the blue or orange lines;
exit at 12th & Independence Avenue. Telephone: (202) 488-0400.
The National Building Museum--Located at 401 F Street, NW, between
4th & 5th Streets. Wheelchair access at 4th & G Streets. Museum
hours: Monday-Saturday 10:00 am-4:00 pm; Sunday noon-4:00 pm. Closed Thanksgiving,
Christmas, and New Year's Day. Pension Building hours: Monday through Friday
(12:30 pm), Saturday and Sunday (12:30 pm and 1:30 pm). Metro: Judiciary
Square on the red line. Telephone: (202) 272-2448.
The National Gallery of Art--6th & Constitution Avenue, NW.
Open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; Sunday noon to 9:00 pm. Sunday concerts
are held at 7:00 pm in the East Garden Court from October through June.
Telephone: (202) 737-4215.
The National Geographic Society--17th & M Street, NW. Exhibits
of famous scientific expeditions. Telephone: (202) 857-7588.
The National Postal Museum--Located at 2 Massachusetts Avenue,
NE, in the Washington City Post Office Building on Capitol Hill (next to
Union Station). Hours: 10:00 am to 5:30 pm. Closed on Christmas. Free admission.
Telephone: general number is (202) 357-2700; for hearing impaired call
(202) 357-1729.
The Phillips Collection--The nation's first museum of modern
art with free Sunday concerts. 1600-1612 21st Street, NW. Telephone: (202)
387-2151.
The Textile Museum--11,000 textiles and 1,000 rugs. Located at
2320 S Street, NW. Telephone: (202) 667-0441.
The Washington Dolls' House and Toy Museum--Antique dolls' houses,
dolls, toys and games. 5236 44th Street, NW. Telephone: (202) 244-0024.
The Smithsonian Institution
For information, call (202) 357-1300.
Anacostia Neighborhood Museum--2405 Martin Luther King Avenue,
SE
Arts & Industries--900 Jefferson Drive, SW
Free Gallery of Art--Jefferson Drive & 12th Street, SW
Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden--Independence Avenue
& 7th Street, SW
National Air & Space Building--Independence Avenue &
7th Street, SW
National Gallery of Art--4th Street between the Mall & Constitution
Avenue, NW
National Museum of African Art--950 Independence Avenue, SW
National Museum of American Art--8th & G Street, NW
National Museum of Natural History--10th Street & Constitution
Avenue, NW
National Portrait Gallery--8th & F Street, NW
The National Postal Museum--2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
Building on Capitol Hill--next to Union Station
Renwick Gallery--Pennsylvania Avenue & 17th Street, NW
Sackler Gallery--1050 Independence Avenue, SW. Telephone: (202)
357-2700.
Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle Building)--1000
Jefferson Drive, SW
Smithsonian Kite Festival--late each March on the Mall. Telephone:
(202) 357-3244.
Hours: The museums are open daily, except Christmas, from 10:00 am to
5:30 pm (Air & Space 10:00 am to 7:30 pm). Extended summer hours are
determined annually. Metro: Smithsonian.
Other Places of Interest
The National Aquarium--14th Street between Constitution Avenue
& D Street, NW. Tanks filled with fish, frogs, alligators, sharks,
etc. Open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, except on Christmas. Admissions:
Adults--$1.00, Senior Citizens & Children under 12--$.50. Telephone:
(202) 377-2825.
Zoological Park--3001 Connecticut Avenue, NW. Grounds open daily
from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm from May 1 through September 15. Buildings are
open from 9:00 am to 4:30 pm during the winter months & from 10:00
am to 6:00 pm during the summer months. Telephone: (202) 673-4717.
Plantations and Historic Mansions
The Dumbarton Oaks--1703 32nd Street, NW. Gardens open daily
from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Museum open Tuesday through Sunday from 2:00 pm
to 5:00 pm. Both are closed on Federal holidays and December 24, 25, and
January 1. Admission to garden: $1.00; Senior Citizens free on Wednesdays;
Children 12 and under free. Telephone: (202) 338-8278.
Mount Vernon--Home of George Washington. Open to the public daily
from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm from March through October & at 4:00 pm from
November through February. Admission: Adults--$8.00; Children ages 6 to
11--$4.00; Children 6 & under--free; Senior Citizens--$6.00. Special
prices for groups of school children, youth groups & senior citizens.
A group is defined as a minimum of twenty adults or twelve students (grades
1-12). Telephone: (703) 780-2000.
The Octagon House--18th & New York Avenue, NW. Architectural
exhibits. Served as James Madison's White House following the destruction
of the real White House by the British in 1814. The Treaty of Ghent was
signed here, ending the War of 1812. Open Tuesday through Friday from 10:00
am to 4:00 pm and on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4:00 pm. Closed Monday.
Telephone: (202) 638-3105.
Entertainment
Sports
Oriole Park at Camden Yards--Westside of Baltimore's Inner Harbor.
Telephone: (800) 448-9009 for ticket information, (301) 243-9800 for general
information, and (301) 396-7113 for stadium information.
The Washington Wizards (NBA Basketball)--MCI Center between 6th
and 7th, and F and G Streets, N.W. Please check website link at www.mcicenter.com
for ticket and other information.
Washington Capitals (NHL Hockey)--MCI Center between 6th and
7th, and F and G Streets, N.W. Please check website link at www.mcicenter.com
for ticket and other information.
Washington Redskins (NFL Football)--Jack Kent Cooke Stadium in
Largo, Maryland. Please call the ticket info line at 1-404-815-1888 and
check the Redskins'
website. Tickets are very difficult to get and are expensive.
Outdoor Theaters
Merriweather Post Pavilion--Performing arts center offers symphonic
music and pop concerts. Only open during warm weather. Telephone: (800)
551-7328 (Columbia, Maryland) and (301) 596-0660 (in D.C.).
Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts--Virginia Route 7
near Vienna, Virginia. The nation's first National Park for the performing
arts offers opera, symphonic music, pop concerts, jazz and ballet. Only
open during warm weather. Price of admission varies depending on program.
Telephone: (703) 938-3800.
Theaters
Arena Stage
6th & Maine Avenue, SW. Telephone: (202) 488-3300; (800) 777-2238.
D.C. Space
7th & E Street, NW. Telephone: (202) 347-4960.
Discovery Theater
Performances for young audiences; Smithsonian's Arts and Industries
Building--900 Jefferson Drive, SW. Telephone: (202) 357-1500.
Ford's Theater
511 10th Street, NW. Telephone: (202) 347-4833.
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
New Hampshire Avenue at Rock Creek Parkway, NW. Telephone: (202) 254-3600.
National Theater
1321 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Telephone: (202) 628-6161.
Shakespeare Theater at the Folger
301 E. Capitol Street, SE. Telephone: (202) 547-3230.
Source Theater
1809 14th Street, NE. Mainstage--(202) 462-1073.
Studio Theater
1401 Church Street, NW. Telephone: (202) 332-3300.
Washington Ballet
3515 Wisconsin Avenue, NW. Telephone: (202) 362-3606.
Washington Performing Arts Society
1029 Vermont Avenue, NW. Telephone: (202) 393-3600.
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