Thank you for your interest in visiting our nation's capital.  For information regarding visiting the Capitol, and the new Capitol Visitor Center, please see below.

To request a tour of the White House, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, or Library of Congress, please click here. 

Welcome to the U.S. Capitol

Your visit to the historic U.S. Capitol begins as you enter the Capitol Visitor Center. With its soaring spaces and skylight views of the Capitol dome, the Visitor Center welcomes you to the home of the U.S. Congress and its two legislative bodies, the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

The Capitol Visitor Center, the new main entrance to the U.S. Capitol, is located below the East Plaza of the Capitol between Constitution and Independence Avenues.

Visitors: Open to the public from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Saturday. It is closed on the following days: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Inauguration Day.

Official Business: Visitors with official business appointments may enter the Visitor Center as early at 7:15 am.

US Capitol and Capitol Visitor Center Tours:Guided tours of the Capitol begin at the Orientation Theatres on the lower level of the Capitol Visitor Center. The 13 minute film, “Out of Many, One” illustrates how this country established a new form of government, highlights the vital role that Congress plays in the daily lives of Americans, and introduces you to the historic building that houses the U.S. Congress.

Tours are free but require tour passes.

Advance Passes: Please contact our office and we’ll set up a staff-led tour for your visit. However, if you prefer to make the arrangements yourself, you may book your tickets for a tour online for a guided tour through the Capitol Visitor Center.

To Book a Staff-Led Tour: please click here.

To Book a General Public Tour: http://tours.visitthecapitol.gov

Same Day Passes: There are a limited number of same dame passes available at the tour kiosks on the East and West Fronts of the Capitol or at the Information Desks in Emancipation Hall on the lower level of the Visitor Center.

House Gallery: The House Gallery is open to visitors whenever the House is in session.

When the House is not in session, the gallery is open 9:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday. Passes are required to visit the gallery, and may be obtained from our office.

Amenities:

Restaurant: Open 7:30 am to 4:00 pm Monday through Saturday and located on the lower level of the Visitor Center.

Gift Shops: Open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Saturday. Located on both the North and South upper levels of the Visitor Center.

Exhibition Hall: Open 8:30 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Saturday. Located on the lower level of the Capitol Visitor Center, you can explore the only exhibition in the country dedicated to telling the story of Congress and the construction of the U.S. Capitol.

Things to Consider:

Library of Congress: Visitors will have direct access to the historic Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. The entrance to the tunnel is located on the upper level of the Visitor Center near the House Appointment Desk.

Smoke free: All areas are smoke free.

Visitors with Disabilities: Visitors may request wheelchairs. Sign-language interpreting for tours is available when booked in advance. Listening devices with audio descriptions of the films and exhibition are available at the Information Desks. All films have open captioning. Service animals are allowed in the Capitol and the Visitor Center.

Prohibited Items in the Visitor Center and the Capitol:

Aerosol containers, Any pointed object (ie knitting needles, letter openers, etc.), Cans and bottles, Electric stun guns, martial arts weapons or devices, Food and beverages of any kind, Guns, replica guns, ammunition, and fireworks, Knives of any size, Mace and pepper spray, Non-aerosol spray (prescription medications are permitted), Razors and box cutters

Prohibited Items in the Senate and House Galleries:

Battery-operated electronic devices (ie cell phones, etc.), Cameras, Creams, lotions, or perfumes, Strollers, Video recorders or any type of recording device,