A visit to Washington, D.C. is a great way to learn first-hand the history of the United States and meet your elected officials in Congress. Please feel free to contact my office if you are planning a visit here, and I will be happy to help you with your travel plans.
My office can help you request tour tickets for Third District residents to the White House, the U.S. Capitol, the House Gallery, the Library of Congress, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and/or the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts. Unfortunately, individual tours of the FBI Headquarters have been suspended. Please call well in advance to request tour tickets for your visit.
Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers
Washington, D.C. Office
2182 Rayburn House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-2203
Phone: (202) 225-3831
Fax: (202) 225-5144
Washington, D.C. attractions:
United States Capitol
Individuals or groups interested in participating in a guided tour of the Capitol must obtain a timed-entry pass from the kiosk on the southwest corner of the Capitol grounds. Visitors are encouraged to call the Capitol Guide Service’s automated line at (202) 225-6827 for the most up-to-date public tour information. If you are visiting on a weekday when the House of Representatives is in session, my office may be able to help you obtain a visitors gallery pass. Please call (202) 225-3831 to check for availability.
White House
Tours of the White House can only be requested through your Member of Congress. Tour requests are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis up to six months in advance. All requests must be submitted to my office at least one month in advance of your planned visit. Please be advised that tours of the White House are very popular, and availability fills up very quickly. Please contact my office as soon as you know your travel plans. The self-guided group tours are scheduled Tuesdays through Saturdays. To schedule a tour, call my Washington office at
(202) 225-3831.
White House Visitor Center
Open to all, the center, located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. and features many aspects of the White House, including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events, relations with the press and world leaders, as well as a thirty-minute video. Allow between 20 minutes to 1 1/2 hours 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.
The Kennedy Center
Located at New Hampshire Avenue at Rock Creek Parkway NW. Congressional tours may be requested through my Washington office. Public tours are conducted daily from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and leave every 15 minutes. Visitors should go to the Tour Lounge, Parking Level A. You may contact the Kennedy Center tour office at (202) 416-8340.
Library of Congress
Docent-led public tours of the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress are offered Monday through Saturday at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m., with an additional 3:30 p.m. tour Monday though Friday. Tours are free and reservations are not required. For more information on guided tours contact the Visitor Services Office. Special group tours can be prearranged through the Visitor Services Office. for groups of 10 to 60 participants. These tours are available only by reservation, Monday through Friday, and can begin as early as 9 a.m. or as late as 1 p.m. The Library also offers Congressional tours, which can be requested through my Washington office.
Supreme Court
Located at First Street and East Capitol Street NE, the Supreme Court offers a variety of exhibits. Lectures in the Courtroom are typically given every hour on the half-hour, on days that the Court is not sitting, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and concluding at 3:30 p.m. The building is open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. It is closed Saturdays, Sundays, and federal holidays. The Supreme Court also offers Congressional tours, which can be requested through my Washington office.
National Archives
Located at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue in downtown Washington, DC. Visitors can view original versions of the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights and other National Archives documents. The National Archives is open for general admission, and also accepts reservations for self-guided tours. For seasonal hours and reservations, visit the National Archives website at http://www.nara.gov.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
The Bureau is located at 14th and C Streets SW. Often referred to as “the Mint,” the Bureau of Engraving and Printing is a family-friendly demonstration of how U.S. currency is produced. Public tours are available Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., leaving every 20 minutes. Extended public tour hours are available during the months of June, July and August. The building is closed for tours on weekends and holidays. You may contact the Bureau at (202) 874-3019 for further information on public tours. There are also limited Congressional tours, which can be requested through my Washington office.
U.S. Botanic Garden
Located at the southwest corner of the U.S. Capitol grounds, the U.S. Botanic Garden recently underwent an extensive renovation and it one of our nation's best collections of plant life. Admission to all public areas of the U.S. Botanic Garden is free. The Conservatory is open 10 AM - 5 PM daily. The Conservatory main entrance is on Maryland Avenue, SW. Visitors are welcome in Bartholdi Park (across Independence Avenue from the Conservatory) from dawn until dusk and can access it from any of the three bordering streets - Independence Avenue, Washington Avenue or First Street
Federal Bureau of Investigation
Due to security concerns, tours of the FBI Headquarters have been suspended indefinitely. For updates on its possible reopening, please call (202) 324-3447.
Pentagon
Due to security concerns, unfortunately the Pentagon Tour Program is closed for public tours. Tours are available for student, military and religious groups. If your group meets these requirements, please visit the Pentagon website at http://pentagon.afis.osd.mil/tours.cfm to request a group tour online.
Arlington Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery is open to the public from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. April through September and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. October through March. Visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Amphitheater, the Curtis-Lee Mansion (formerly the home of Robert E. Lee) and the graves of Presidents John F. Kennedy and William Howard Taft. Changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier occurs every hour on the hour during the winter and every half-hour during the summer. (703) 607-8052.
Smithsonian Institution
Admission is free to all Smithsonian museums and galleries, although free, timed-entry passes for some exhibits are required. Most museums are open 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, except the Castle, which opens at 9 a.m. Closed Dec.25. For information, call (202) 357-2020. Visit
http://www.si.edu for information on individual museums and parks.
Holocaust Museum
Located at 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place,
SW, the entrance is located off 14th Street south of Independence Avenue. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with extended hours on some days.
Check here for more detailed information. Free tickets are available in limited quantity on a first-come first-serve basis on the day of the tour. The box office is located on the 14th Street side of the museum and opens at 10:00 a.m. For advance tickets call (800) 400-9373 or visit
www.tickets.com for information on how to obtain tickets for a small service fee. Please keep in mind that you will need at least two hours to view the museum.
Memorials and Monuments:
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is located off of 15th Street NW on the National Mall. Hours of operation are from 9 a.m. to 4:45 p.m., seven days a week. The ticket system for the Washington Monument is administered through the National Park Reservation Service (NPRS). Reservations for the Washington Monument may be made by calling (800) 967-2283 or by visiting their website at http://www.recreation.gov. Those making advance reservations will be charged $1.50 per ticket, plus a $.50 service charge per order.
Lincoln Memorial
Located at the west end of the National Mall in West Potomac Park at the foot of 23rd Street NW, this memorial honors our nation's 16th president. Dedicated on Memorial Day 1922 after eight years of construction, it contains a larger-than-life seated statue of Abraham Lincoln, along with inscriptions of his Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Located on the northwest side of the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial on Henry Bacon Drive and Constitution Avenue NW. Dedicated in 1982, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial serves as a testament to the sacrifice of American military personnel during one of this nation's least popular wars. The purpose of this memorial is to separate the issue of the sacrifices of the veterans from the U.S. policy in the war, thereby creating a venue for reconciliation. The Memorial also includes the Three Servicemen Statue and the Vietnam Women's Memorial.
Korean War Veterans Memorial
Located on the southwest end of the Mall, near the Lincoln Memorial, this memorial honors the 36,570 American lives that were sacrificed during the conflict that took place from 1950 - 1953.
World War II Memorial
World War II Memorial is the first national memorial dedicated to all who served during the Second World War. The memorial, established by the American Battle Monuments Commission, honors all military veterans of the war, the citizens on the home front, the nation at large, and the high moral purpose and idealism that motivated the nation's call to arms. The Second World War is the only 20th-century event commemorated on the Mall's central axis. As with all other memorials and monuments (except for the Washington Monument) located on or near the National Mall, this memorial is open 8 a.m. to 12 midnight daily, but closed Dec.25. For more information, contact the National Park Service at (202) 426-6841.
Jefferson Memorial
Located at the south bank of the Tidal Basin. This familiar structure was completed in 1939 to honor our nation's third president.
Franklin D. Roosevelt Memorial
Located near the Jefferson Memorial and Potomac River. Open 8 a.m. to 12 midnight daily, except Dec.25. The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is one of the newest and most expansive memorials in the nation. The memorial is divided into four outdoor galleries, or rooms, one for each of FDR's terms in office.
Tourmobile Service
The National Park Service has guided tourmobiles that travel from Capitol Hill to Arlington Cemetery and points in between with unlimited reboarding privileges the day of the ticket purchase. Tourmobile operates daily 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For rates, call (202) 554-5100 or (888) 868-7707.
