U.S. Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.)

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Visiting Washington D.C.

One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is to assist constituents when they are visiting Washington D.C. The first time I came to Washington D.C. was as a high school student in the Close Up program, and I remember how exciting it was to see all of the Memorials and institutions of our great democracy. I truly love helping people, especially young people, navigate their way through our nation's Capital.

If you are planing on visiting Washington D.C., my office will do everything we can to make your stay enjoyable. For constituents of the 9th District of Washington, tours of the Capitol Building are available through my office if enough advance notice is given. All tickets are free of charge but are extremely limited. Our office can assist in arranging these tours if requested one month or more prior to your visit.

Please be aware that since September 11, 2001, security has increased for visitors at the White House and the Capitol. The White House is a very popular tour site and our office requires 2 - 3 months notice for White House tours.

To place a tour request, contact either the Washington D.C. or Tacoma office in writing, by phone, or by email. You will need to supply the dates that you will be in Washington D.C., the number of people in your party, and the tours in which you are interested. In addition, you will need to provide a contact name, phone number, and address. Once you have placed your request, you will receive available tours on a first-come, first-served basis. Tour information should arrive by mail 1-2 weeks in advance of the tour dates. If ticketed tours for the White House and Capitol Building are unavailable, we can still provide you with passes to the House of Representatives and U.S. Senate Gallery.

In addition to the tours mentioned above, there are many public tour options. Information on public tours can be provided by my office or you can click here for listings. While in the D.C. area, I hope you take the time to stop by and visit my office, located at 2402 Rayburn House Office Building, across the street from the U.S. Capitol Building.

Fun Facts About Washington, D.C.

• The City was founded in 1790.
• Pierre Charles L'Enfant, a French Architect was selected by George Washington to design a new capital city on the Potomac River. It was the first American city planned for a specific purpose, to be the center of the federal government.
• Washington, D.C. is bordered by Maryland and Virginia. Both States donated part of their land for the capital district.
• Washington, D.C. is not a state, but instead a special federal district under the authority of Congress.
• Washington, D.C. has a population of 572,059 and an area of 68.2 square
• The flag of Washington, D.C., was adopted in 1938 and designed by a commission headed by A. E. Dubois. The final design was based on the shield from George Washington's family's coat of arms.