Congressman Mark Steven Kirk and the Capitol Dome U.S. Congressman
Mark Steven Kirk - Proudly serving the people of the 10th district of Illinois
C Rep. Kirk addresses an eighth grade government class at Rockland Middle School in Libertyville. Congressman Kirk joins Secretary Principi and Navy recruits for a recent Great Lakes ground breaking ceremony. Lake Forest Beach. The Bahai Temple.
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12-28-07 - Congressman Kirk, Northbrook Village President Gene Marks, Northbrook firefighters and the wife of the Mayor of Tonatico, Mexico gather to handover the keys of a Northbrook ambulance to the people of Tonatico. Click to view more photos.

Visiting Washington, DC

THE WHITE HOUSE VISITOR CENTER: SE corner of 15th and E Streets, NW Phone: (202) 456-2200  Featuring exhibits on White House history, its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events, and relations with the press and world leaders, the Center is open 7 days a week, from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.  The Visitor Center also offers a thirty-minute educational video which is recommended before taking the public tour.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES: 8th and Constitution Avenue, NW Phone: (202) 501-5402  The permanent home of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.  Open Mondays and Wednesdays from 8:45 a.m.-5:00 p.m., Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 8:45 a.m.-9:00 p.m., Saturdays from 8:45 a.m.-4:15 p.m.  The National Archives is closed on Sundays. *Archives Metro Stop

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS: First Street and Independence Avenue, SE Phone: (202) 707-5458  World's largest library, begun with a collection of books donated by Thomas Jefferson.  Tours leave from the Information Desk at the Carriage Entrance in the Jefferson Building, Monday through Friday at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. and Saturday at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Closed to the public on Sundays and federal holidays. *Capitol South Metro Stop

SUPREME COURT: 1st Street and Maryland Avenue, NE Phone: (202) 479-3000. Open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., except Federal holidays.  Public lectures are conducted in the courtroom every hour on the half hour from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. when the court is not in session. *Capitol South Metro

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY:  Memorial Drive, Arlington, Virginia  Open daily October through March from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and April through September from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  Visit the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Amphitheater, the Curtis-Lee Mansion and the graves of Presidents John F. Kennedy and William Howard Taft.  Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier takes place every hour on the hour. *Arlington Cemetery Metro Stop

US  HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM: 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW Phone: (202) 488-0400  The museum memorializes the six million Jewish people along with gypsies, homosexuals and other political opponents of Adolph Hitler and the Third Reich that were annihilated during the Holocaust.  Open daily, 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  Allow at least two hours to visit the museum.  Tickets are free and available at the 14th Street entrance beginning at 10:00 a.m. or may be reserved in advance for a small fee by calling  Protix (800) 400-9373, 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Some exhibits require passes which may be obtained at the entrance.  *Smithsonian Metro Stop 

INTERNATIONAL SPY MUSEUM:  800 F Street, NW 202-393-7798  Phone: (202)EYE-SPY U  One of the Congressman's favorite tours!  The International Spy Museum is open from 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. April through August, 10:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. August through October, and 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.  October through March, and is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.  Admission for this privately-owned museum is:  Adults $13.00, Seniors $12.00, Children $10.00 ((K-12), Children Free (under 5).  Last tickets sold 1 hour before closing.  *Gallery Place/China Town Metro Stop

BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING TOUR:  Tours of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing can be scheduled on a limited basis. These tours are typically accepted if submitted 4-6 weeks in advance. The tours take place either at 8:15 or 8:45am – except in the summer where some afternoon tours are available.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing will not host tours on weekends or federal holidays. Public tours are available if unable to schedule ahead of time:

Public Tours - Peak Season - March Through August - Free Tickets Are Required

Free tickets are required for all tours from the first Monday in March through the last Friday in August, on a frost-come, first-served basis. The ticket booth is located on Raoul Wallenberg Place (formerly 15th Street). We offer same day tickets only. The Ticket Booth opens at 8:00am Monday through Friday, and closes when all the tickets have been distributed. Lines form early and tickets go quickly, most days' tickets are gone by 9:00am. Please plan accordingly.

Public Tours - Non-Peak Season - September Through February - No Tickets Required

You may line up at the Visitors' Entrance on 14th Street. Please allow 45-50 minutes from the time you enter the building until the end of your tour.

From the Bureau of Engraving and Printing website: http://www.moneyfactory.gov/locations/sections.cfm/20/21

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing will not host tours on weekends or federal holidays.

NATIONAL POSTAL MUSEUM: Located immediately across the street from Union Station, this museum houses the nation's postal history and philatelic collection, the largest of its kind in the world.  It will delight children of all ages with its displays of priceless stamps that introduce the mail service in Colonial times and during the Civil War.  The museum houses a unique collection of airmail planes, stagecoaches, rare stamps and letters, and a Pony Express exhibit. * Union Station Metro Stop

MONUMENTS & MEMORIALS
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial: West Potomac Park, between the Tidal Basin and the Potomac River

Jefferson Memorial: 15th Street on the Tidal Basin, SW Phone: (202) 426-6841  This dome-shaped rotunda erected in 1942 honors the nation's third president, Thomas Jefferson.  Rangers are on site and the small museum and shop is open from 9:00 a.m. until 11:45 p.m.  At the Swan Boathouse, you can rent a pedal boat to cruise the Basin.  Located near the famous Japanese cherry trees, which come into full bloom during the early spring. *Smithsonian Metro Stop

Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Henry Bacon Drive and Constitution Avenue, NW.  Constructed 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 men and women who gave their lives or who remain missing are inscribed in the Memorial's black granite walls.  Open 24 hours daily

Washington Monument: 15th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Phone (202) 426-6841  A spectacular view of the city awaits you at the top of this majestic obelisk, one of the tallest masonry structures in the world.  It is the centerpiece of the National Mall, a monument memorializing our first president, George Washington.  It was dedicated in 1885, taking 40 years to complete due to lack of funding.   *Smithsonian Metro Stop

National World War II Memorial: 17th Street between Constitution and Independence Avenues.  Phone: (202) 619-7222 The most recently dedicated memorial opened to the public on April 29, 2004.  The World War II Memorial honors the 16 million who served in the armed forces of the U.S., the more than 400,000 who died, and all who supported the war effort from home.

Korean War Memorial: West Potomac Park at the foot of 23rd Street, NW  Located on the National Mall across from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  Can be viewed 24 hours daily with tours every hour from 8:00 a.m. until midnight upon request from the park ranger.

Lincoln Memorial: West Potomac Park at the foot of 23rd, NW Phone: (202) 426-6895  Located on the West end of the National Mall, this massive, open air memorial was dedicated in 1922 in memory of Abraham Lincoln.  Open daily from 8:00 a.m. until 11:45 p.m.  The chamber containing Lincoln's statue is open 24 hours a day. *Foggy Bottom Metro Stop


SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTE: Phone: (202) 357-2700  Museums are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.  (Air & Space Museum from 10:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Smithsonian Castle from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.) Extended summer hours are determined annually.  BE SURE TO CHECK  http://www.si.edu/  FOR MUSEUM CLOSINGS

National Air and Space Museum: 7th Street and Independence Avenue, SW.  The world's most popular museum, displaying the Wright Brothers' plane, The Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo 11 command module and several other interesting exhibits.  "Living Planet" and "To Fly" shown daily from 10:15 a.m. to 8:15 p.m. at 40 minute intervals.

National Museum of Natural History: 10th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW.

Smithsonian Castle: 10th Street and Jefferson Drive, SW.  The institution's first building, which is now the Visitor Information Center. 

Art and Industries Building: 9th Street and  Jefferson Drive, SW.  The dynamic spirit of America 100 years ago is recaptured in this, the second oldest Smithsonian building on this Mall.  It was used for President James Garfield's inaugural ball in 1881 and today houses "1876: A Centennial Exhibition."

Museum of History and Technology: 14th and Constitution Avenue, NW.  Highlights include the First Ladies gowns, George Washington's uniform and tent, and milestones of American invention: Bell's telephone, Ford's Model-T and Whitney's model of the original cotton gin.    

Anacostia Museum and Center for African-American History and Culture: 1901 Fort Place, SE. 

OTHER POINTS OF INTEREST  

FORD'S THEATER AND LINCOLN MUSEUM:10th Street between E and F Streets, NW Phone:(202)426-6924  Open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  Closed weekends and federal holidays.  Tours leave every 20-25 minutes and last approximately one hour.  Reservations are necessary for groups of 15 or more. *Metro Center Stop

GEORGETOWN: Wisconsin Avenue and M Street, West of Rock Creek Park.  Historic area in northwest Washington, renowned for its distinguished architecture, diverse restaurants, extensive shopping and vibrant nightclubs.  Located here are the Old Stone House (the city's oldest house), the C&O Canal, historic St. John's Church, Georgetown University and Dumbarton Oaks. *Foggy Bottom Metro Stop
NATIONAL AQUARIUM: 14th Street between Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues, NW (In the basement of the Department of Commerce) Phone: (202) 482-2825  Established in 1873, this is the nation's oldest public aquarium.  Observe tanks of fish, frogs, alligators, sharks, and listen to regularly held lectures.  Open daily from 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.  The last admission is at 4:30 p.m.  There is an admission charge of $5.00 for adults and $2.00 for children ages 2-10.  A self-guided tour will take approximately 45 minutes to one hour.  On Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 2:00 p.m. the sharks are fed, and on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 2:00 p.m. the piranhas are fed.

TOURMOBILE SIGHTSEEING: 1000 Ohio Drive, SW Phone: (202) 554-5100  A concessionaire of The National Park Service, these specially-designed trams operate sightseeing tours along The National Mall and in nearby Northern Virginia.  The standard DC tour makes 25 stops and provides free reboarding throughout the day.

OLD TOWN TROLLEY TOURS OF WASHINGTON: Union Station Phone: (202) 832-9800  An ideal way to see the sights of DC.  Old Town Trolleys travel through Washington on a continuous loop, making 19 stops to points of interest such as the White House, Georgetown, and Arlington Cemetery.  The driver/guide provides narrative and a great overview of the city's storied history.  The tour lasts approximately two hours and 15 minutes if you stay onboard, but you may also get off at any stop and reboard at your convenience (30 minute intervals).
UNION STATION: Massachusetts Avenue between 1st and 2nd Streets, NE Phone: (202) 682-0079  A busy train station served by Amtrak, the MARC rail and the DC Metro.  The Station is also noted for its majestic architecture, abundant shopping, diverse food court, and large movie theater.  Three sightseeing companies sell tickets for their city tours at the entrance.

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