Memorials, Monuments, Museums, & Tours

Arlington National Cemetery: Open daily. October-March: 8am to 5:00pm, & April-September from 8:00am to 7:00pm. Sites include: Tomb of the Unknown Soldier; the Amphitheatre; the Custis-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 every hour on the hour during winter months and every half hour during the summer months. (703) 607-8000. Arlington Cemetery Metro Station.

Bureau of Engraving & Printing: 14th & C Streets, SW. See how US currency is printed. Tours Monday thru Friday from 9:00am to 10:45am and 12:30pm to 2:00pm (every fifteen minutes). Extended hours May-August 5:00pm to 7:00pm. Closed Weekends, Federal Holidays & week between Christmas and New Years. Group tours are not available. (202) 874-2330 or toll free 1-866-874-2330. Smithsonian Metro Station.

FDR Memorial: Located on the National Mall, the main part of the memorial remains open 24 hours a day. The Interpretive Ranger staff, are there from 8am to 11:45pm daily except Christmas Day. Smithsonian Metro Station.

Federal Bureau of Investigation: The FBI Building is currently undergoing renovation and no tours are being conducted. For more information, call (202) FBI-3447. Federal Triangle or Archives-Navy Memorial Metro Station.

Ford's Theatre and Lincoln Museum: 10th Street between E & F Streets, NW. Open daily from 9am to 5pm. (202) 426-6924. Metro Center Metro Station.

Holocaust Memorial Museum: 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW (old 15th street between Maine Avenue and Independence Avenue). There is also an entrance on 14th Street, next to the Bureau of Engraving & Printing. Open 7 days a week from 10 am - 5:30 pm. Closed on Christmas and Yom Kippur. Permanent exhibition is recommended for ages 11 and up. Daniel's Story exhibition is recommended for ages 8 and up. The visit can take from 1 1/2 to 3 hours. Timed Passes are required for the Permanent Exhibition. Same-date passes are available at the Pass Desk of the museum (First Floor). Advanced passes are available from ProTix at (800) 400-9373 (there is a small service charge for advanced passes). (202) 488-0400.

Jefferson Memorial: South Bank of the Tidal Basin. Open daily 8am to 11:45pm. At the Swan Boathouse you can rent a paddle boat to cruise the Basin. The Tidal Basin is also surrounded by beautiful Japanese Cherry Trees which usually bloom in late March to early April.

John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts: Public tours are weekdays 10:00 am to 5 pm and Sat/Sun 10am to 1pm. Tours leave every 15 minutes and last about an hour. Reservations are needed through Friends of the Kennedy Center (202) 416-8341.

Korean Memorial: Near the Lincoln Memorial - Henry Bacon Drive and Ohio Drive, NW. Staff available 8am to 11:45pm The Memorial honors the men and women who served in the Korean War. The "field of service" with 19 stainless steel statues depicts a squad on patrol, and the black granite stone contains etched images of more than 2,400 unnamed service men and women.

Library of Congress: Jefferson Bldg., First Street & Independence Ave., SE. Public tours are conducted Monday - Friday at 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 2:30pm and 3:30pm. Saturday, no 3:30pm tour.
(202) 707-5000

Lincoln Memorial: West Potomac Park at the foot of 23rd Street, NW. Open 8:00am until 11:45pm, every day except Christmas Day.
(202) 426-6841.

National Aquarium: 14th Street between Constitution Ave., & D Street, NW. Open daily from 9am to 5pm. Admission: General - $5.00, Seniors and Military - $4.00, Children (ages 2-10) - $2.00, Children under 2 - free. Federal Triangle or Metro Center Metro Station.
(202) 482-2825.

National Archives: 7th & Constitution Avenue, NW. The founding documents are displayed. Open day after Labor Day - March 31: 10:00am to 5:30pm. April 1 - Friday before Memorial Day - 10am to 7pm. Memorial Day - Labor Day 10am - 9pm. 1-866-272-6272. Archives Metro Station.

National Zoological Park: 3000 Connecticut Ave., NW. April 2 - October 28: Grounds open from 6:00am to 8:00pm, buildings open from 10:00am to 6:00pm. October 29 - April 1: Grounds open 6am to 6pm, buildings open 10am to 4:30pm. (202) 633-4800. Woodley Park Metro Station.

Pentagon: Across the 14th Street Bridge in Virginia. Tours of the Pentagon are available to schools, educational organizations and other select groups by reservation only. Groups interested in touring the Pentagon should contact the Pentagon Tour Office at (703) 697-1776. Pentagon Metro Station.

The Smithsonian Institution: For information, Call (202)357-1300

Anacostia Neighborhood Museum - 2405 Martin Luther King Ave., SE
Arts & Industries - 900 Jefferson Drive, SW
Freer Gallery of Art - Jefferson Drive & 12th Street, SW
Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden - Independence Ave. and 7th Street, SW
National Air & Space Building - Independence Avenue & 7th St., SW
National Gallery of Art - 4th Street between the Mall and Constitution Avenue, NW
National Museum of African Art - 950 Independence Avenue, SW
National Museum of American Art - 8th & G Street, NW
National Museum of American History - 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
National Museum of the American Indian- Set to open in 2004
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. (202) 357-2700
Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle Building - Visitor information) - 1000 Jefferson Drive, SW
Smithsonian Kite Festival-late each March on the Mall. (202) 357-3244

Hours: The museums are open daily, except Christmas, from 10:00am to 5:30pm (except for Anacostia Museum which closes at 5pm). Information on special events: (202) 357-2020
Metro: Smithsonian.

State Department: 2201 C Street, NW. Tours are not currently being offered. (202) 647-3241. Foggy Bottom Metro Station.

Supreme Court: First Street & Maryland
Ave., NE. Open Monday thru Friday, closed on Federal holidays. Tours &
public lectures are conducted in the
courtroom from 9:30am to 3:30 pm
every hour on the half hour, except when
court is in session. No tours are given
during August. (202)479-3000. Capitol South Metro.

United States Capitol: Public tours: Monday - Saturday 9am to 3:30pm (tours last 30-45 minutes). Staff led tours: Monday - Saturday 9am to 4pm. Capitol Guide Service: (202) 224-8406. Please call Congressman Chabot's office regarding staff led tours (202) 225-2216. Capitol South Metro Station.

United States Naval Observatory: 34th Street and Massachusetts Avenue, NW. Public tours are limited to select Monday evenings 8:30pm to 10:00pm. Reservations are required (use online request form at Naval Observatory website, or fax request to 202-762-1489). (202) 762-1467.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Near the Lincoln Memorial. Henry Bacon Drive and Constitution Ave, NW. Open daily from 8:00 m until 11:45pm, daily except Christmas Day. 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 in the Memorial's walls in chronological order.

Washington Monument: On the Mall at 15th Street, NW. In order to enter the Washington Monument, tickets are required. The ticket system is administered through the National Park Reservation Service (NPRS). Reservations for the Washington Monument may be made between 10:00am and 10:00pm by calling 1-800-967-2283. Those making advance reservations will be charged $1.50 service fee per ticket, plus a $.50 handling fee per order. Free tickets are distributed for that day's visit from the kiosk on the Washington Monument grounds at 15th Street and Madison Drive on a first-come first-served basis. Hours for the ticket kiosk are 8:00am to 4:30pm, but tickets run out early. Hours for the Washington Monument are from 9:00 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.; closed December 25. (202) 426-6839. Smithsonian Metro Station.

Every effort has been made to keep the information found in this guide up-to-date. Please keep in mind that many of the attractions in this guide may change their hours without notice.