Visiting Washington D.C.

My office will be happy to help you plan your trip to Washington, D.C. We can provide VIP Congressional tickets and tours for the following locations:

  • United States Capitol
  • Bureau of Engraving and Printing (Please call early as Congressional tours book up several months in advance, Public tours are also available. Please see below for more information)
  • Library of Congress
  • Kennedy Center
  • Supreme Court
  • The White House*

Please note: While requesting a ticket early increases the likelihood of receiving a tour, I must note that it is not a guarantee due to the limited number of tickets available.  

Please contact my tour coordinator, Michael Bednarczyk, at (202) 225-3915 as far in advance as possible.  Again, thank you for visiting my website. I am always happy to help my constituents in any way I can. I hope that you enjoy your trip!

*Important White House Tour Information:
Due to security reasons, White House tour requests must be made at minimum thirty-five days in advance.  To maximize your chances at being approved for a White House Tour please contact my office at least six months in advance.  If you wish to place a request for White House tickets, please be ready to provide the full legal names, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth, as well as city and state of birth for each member of your group who would like to attend that tour.  

Please be aware that a limited number of White House tours are available and they are in high demand.  Unfortunately, our office does not automatically receive any tickets.  All tours are booked with the White House directly and fill on a first-come, first-serve basis.  Typically, tour requests that are placed 4-6 months in advance are more likely to be accepted; however, there are still no guarantees.  

WASHINGTON, D.C. ATTRACTIONS

Here is some helpful information regarding a few of the most popular Washington, D.C. attractions.

Arlington National Cemetery: Open daily, October through March, 8:00 am-5:00 pm, and April through September, 8:00 am-7 pm Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the amphitheater, 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.
Phone: (703) 607-8052.
Metro Stop: Arlington Cemetery (Tourmobile Sightseeing Transportation available).

Botanical Gardens: First and Maryland Avenue, SW. Open 7 days a week from 9:00AM-5:00PM Phone: (202)225-8333.
Metro Stop: Federal Center SW.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing
: 14th and C Streets, SW. See how U.S. currency and stamps are printed. Tours Monday through Friday from 9 am-2 pm, leaving every 10 minutes. Closed weekends and Federal holidays. Tour tickets are distributed beginning at 9am each day. During peak visiting season, plan to arrive early (7:30 or 8:00am). Lines are long and tickets are often gone by 9:30. Phone: (202) 874-3019. Metro Stop: Smithsonian.

Corcoran Gallery of Art: 17th and New York Avenue, NW. Open daily, 10:00 am-5:00 pm Closed every Tuesday and holidays. Contributions suggested. Information: (202) 639-1700.
Metro Stop: Farragut West.

Federal Bureau of Investigation: Closed for tours due to security precautions.

Folger Shakespeare Library: 201 East Capitol Street. Shakespeare exhibits and performances. Open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am-4:00 pm Closed holidays. Information: (202) 544-4600.
Metro Stop: Capitol South.

Ford's Theatre and Lincoln Museum: 511 10th Street, NW. Open daily, 9 am-5 pm Phone: (202) 462-6924.
Metro Stop: Metro Center.

Georgetown: West of Rock Creek Park. Old Stone House, oldest standing house in Washington. Metro Stop: A 15-minute walk from Foggy Bottom.
Metrobus: Even 30 numbered buses or the circulator.

Holocaust Memorial Museum: 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW (formerly 15th Street between Maine and Independence Avenues). Open daily, 10:00 am-5:30 pm. Free tickets available in limited quantity on a first-come, first-served basis for same-day passes. Box office located on 14th Street side of museum and opens at 10:00 am. Due to the nature of this exhibit, the main gallery not recommended for children under the age of 12. A children’s exhibit is available.
Metro Stop: Smithsonian.

Iwo Jima Memorial: Edge of Arlington Cemetery, Northern Virginia. Open 24 hours daily. Memorial is a tribute to Marines who have lost their lives while serving the United States of America.
Metro Stop: Rosslyn.

Jefferson Memorial: South Bank of the Tidal Basin. Open 24 hours daily. At the Swan Boathouse you can rent a paddleboat to cruise the Basin. (summer only)
Metro Stop: Smithsonian.

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts: New Hampshire Avenue at Rock Creek Parkway, NW. Public tours leaving every 20 minutes and lasting 45 minutes, conducted daily, 10 am-1 pm Visitors should go to the Tour Lounge, Parking Level A. Phone: (202) 416-8340.
Metro Stop: Foggy Bottom (shuttle to Kennedy Center).

Korean War Memorial: Independence Avenue and Daniel French Drive, SW. Open 24 hours daily.
Metro Stop: Smithsonian.

Library of Congress: Capitol Hill. Thomas Jefferson Building tours available Monday through Friday at 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 2:30 pm, and 3:30 pm. Saturday at 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 2:30 pm. Phone: (202) 707-5458.
Metro Stop: Capitol South

Lincoln Memorial: West Potomac Park at the foot of 23rd Street, NW. Open 24 hours daily.
Metro Stop: Smithsonian or Foggy Bottom.

Mount Vernon: Sixteen miles south of Washington, D.C., at the south end of the George Washington Parkway. Home of George Washington. Opens 8:00 am April through August and 9:00 September through March. Entrance gates close 5:00 pm March through October and 4:00 pm November-February. Admission fee. Information: (703) 780-2000.

National Arboretum: 24th and R Streets, NE. 444 acres of flowering trees and shrubs. Open weekdays, 8:00 am-5:00 pm, and weekends, 10:00 am-5:00 pm Information: (202) 475-4815.

National Gallery of Art: Constitution Avenue, between 3rd and 7th Streets, NW. The main building and I.M. Pei's magnificent east building house the nation's art treasures and are connected by an underground concourse. The National Gallery encompasses all aspects of the visual arts. Open Monday through Saturday, 10:00 am-5 pm and Sundays, 11:00 am-6:00 pm
Metro Stop: Archives and Judiciary Square or Smithsonian.

Pentagon: CThe Pentagon is open for tours. Tours can be arranged directly through the Pentagon Tour Office using the Pentagon's online reservations system or through my office. Please contact my office at (202) 225-3915 for assistance in scheduling these tours. Located across the 14th Street Bridge in Virginia. Metro Stop: Pentagon. . Please contact my office at (202) 225-3915 for assistance in scheduling these tours. Located across the 14th Street Bridge in Virginia.
Metro Stop: Pentagon.

Smithsonian Institution Group: Free admission. Open daily 10:00 am-5:00 pm, except the Castle which opens at 9:00 am, National Museum of African Art which closes at 5:30p.m, and the Air and Space and American History museums which close at 6:00 pm Extended summer hours determined annually.

Anacostia Neighborhood Museum: 2405 Martin Luther King Avenue, SE

Arts and Industries Museum: 900 Jefferson Drive, SW

The Freer Gallery of Art
: Jefferson Drive at 12th Street, SW

The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
: Independence Avenue at 7th Street, SW

National Air and Space Building: Independence Avenue and 7th Street, SW

National Museum of African Art: 950 Independence Avenue, SW

National Museum of American Art: 8th and G Streets, NW

Museum of American History: 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW (Closed until Summer 2008 – part of the exhibit is on display in the Air and Space Museum)

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

National Portrait Gallery: 8th and F Streets, NW

Renwick Gallery: Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street, NW

Sackler Gallery: 1050 Independence Avenue, SE

Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle): 1000 Jefferson Drive, SW

State Department: 2201 C Street, NW. Tours are conducted Monday through Friday at 9:30 am, 10:30 am, and 2:45 pm Arrive 30 minutes before tour times. Entrance is on 23rd Street. Tours are by reservation only, accepted 90 days in advance. Phone: (202) 647-3241.
Metro Stop: Foggy Bottom.

Supreme Court: 1st Street and Maryland Avenue, NE. Tours are available Monday through Friday 9:30 am-4:30 pm when court is not in session. *Due to construction, the courtroom is closed this summer. Tours will resume in October.  The exhibits in the basement of the Supreme Court will remain open to the public, and advance tickets are not needed.

When the Court is in session, tours are only given on Thursdays and Fridays. To see the Court in session, line up outside the building; lines start forming about 8:30 am, so get there early. No tours are given during August. Public lectures are conducted in the Courtroom from 9:30 am-3 pm when the Court is not in session. Phone: (202) 479-3000. Metro Stops: Union Station and Capitol South.

Tourmobile Service
: The National Park Service has concessionaire-operated guided tourmobiles that travel from Capitol Hill to Arlington Cemetery and points in between with unlimited re-boarding privileges the day of ticket purchase. Daily, 9:30 am-4:30 pm Information (202) 554-7950.

Treasury Department: 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Paper money and both real and counterfeit coins on display Monday through Friday, 9:00 am-4:00 pm Tours available Saturday morning only at 10:00 am, 10:20 am, 10:40 am, and 11:00 am Information: (202) 622-2000.
Metro Stop: McPherson Square and Metro Center.

The opening of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) this December significantly enhances the entire Capitol complex. All tours are now booked on a timed ticketed system and advanced reservations are required. While you can self-schedule a CVC tour through their website, please feel free to contact our Washington office so that we may facilitate this for you. Please keep in mind that all tours of more than 15 will be scheduled through the CVC. In addition, visitors must still get passes to the House Gallery from our office. Tours are conducted Monday through Saturday 8:50am to 3:20 pm, with the exception of Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Inauguration Day. To learn more about the CVC, please visit http://www.visitthecapitol.gov.

U.S. Navy Memorial: Pennsylvania Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW. Lone Sailor Stature.
Metro Stop: Archives/Navy Memorial.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial: Near the Lincoln Memorial at Henry Bacon Drive and Constitution Avenue, NW. Open 24 hours daily. 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 on the Memorial wall in chronological order.
Metro Stop: Foggy Bottom or Smithsonian.

Washington Monument: On the Mall at 15th Street, NW. Open April 1-Labor Day, 8:00 am-11:45 pm, and mid-September-March 31, 9:00 am-4:45 pm Tickets required 8:00 am-8:00 pm April 1-Labor Day, and 9:00 am-3:00 pm during rest of year. Tickets are free and available at the booth located on the west side of 15th Street, NW, on the Mall. First-come, first-served at other times. Phone: (202) 426-6839.
Metro Stop: Smithsonian.

Washington National Cathedral
: Wisconsin and Massachusetts Avenues, NW. Tours given Monday through Friday, 10:00 am-9:00 pm in the summer and10:00 am-4:30 pm the rest of the year. Information: (202) 537-6200.
Nearest Metro Stop: a twenty minute walk from Tenleytown/AU or Metrobus: Even 30 numbered buses.

The White House
: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Due to security restrictions, reservations are required and must be made through my office. For information, please contact my tour coordinator, Michael Bednarczyk at (202) 225-3915.
Metro Stop: McPherson Square.

National Zoo: 3000 Connecticut Avenue, NW. Grounds open April 15 to October 15th, 8:00 am-8:00 pm, animal rooms open 9:00 am-6:00 pm October 16 through April 14, grounds are open 9:00 am-4:30 pm and animal rooms are open 9:00 am-4:30 pm unless otherwise posted. Phone: (202) 673-4800 or 673-4717.
Metro Stop: Woodley Park/Zoo.

Share this Page

Digg! Del.icio.us Google! Live! Facebook! StumbleUpon! Yahoo!