Our nation’s capital is a vibrant, exciting, and educational destination for families and other groups who want to learn more about how our government works and see the beautiful city of Washington. There is not another city in America where you can see the inner workings of our republic close up and learn so much about our history. If you are planning a trip to Washington, there are several ways that my office can assist you. Below is a list of popular sites in Washington. Click on the link to visit their website to learn more about how to visit. Also, at the bottom of this page is some information on how my office can help you set up Congressional tours for several Washington sites. Before you visit, please call my office to find out how we can help you and always feel free to stop by my Congressional Office, Suite 515 in the Cannon House Office Building. Enjoy your visit!
Online Tour Request Form
U.S. CAPITOL
We can arrange tours through the Capitol Guide Service. These tours can be scheduled Monday through Saturday from 8:50 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. and last for approximately one hour.
If you would like to arrange the tour on your own, please visit the Capitol Guide Service website at http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/Visit/ to obtain a public tour of the US Capitol.
WHITE HOUSE
The White House is the most popular tourist destination in Washington. Consequently, tours can be very difficult to arrange and need to be requested well in advance of the planned date. We recommend that you contact our office six months in advance in order to have the best chance at seeing the White House. You will be notified of your tour status approximately one month before the tour, at which time you will be asked to provide security information as explained by the Tour Coordinator. Tours are conducted between 7:30 am to 12:00 pm Tuesday through Saturday. Please contact us if you would like to visit the White House as tours can only be arranged through Congressional offices. You can also obtain more information about touring the White House by calling 202-456-7041 or going to www.whitehouse.gov/history/life/.
BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing allows Congressional Offices to arrange tours for groups of less than ten people. Congressional tours are given at 8:15am, 8:45 am, 4:00 pm, 4:15 pm, 4:30 pm, and 4:45 pm. These times may vary depending on the season. We recommend that anyone visiting between March and August take advantage of the Congressional tours since the wait for public tours tends to be much longer during these times. For groups between 10 and 120 people, large group tours are available to be arranged through Congressional offices and can be requested one year to two weeks in advance. The tour lasts approximately 35 minutes. Public tickets are distributed daily beginning at 8:00 am. For more information on the public tour please contact the BEP at http://www.moneyfactory.com/locations/section.cfm/20/21 or call them at 202-874-2330
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
Congressional tours are offered Monday through Friday at 8:30 am and 2:00 pm for groups up to sixty people. The tour will be confirmed several days before your visit. During peak season travel, we urge you to arrive at least twenty minutes early for your tour. There are also public tours available Monday through Friday beginning at 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm, and 3:30 pm. On Saturdays, tours are offered at 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, and 2:30 pm. For additional information on the Library of Congress, please call 202-707-8000 or 202-707-4683.
SUPREME COURT
Congressional tours of the Supreme Court are available Monday through Friday at 1:45 pm for groups of six people or less and takes about one half hour. Please try to contact our office three months in advance to schedule this tour. Tours of the Supreme Court are not available when the Court is in session. All groups of more than six people can be accommodated by the public tour. Public tours are available Monday-Friday from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm, every hour on the half hour. Walk-ins are welcome for this tour. You should arrive at least ten minutes prior to your tour. There are also group tours available for groups larger than 25 people. Please call 202-647-4000 or 202-479-3300 for more information on touring the Supreme Court. Please contact our office for information on attending Oral Arguments of the Supreme Court.
KENNEDY CENTER
Congressional tours of the Kennedy Center are offered Monday through Friday at 9:30 am and 4:30 pm as well as on Saturdays at 9:30 am. We recommend the afternoon tour if it is possible to fit into your schedule as there is usually theatrical entertainment on the main stage immediately after the tour. Free public tours are given on Monday through Friday from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm and on Saturday and Sunday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Reservations can be made for these public tours but are not required. Visit their website at www.kennedy-center.org/visitor for more information and a schedule of events.
NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Congressional Tours are offered Monday through Friday at 9:45 am. These tours can be scheduled up to six months in advance and the National Archives will send you a letter about one week before the tour with further details. There are also public and self guided tours available. Visit their website at http://www.archives.gov/dc-metro/washington/ for more information. The National Archives are open to the public from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm during the fall and winter, from 10:00 am to 7:00 pm during the spring, and from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm during the summer. You can also reach them by phone at 202-357-5000.
STATE DEPARTMENT
This tour is offered Monday through Friday at 9:30 am, 10:30 am, and 2:45 pm. You are able to self-schedule this tour on the State Department website at https://receptiontours.state.gov/index.cfm?fuseaction=tourRequest.tourWiz1. When you schedule your tour, they will send you all of the details for visiting the site. Reservations are required for this tour and should be made at least 4 weeks in advance. The tour takes approximately forty-five minutes. They can also be reached by phone at 202-647-3241 or 202-647-4000.
D.C. NATIONAL PARKS AND MONUMENTS
This tour is arranged through the Department of the Interior and is offered Monday through Friday at 8:30 am and lasts till about 3:30 pm. This tour is largely out of doors so please dress appropriately for the weather. Stops on the tour include Ford’s Theater, the Washington Monument, Arlington Cemetery, Jefferson Memorial, FDR Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Vietnam, and Korean War Memorials.
TREASURY BUILDING
Congressional tours are given on Saturday mornings at 9:00 am, 9:45 am, 10:30 am, and 11:15 am. The tour lasts about an hour. Security information needed is similar to that of the White House and tour members will need to provide photo ID to enter the building. Only U.S. citizens are permitted in the building. Please contact our office to schedule this tour as they can only be scheduled through Congressional offices.
HOLOCAUST MUSEUM
The Holocaust museum is open to the public but advance tickets can be acquired by calling our office several weeks before your visit. If you arrive before 10:00 am, you will be able to get in the advance ticket line, which is much shorter than the general admissions line. Call 202-488-0400 for more information. The museum is open everyday from 10:00 am to 5:20 pm. Admission is free and a timed-entry pass is required for permanent exhibitions.
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Arlington National Cemetery is open daily from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm from October through March. During the months of April through September, the cemetery is open from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm. Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier occurs every hour on the hour and every half hour during the summer months. Please contact our office for details on wreath laying requests. For additional information, please call the cemetery at 703-607-8000 or visit their website at http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/contact_us.html.
Around Capitol Hill
Information presented by the Architect of the Capitol for everyone who wants to learn more about the Capitol and what it means.
The Chamber of the United States House of Representatives.
Explore the Nation's Capitol.
This exhibition features the House of Representatives as it was during the half century it met in this chamber. The Old Hall of the House, now known as Statuary Hall, is one of the most historic spaces in the United States Capitol.
The Capitol, House and Senate office buildings are noted.
What Capitol tour services are available and how to arrange tours.
Around Washington, D.C.
Information on tours and points of interest in the Washington, D.C. area.
A map of the Washington, D.C. transit system, showing subway lines and stations. Note: the Blue or Orange Subway Lines, Capitol South station will take you the closest to House of Representatives office buildings.
Information on White House tours.
Information on National Park Service units in the Nation's Capitol.
Maps of the Washington, D.C. Area
Map of Capitol Grounds |Map of the Mall |Washington, D.C. Sightseeing Maps |White House Area Map
