Representative Henry A. Waxman 30th District of California

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Visiting Washington

Washington, D.C. offers a wealth of visitor attractions, and Rep. Waxman is happy to help you make tour reservations at some of Washington’s most popular points of interest. Tours scheduled through congressional offices are free of charge, but subject to limited availability. The recommended advance time to place a tour request through Rep. Waxman's office is at least 1 month for most tours, and up to 6 months for others, such as the White House. Please also bear in mind that many of the tours that Rep. Waxman's office can arrange are open to the public and do not require reservations.  


Please read the following section to learn more about the availability and guidelines for congressionally arranged tours.

 


The White House

Tour Summary: A self-guided tour of parts of the East Wing of the presidential residence. The tour lasts approximately 30 minutes and includes the East Room, Red Room, the Blue Room, the Green Room, and the White House Dining Room.

Availability: Scheduled tours are offered Tuesday – Saturday from 7:30 AM – 12:30 PM, excluding Federal holidays. These tours must be arranged through a Congressional office and require at least 1 month of advance notice to submit a request. Passes are granted on a first-come, first-served basis, and several months of advance notice is recommended. Due to the large volume of requests and limited number of passes, most requests are unfortunately not accepted.
To place a request, my office must submit the following security information to the White House on behalf of each member of your group: the full name, date of birth, and for all visitors over 13, the Social Security Number. Non-US citizens must provide the full name, date of birth, Passport Number, and country of origin.  

Location: 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW. The closest Metro stop is McPherson Square (Blue and Orange Lines).

 


The United States Capitol

Tour Summary: Guided tours of the Capitol begin with a 13-minute video that highlights the role of Congress throughout our nation’s history and introduces you to the symbolic structure that houses the U.S. Congress. The tour features the Capitol Rotunda, Statuary Hall, and the Crypt. Please visit my office in 2204 Rayburn House Office Building to pick up passes to visit the House and Senate galleries.

Availability: Tours depart every 10 minutes, Monday – Saturday (except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day) from 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM. You may schedule a tour for your group directly at http://tours.visitthecapitol.gov/.

Location: Tours depart from the Capitol Visitor Center, located below the East Plaza of the Capitol, at 1st Street and East Capitol Street. This is between Constitution and Independence Avenues.


The Supreme Court

Tour Summary: On days the Court is not in session, congressional lectures can be reserved for groups of six and fewer. This lecture, conducted by a professional docent, provides an overview of the nation’s highest court.

Availability: Public lectures are offered from Monday – Friday, 9:30 – 3:30 every hour on the half hour. Admission is granted on a first come, first-served basis. You can place reservations through my office for Congressional lectures, which are held at 2:00 PM Monday through Friday. Several months of advance notice is recommended, as Congressional lectures fill up extremely rapidly.

Location: The Supreme Court is on 1st Street, NE, across from the U. S. Capitol and across East Capitol Street from the Library of Congress. Both Union Station (Red Line) and Capitol South (Blue and Orange Lines) are within walking distance.


The Library of Congress

Tour Summary: A tour of the Thomas Jefferson Building includes a 22 minute video and a tour of the Great Hall led by a professional docent.  

Availability: Congressional offices can reserve available tours at 8:30 AM, 1:45 PM, or 3:45 PM Monday-Friday. Public tours are also available Monday – Friday at 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM, 3:30 PM and Saturday 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM. The Library is closed on Sundays and holidays.

Location: The Thomas Jefferson Building is located at 101 Independence Ave SE, across the street from the U.S. Capitol. The closest metro stop is Capitol South (Blue and Orange Lines).


The Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Tour Summary: Tours of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing allow visitors to watch the production of millions of dollars of currency by following the large, blank sheets of paper as they become wallet-ready bills.

Availability: The Bureau is closed on weekends, federal holidays and the week before Christmas and New Years. Congressional tours are available at 8:15 and 8:45 AM from September to April, and at 4:00 PM, 4:15 PM, 4:30 PM, and 4:45 PM all year.
Public tours for the Bureau of Engraving and Printing are offered year round. During the peak tourism season (March-August), tickets are required for the tour. Same-day tickets are given out on a first-come-first-serve basis at the Bureau's ticket booth on Raoul Wallenberg Place (formerly 15th Street). The ticket booth opens at 8:00 AM and closes once all the tickets have been distributed, which can be as soon as 8:30 AM in the peak season. To make reservations through my office, at least three months of advance notice is recommended.  

Location: 14th and C Streets, SW. The closest metro stop is Smithsonian on the Blue and Orange Lines.

 


The Kennedy Center

Tour Summary: This living memorial to President John F. Kennedy provides tours of the Center’s interactive exhibits and five theaters, including the Concert Hall, Opera House, and Eisenhower Theater.  

Availability: Congressional tours of the Kennedy Center are offered at 9:30 AM and 4:30 PM., Monday through Saturday. Public tours begin approximately every 10 minutes from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM on weekdays and 10AM – 1:00 PM on weekends.

Location: The Kennedy Center is located on the banks of the Potomac, at 2700 F Street, NW. 




Notification:
Many tour offices do not confirm tour reservations until two to three weeks before the date of the tour. You can expect to receive an e-mail or postal letter with the details of your tour itinerary no later than two weeks before your visit. If you do not hear from Rep. Waxman's office by then, please feel free to contact the tour coordinator at (202) 225-3976.