Visit DC

Tour Request Form

Washington, DC Visitor Information - This link provides visitors with some useful information for enhancing their visit both to Capitol Hill and to the Washington, DC area.

ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETARY - Open daily. October-March: 8:00am to 5:00pm. April-September: 8am to 7 pm. Features the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Amphitheater, the Curtis-Lee Mansion and the graves of Presidents John F. Kennedy and William Howard Taft. Watch the 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) 692-0931. *Arlington Cemetery Metro Station - Blue Line

ART GALLERIES OF WASHINGTON

THE NATIONAL GALLERY OF ART - 6th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW. Home to one of the finest collections in the world of major achievements in painting, sculpture, and graphic arts from the Middle Ages to the present. * Smithsonian Metro Station - Orange/Blue

THE HIRSHHORN MUSEUM AND SCULPTURE GARDEN - 7th Street & Independence Avenue, SW. Showcases modern and contemporary art. * Smithsonian Metro Station - Orange/Blue

THE FREER GALLERY - 12th Street SW, at Jefferson Drive. Showcases art from China, Japan, Korea, South and Southeast Asia, and the Near East. www.si.edu/asia. * Smithsonian Metro Station - Orange/Blue

NATIONAL PORTRAIT GALLERY - 8th & F Streets, NW. Includes paintings of prominent Americans, notably the President's Gallery. Currently closed to the public until major renovations are complete in approximately fall 2004. * Gallery Place/ Chinatown Metro Station - Red

THE MUSEUM OF AFRICAN ART - 950 Independence Avenue, SW. The newest Smithsonian museum features the finest American collection of African art as well as American art influenced by African styles. * Smithsonian Metro Station - Orange/Blue

BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING - 14th and C Streets, SW. Tours Monday-Friday, 9:00am to 2pm. Closed weekends, federal holidays and December 24-January 4. Limited Congressional tours available with 6 to 8 weeks advance notice. Phone: (202) 874-3019. * Smithsonian Metro Station - Orange/Blue

FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION - 9th and E Streets, NW. Tours Monday-Friday, 8:45am to 4:15pm. Closed weekends and holidays. Very limited Congressional tours available with 8 to 10 weeks advance notice. Phone: (202) 324-3447. * Federal Triangle Metro Station - Orange/Blue
NOTE: All Public Tours have been suspended Until Further Notice.

HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL MUSEUM - 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW (Just south of Independence Ave., SW, between 14th Street and Raoul Wallenberg Place). Open daily, 10:00am to 5:30pm. Closed only on Yom Kippur and Christmas. Phone: (202) 488-0400. * Smithsonian Metro Station - Orange/Blue

JEFFERSON MEMORIAL - East Basin Drive, SW. Open daily, 8:00am to Midnight. Pantheon-inspired tribute to the third U.S. President and Author of the American Declaration of Independence. At the Swan Boathouse, you can rent a paddle boat to cruise the Basin. Phone: (202) 426-6841. * Smithsonian Metro Station - Orange/Blue

JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS - Public tours are available Monday through Friday 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am to 1:00 pm. Visitors should go to the Tour Lounge, Parking Level A. Limited Congressional tours available with 4 to 6 weeks advance notice. Free performances daily, call for schedule. Phone: (202) 416-8340. * Foggy Bottom Metro Station - Orange/Blue

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS - Jefferson Building, 1st Street & Independence Avenue, SE. Tours are conducted Monday - Friday, 10:30 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm, 2:30 pm and 3:30 pm. Phone: (202) 707-5458. * Capitol South Metro Station - Orange/Blue

LINCOLN MEMORIAL - West Potomac Park at the foot of 23rd Street, NW. Open 24 hours daily. A symbol of unity and justice. Phone: (202) 426-6895. * Foggy Bottom Metro Station - Orange/Blue

MOUNT VERNON - Located at the southern terminus of the George Washington Memorial Pkwy. The historic plantation and final resting place of George and Martha Washington. Open daily 8:00am to 5:00pm. Limited Congressional 8:45am tours available daily. Phone: (703) 780-2000.

NATIONAL ARCHIVES - 8th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW. View the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Normally open daily: Mid-September - March 31: 10:00am to 5:30pm; April 1- Labor Day: 10:00am to 9:00pm. Phone: (202) 501-5205. * Archives Metro Station - Yellow/Green
NOTE: Closed until 2003 for renovations.

NATIONAL ZOOLOGICAL PARK - 3000 Connecticut Avenue, NW. Home to more than 400 different animals, a significant number of whom are endangered. Highlights include rare Sumatran tigers, Komodo dragons, sea lions, giant pandas Tian Tian and Mei Xiang, the tropical rain forest exhibit Amazonia, and newborn tiger Beranji and Shanthi's baby elephant. Open daily 6:00am to 6:00pm. Free admission. Phone: (202) 673-4800. * Woodley Park Metro Station -- Red

PENTAGON - Located across the 14th Street Bridge in Virginia. Open Monday-Friday, 9:30 am to 3:30 pm. Closed holidays. Tours conducted every hour on the hour from 9:00 am-3pm beginning by the ticket window at metro end of facility. Phone: (703) 695-1776. * Pentagon Metro Station - Blue/Yellow
NOTE: All Public Tours have been suspended indefinitely. ONLY limited requests for Group Tours from educational institutions are being considered.

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION - All museums are open daily 10:00am to 5:30pm. Admission is free. Phone: (202) 357-2020. * Smithsonian Metro Station - Blue/Orange

MUSEUM OF AIR AND SPACE - 6th & Independence Avenue, SW. Displays the Wright brother's plane, the Spirit of St. Louis, the Apollo II command module and other interesting air and aviation exhibits.

MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY - 14th & Constitution Avenue, NW. Rich and diverse collection including the Original Star Spangled Banner, Ford's 1913 Model-T, Dorothy's red slippers from The Wizard of Oz, and the First Ladies' gowns.

MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY - 10th & Constitution Ave., NW. Wide array of exhibits including the Hope diamond, mounted African bush elephant, dinosaur skeletons, and 92-foot model of a blue whale.

SMITHSONIAN BUILDING - 10th & Jefferson Drive, SW. Most commonly known as "The Castle", houses the Visitor Information Center.

STATE DEPARTMENT - 2201 C Street, NW. Tours of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms - available by reservation only - are conducted Monday-Friday at 9:30am, 10:30am, and 2:45pm. Limited Congressional tours available with 6 to 8 weeks advance notice. Phone: (202) 647-3241. * Foggy Bottom Metro Station - Orange/Blue

SUPREME COURT. - 1st Street & Maryland Avenue, NE. Open Monday-Friday, 9:00am to 4:30pm. Public lectures are given in the courtroom from 9:30am-3:30pm. No tours are given during August. Limited Congressional tours available with 6 to 8 weeks advance notice. Phone: (202) 479-3000. *Capitol South Metro Station - Orange/Blue, Union Station - Red

UNITED STATES CAPITOL - Capitol Hill. Tours are conducted Monday-Friday, 9:00 am to 4:30 pm. Gallery passes to view legislative debate on the Capitol floor are available from your Congressman or Senator. Visit the Capitol's website for an extensive look at tour options, historical facts, the U.S. Botanic Gardens, and developing projects like the Capitol Visitor Center. Phone: (202) 224-3121. *Capitol South Metro Station - Orange/Blue, Union Station - Red

UNITED STATES NAVAL OBSERVATORY - 34th Street & Massachusetts Avenue, NW. The "preeminent authority" in the areas of time keeping and celestial observing and home of the Vice President. Tours are available Monday evenings at 7:30pm, weather permitting. Phone: (202) 633-1507.
NOTE: All Public Tours have been suspended Until Further Notice.

VIETNAM VETERANS MEMORIAL - Located near the Lincoln Memorial at Henry Bacon Drive and Constitution Avenue, NW. Open daily, 8:00am to Midnight. Dedicated to those who served in the Vietnam War and comprised of the granite Wall of names, the Three Servicemen Statue and Flagpole, and the Vietnam Women's Memorial. Phone: (202) 426-6841. www.nps.gov/vive/home.htm. * Foggy Bottom Metro Station - Orange/Blue

WASHINGTON MONUMENT - Located on the Mall at 15th Street, NW. Colossal size landmark erected in honor of President George Washington. Open daily but please note that while the grounds are still open to the public, all tours inside the monument have been suspended pending restoration efforts. Phone: (202) 426-6841. * Smithsonian Metro Station - Orange/Blue

THE WHITE HOUSE - 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Open Tuesday-Saturday. Public tours are available from 10am to Noon. Limited Congressional tours are available with 8 to 10 weeks advance notice. Phone: (202) 465-2200. * McPherson Metro Station - Orange/Blue

Additional Info on Visiting the U.S. Capitol and Congressman Bobby L. Rush's D.C. Office

Return To Top