Please check this site periodically, as we will keep you updated on tours. Requests far exceed availability, so the earlier you notify us of your upcoming trip, the better your chances are of getting the tours that you want. Thank you for your interest as well as your understanding.
- The Capitol Guide Service will accommodate a small number of reserved SCHOOL GROUP TOURS daily. These tours must be scheduled through the Washington Office.
- Tours of the White House are available; however, requests must be made up to six months in advance. All requests must be submitted through a Member of Congress.
- Congressional tours of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing are limited. Same day tickets for public tours may be picked up at the rear of the building on Raoul-Wallenberg Place. The office opens at 8 a.m. and tickets are given out on a first come, first serve basis. One person may receive up to 10 tickets.
Are you planning to visit Washington, D.C.? Tours of the White House, Capitol, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, the National Cathedral , and the Kennedy Center may be available through my office if enough advance notice is given. All tickets are free of charge and are extremely limited.
To place a tour request, you may submit an on-line tour request form. You can also contact either the Washington or San Dimas office by fax or by phone. You will need to supply the dates that you will be in Washington, the date you are leaving from California, the number of people in your party, and the tours in which you are interested. Once you have placed your request, you will receive available tours on a first-come, first-served basis. To tour the White House you will need to provide the Social Security numbers and dates of birth of everyone in the party. Please note: Your tour information will be sent to you 2-3 weeks in advance of your tour dates.
If ticketed tours are unavailable, there are many public tour options. Information on how to take the public tours will be provided by my office.
Even if you don't request ticketed tours, please plan to stop by my Washington office for passes to the House and Senate Galleries. We look forward to seeing you and wish you a wonderful stay in the Nation's capital.
On-Line Tour Request Form
Transportation:
Baltimore/Washington International Airport (http://www.bwiairport.com)
Located off I-95 in Maryland, between Baltimore and Washington, D.C.
General Information: 1-800-I-FLY-BWI (1-800-435-9294).
Travelers Aid: (410) 859-7207.
BWI Rail Station: (410) 672-6169.
Washington Dulles International Airport (http://www.metwashairports.com/Dulles/index.html)
Dulles, VA.
General Information: (703) 572-2700.
Traveler’s Aid: (703) 572-8296.
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (http://www.metwashairports.com/National/index.html)
Arlington, VA.
General Information: (703) 417-8000.
Traveler’s Aid: (703) 417-3972(Terminal A); (703) 417-1806 (Terminals B&C).
Metro (http://www.wmata.com)
The Metro Rail operates beginning at 5am on weekdays and 7am on weekends. Trains run until approximately midnight from Sunday through Thursday; and until approximately 3am on Friday and Saturday. Check the website for special scheduling for trains on holidays.
General Information: (202) 962-1234.
Customer Information: (202) 637-7000.
DC Visitor Information Center (http://www.dcchamber.org)
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. The Visitor Information Center is located inside the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Spring and summer hours are 8:30am-5:30pm on weekdays; 9am-4pm on Saturdays; closed on Sundays. Fall and winter hours are 9am-4:30pm on weekdays; closed on weekends. Telephone: (202) 289-8317 or (866) 324-7386
Sightseeing Tour Services
Gray Line (http://www.graylinedc.com)
Union Station Bus Level, 50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE. A variety of sightseeing tours for families and groups. Prices range from $20-$50 per person depending on the tour route and time that you choose. Telephone: (301) 386-8300.
Old Town Trolley (http://www.trolleytours.com/) Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE.
Privately owned trolleys that travel around Washington allowing you to board and re-board as you please at several points of interest. Prices depend on route of tour and time; check the website for pricing. Telephone: (202) 832-9800.
Tourmobile Service (http://www.tourmobile.com) 1401 Jefferson Drive, NW; Union Station, 50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE.
The National Park Service operates guided tour mobiles that travel from Capitol Hill to Arlington Cemetery, with other points of interest in between. There are also Twilight tours and a Mount Vernon tour through Tourmobile. There is unlimited re-boarding on the day your ticket is purchased. Depending on the tour, prices of tickets for adults range from $16 to $35 and children (ages 3-11) range from $12-$15. Telephone: (202) 554-5100.
Tours
Arlington National Cemetery (http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org) Arlington, VA 22211.
Arlington National Cemetery is the final resting place of over 300,000 men and women who served in the US military. It is also the location of the JFK Eternal Flame, the RFK gravesite, the USS Maine memorial and the Arlington House-Custis Lee Mansion. The changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknowns occurs every hour, on the hour, from October 1st to March 31st. From April 1st to September 30th, it takes place every half hour. Open every day at 8am. From April 1st until September 30th, the cemetery closes at 7pm; from October 1st to March 31st, it closes at 5pm. No entry fee. Phone: (703) 607-8000. Metro: Arlington Cemetery.
The Botanic Gardens (http://www.usbg.gov/index.cfm)
First and Maryland Avenue, SW. This beautiful facility, located on the National Mall across from the U.S. Capitol, features a variety of flowers and plants and includes a rain forest, desert, and orchid exhibit. The Conservatory is open daily, from 10am-5pm. Telephone: (202) 225-8333. Metro: Federal Center SW.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (http://www.moneyfactory.com)
Fourteenth and C Street, SW. The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is the largest producer of paper money in the U.S. On the tour, you can see paper money printed and cut while also learning about the money-making process. Tickets are only required during peak season (March through August) and are offered beginning at 8am at the ticket kiosk on Raoul Wallenberg Place. Tours are offered between 9am and 10:45am, between 12:30pm and 2pm, and between 5pm and 7pm. Non-Peak Season, from September through February: Tours offered every 15 minutes from 9am to 10:45am and from 12:30pm to 2pm. Telephone: (877) 874-4114. Metro: Smithsonian.
The United States Capitol Building (http://www.visitthecapitol.gov) East End of the National Mall.
Contact the tour coordinator in our Washington, D.C. office (number listed below) to reserve a Capitol tour. The House Chamber is included in the tour, but if you would like to see the Senate chamber as well, you must contact a Senate Member. Telephone: (202) 225-2305. Metro: Capitol South or Union Station.
The National Children’s Museum (http://www.ncm.museum.com)
The Capital Children's Museum closed permanently on August 22, 20004 so that full-time development of the National Children's Museum could begin; it is scheduled to open in June 2012. Telephone: (202) 675-4120.
Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) (http://www.fbi.gov/)
The FBI Building is going through extensive renovations and will be closed until further notice. Telephone: (202) 324-3000. Metro: Gallery Place.
The Folger Shakespeare Library (http://www.folger.edu/) 201 East Capitol Street, SE.
The Folger Shakespeare Library is home to the world’s largest and finest collection of Shakespeare materials and rare Renaissance and early modern books, manuscripts, and works of art. Open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm. Closed on all federal holidays. Docent tours of the building and the current exhibition are available Monday through Friday at 11am and on Saturday at 11am and 1pm, at no charge and with no prior arrangement. Telephone: (202) 544–4600. Metro: Capitol South or Union Station.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (http://kennedy-center.org) 2700 F Street, NW.
The Kennedy Center is America’s national cultural center and features free daily performances at the Millennium Stage. Free tours of the Kennedy Center are given by the Friends of the Kennedy Center from 10am to 5pm, Monday through Friday; and 10am to 1pm, Saturday and Sunday. Telephone: (202) 416-8340. Metro: Foggy Bottom/GWU (There is a shuttle from the Metro stop to the Kennedy Center.)
The Library of Congress (http://www.loc.gov)
First Street and Independence Avenue, SE. Public tours are conducted from the Visitor’s Entrance Monday through Friday at 10:30am, 11:30am, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, and 3:30pm. Saturday tours are offered at the same time slots as weekday tours, with no 3:30pm tour option. Tours for 10 to 60 participants need to be prearranged with the Visitor Services Office. Telephone: (202)707-8000. Metro: Capitol South.
The National Archives (http://www.nara.gov/)
700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. This is the location of the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Self-Guided and Docent-led tours are both available.The National Archives is open every day except December 25th and Thanksgiving. Hours during the fall and winter seasons between the day after Labor Day and March 31 are 10:00am-5:30pm. From April 1 through the Friday before Memorial Day, hours are 10:00am-7:00pm. From Memorial Day through Labor Day hours are 10:15am-7:30pm. Telephone: (202) 357-5450. Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial.
The Old Post Office Tower (http://www.nps.gov/opot/)
1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. From the observation deck, located 270 feet above the street level, the visitor can get a spectacular view of our nation’s capital. The lines for this tour are normally much shorter than for the Washington Monument. From the 1st weekend in June through Labor Day, hours are 9am until 7:45pm on weekdays; 10am to 5:45pm on weekends and holidays. From Labor Day until Memorial Day, hours are 9am until 4:45pm on weekdays; 10am until 5:45pm on weekends. Telephone: (202) 606-8694. Metro: Federal Triangle or Navy Memorial.
The Pentagon (http://pentagon.afis.osd.mil)
Across the Fourteenth Street Bridge (I-395) in Virginia. Group tours are available Monday through Friday from 9am to 3:30pm, and normally last approximately 60 minutes. The program does not operate on federal holidays and weekends. School tours are available for junior high schools, high schools, colleges, and universities. Tours can be reserved up to 3 months in advance. A minimum of two weeks notice prior to the proposed tour date is required. Telephone: (703) 697-1776. Metro: Pentagon.
The Washington Navy Yard (http://www.ndw.navy.mil/)
Ninth and M Streets, SE, on the banks of the Anacostia River. The original buildings date back to the 1800's and contain the Navy Memorial Museum and Marine Corps Museum. The Navy Museum is free and open from 10am to 4pm on weekdays. Docked near the Navy Museum is a real Vietnam-era destroyer, the USS Barry. The USS Barry is open from 9am to 4pm on weekdays, and 10am-5pm on weekends. Telephone: (202) 433-3017. Metro: Eastern Market or Washington Navy Yard. N22 buses run from both stations to the Navy Yard.
The Department of State (http://www.state.gov)
2201 C Street, NW. Tours of the Reception rooms are conducted Monday through Friday at 9:30am, 10:30am, and 2:45pm. Tours may be requested by my office or by indivdual requests through the State Department Website. Reservations are recommended at least 90 days in advance due to large demand. This is a Fine Arts tour and is not recommended for children under the age of twelve. Telephone: (202) 647-3241. Metro: Foggy Bottom/GWU.
The Supreme Court (http://www.supremecourtus.gov/)
First Street and Maryland Avenue, NE. Open Monday through Friday. Closed on federal holidays. The Supreme Court offers multiple exhibits, which are changed periodically; and a theater, where a film on the Supreme Court is shown. Both the exhibit area and theatre are located on the ground floor, which is open on weekdays from 9am-4:30pm. Lectures in the Courtroom are typically given every hour, on the half-hour; on days that the Court is not sitting, from 9:30am until 3:30pm. Telephone: (202) 479-3211. Metro: Capitol South or Union Station.
The Department of Treasury (http://www.treas.gov/) Fifteenth Street between F and G Streets, NW.
This building was built in 1836 and since then has served as headquarters for the Treasury Department. The tour includes the history of the Treasury Department and the building's architectural history. Also included is a tour of the Andrew Johnson suite where, in 1865, President Johnson conducted official business for 6 weeks after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The tour also includes the beautiful Salmon P. Chase suite, the Cashroom (the site for Grant's inaugural reception), and the 1864 burglar proof vault. The entrance is through the Appointment Center doors. The tour lasts 90 minutes and only runs on Saturday mornings. Advanced reservations through our office is required, however admission is free. Telephone: (202) 622-2000. Metro: Metro Center.
The United States National Arboretum (http://www.usna.usda.gov) 3501 New York Avenue, NE.
The Arboretum's beautiful 446-acre campus in Washington, D.C. contains an array of display gardens, collections, and historical monuments set among native stands of eastern deciduous trees. Arboretum grounds are open from 8am to 5pm every day of the year except December 25th. Guided tours are offered between April 8 and mid-October. Telephone: (202) 245-4521. Metro: Stadium Armory. Transfer to the MetroBus B-2; disembark the bus on Bladensburg Road and walk 2 blocks to R Street. Make a right on R Street and continue 2 blocks to the Arboretum gates.
The United States Naval Observatory (http://www.usno.navy.mil) 34 th Avenue and Massachusetts Avenue, NW.
The U.S. Naval Observatory is one of the oldest scientific agencies in the country. Established in 1830 as the Depot of Charts and Instruments, its primary mission was to care for the U.S. Navy's chronometers, charts and other navigational equipment. Today, the U.S. Naval Observatory is the preeminent authority in the areas of time keeping and celestial observing; determining and distributing the timing and astronomical data required for accurate navigation and fundamental astronomy. Evening tours are available on Mondays at 8:30 p.m., except on federal holidays. Tours last about 90 minutes and are very limited. Tours may be requested online.Telephone: (202) 762-1438. Metro: Friendship Heights, Tenleytown-AU, Dupont Circle, Farragut North, and Farragut West Stations. From any of these stations, connect to a N2, N4, or N6 MetroBus.
The White House (http://www.whitehouse.gov/)
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Requests for tours must be submitted through my office or another Member of Congress’ office. I encourage you to make the request six months in advance since a limited number of tours are available. All White House tours are free of charge. Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation. For the most current tour information, please call the 24-hour line at (202) 456-7041. Metro: Federal Triangle, Metro Center or McPherson Square.
Memorials, Monuments and Points of Interest
The Jefferson Memorial (http://www.nps.gov/thje/) 15 th Street, NW, at the Tidal Basin. Located on the south bank of the Tidal Basin, this Greek-inspired monument remembers the United States’ third president. Open all day, every day. Telephone: 202-426-6841.
Peddle boats can be rented at the Swan Boathouse at 1501 Main Ave., SW. Open 7 days a week from March 15 through Labor Day. Labor Day through Columbus Day open Wednesday through Sunday. Hours are 10am until 6pm. Rentals cost $8.00 per hour for a 2 passenger boat and $16.00 per hour for a 4 passenger boat. Metro: Smithsonian.
Korean War Veterans Memorial (http://www.nps.gov/kwvm/home.htm) Daniel French Drive and Independence Avenue, SW. Located next to the Lincoln Memorial, the Korean War Memorial is open 8am to midnight, every day, except December 25. Telephone: (202) 426-6841. Metro: Foggy Bottom.
The Lincoln Memorial (http://www.nps.gov/linc/) West Potomac Park at the foot of 23 rd Street, NW Open 24 hours daily. Bookstore is open 8am to 11pm. Telephone: (202) 426-6841. Metro: Foggy Bottom.
The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (http://www.nps.gov/fdrm/) 900 Ohio Drive, SW Located along the famous Cherry Tree Walk on the Western edge of the Tidal Basin near the National Mall; this is a memorial not only to FDR, but also to the era he represents. Open all day everyday, except December 25. Telephone: (202) 426-6841. Metro: Smithsonian.
The United States Navy Memorial (http://www.navymemorial.org) 701 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. Hours for Visitors Center are Monday through Saturday 9:30am to 5pm. From November 1 through February 28, the Memorial is closed on Sundays and Mondays. Telephone: (202) 737-2300. Metro: Navy Memorial.
Vietnam Veterans Memorial (http://www.nps.gov/vive/) Henry Bacon Drive and Constitution Avenue, NW. Open 8:00 a.m. to midnight. 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 that 58,000 who gave their lives or who remain missing are inscribed in the Memorial’s walls. The names are in chronological order. Telephone: (202) 426-6841. Metro: Foggy Bottom.
The World War II Memorial 17th Street, between Constitution and Independence Avenues, NW. The National World War II Memorial, located on the National Mall in Washington, DC commemorates the sacrifice and celebrates the victory of the WWII generation. The World War II Memorial creates a distinct, evocative and serene tribute yet remains respectful and sensitive to its historic surroundings. Telephone: (202) 426-6841. Metro: Smithsonian.
The Washington Monument (http://www.nps.gov/wamo/) The National Mall at Fifteenth Street, NW. Free tickets are distributed for that day's visit from the kiosk on the Washington Monument grounds at 15th Street and Jefferson Drive on a first-come first-serve basis from 8am until 4:30pm, but tickets run out early. The monument itself is open from 9am until 4:45pm. Telephone: (202) 426-6841.
Museums
The Corcoran Gallery of Art (http://www.corcoran.edu)
500 Seventeenth Street, NW. The Corcoran is open Wednesday through Sunday from 10am to 5pm, and until 9pm on Thursdays. It is closed on all Mondays and Tuesdays (except holidays), along with Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Day. Public walk-in tours are offered Wednesday through Sunday at noon, featuring highlights of the permanent collection. Entrance fees are $8 for adults, $6 for senior citizens and military personnel, and $4 for students with ID. Telephone: (202) 639-1700. Metro: Farragut North or Farragut West.
Ford’s Theatre and Lincoln Museum (http://www.nps.gov/foth/index2.htm)-
Tenth Street between E and F Streets, NW. Ford's Theater is currently undergoing renovation and will be closed until WInter 2009.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (http://www.ushmm.org) 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW.
No passes are necessary for entering the Museum building, special exhibitions, the interactive Wexner Learning Center, and other Museum resources. However, timed passes are necessary for visiting the Permanent Exhibition — The Holocaust — and can be obtained at the Museum on the day of your visit or in advance by calling tickets.com at (800) 400–9373. Each day, the Museum distributes on a first–come first–served basis a large but limited number of timed entry passes for use that same day. The museum is open daily from 10am-5:30pm, except for Yom Kippur and Christmas Day. On Tuesdays and Thursdays from April until mid-June hours are until 7:30pm. Telephone: (202) 488-0400. Metro: Smithsonian.
The National Building Museum (http://www.nbm.org)
401 F Street, NW, between 4th and 5th Streets. Wheelchair access at 4th and G streets. Created by an act of Congress in 1980, the National Building Museum is America's premier cultural institution dedicated to exploring and celebrating architecture, design, engineering, construction, and urban planning. The National Building Museum is open to the public Monday-Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm, and Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm. The Museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. There is no entrance fee, but there is a suggested $5 donation. Telephone: (202) 272-2448. Metro: Judiciary Square.
The National Geographic Society (http://www.nationalgeographic.com)
17th and M Street, NW. The National Geographic Society Headquarters is home to the National Geographic Museum at Explorer's Hall. View changing and permanent exhibitions on a variety of scientific, geographic, and cultural themes Monday-Saturday from 9am to 5pm and Sundays from 10am to 5pm. Telephone: (202) 857-7588. Metro: Farragut West or Farragut North.
The Newseum (http://www.newseum.org)
555 Pennsylvania Ave., NW. The world's first interactive museum of news — the Newseum — new location opened in 2008. Its mission was simple: to help the public and the news media understand one another better. The Newseum is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years Days. Groups of 15 or more are recommended to make reservations ahead of time.Tickets cost $20 for adults, $18 for seniors, and $13 for children.Telephone: (888) NEWSEUM (toll-free). Metro: Archives or Judiciary Square.
The Phillips Collection (http://www.phillipscollection.org)
1600 21st Street, NW. The Phillips Collection, opened in 1921, is America’s first museum of modern art. Featuring a renowned permanent collection of nearly 2,500 works by American and European impressionist and modern artists, the Phillips is internationally recognized for both its incomparable art and its intimate atmosphere. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am-5pm, and until 8:30pm on Thursdays. Sunday hours are 12am-6pm . Telephone: (202) 387-2151. Metro: Dupont Circle.
The Textile Museum (http://www.textilemuseum.org)
2320 S Street, NW. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday from 1pm to 5pm. Closed on all federal holidays and December 24th. Docent-led tours are offered Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm and Thursday from 1pm to 4pm. To schedule a docent-led tour contact the Education Department two weeks in advance at 202-667-0441, ext. 35. Highlight tours are introductory tours of the Museum and current exhibitions and are held weekly on Saturdays, and Sundays at 1:30pm, September through May. Telephone: (202) 667-0441. Metro: Dupont Circle.
The Smithsonian Institution (http://www.si.edu)
All Smithsonian Museums are free of charge and open daily, from 10am-5:30pm, except for December 25th. Extended summer hours vary from museum to museum. Telephone: (202) 633-1000.
For a map of the museums, visit http://www.si.edu/activity/planvis/dcmuseum.htm
Anacostia Community Museum ( www.anacostia.si.edu) 2405 Martin Luther King Avenue, SE. The Anacostia Neighborhood Museum explores American history, society, and creative expression from an African American perspective. The museum encourages the collection, protection, and preservation of materials that reflect the history and traditions of families, organizations, individuals, and communities. Open daily from 10am to 5pm. Telephone: 202-633-4820. Metro: From the Anacostia Metro Station, on the Green Line, transfer to a W2 or W3 bus, both of which have stops in front of the museum.
Arts and Industries ( www.si.edu/ai) 900 Jefferson Drive, SW. The Arts and Industries Building has a special role among Smithsonian buildings—as the original home of the National Museum. Designed in a High Victorian style by the Washington architectural firm of Cluss and Schulze, it opened in 1881 in time for the inaugural ball of President James A. Garfield. The building's exhibition halls are currently closed in preparation for renovation.
Freer Gallery of Art (www.si.edu/ai) Jefferson Drive and 12th Street, SW. The gallery houses a world-renowned collection of art from China, Japan, Korea, South and Southeast Asia, and the Near East. Visitor favorites include Chinese paintings, Japanese folding screens, Korean ceramics, Indian and Persian manuscripts, and Buddhist sculpture. Telephone: (202) 633-4880. Metro: Smithsonian.
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden (http://hirshorn.si.edu) Independence Avenue and Seventh Street, SW. The Hirshhorn's collection represents a broad range of modern and contemporary art by artists from around the world, including the United States, Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, and Asia. These holdings demonstrate the importance of particular artists in the history of modern art, including Willem de Kooning, Henri Matisse, Henry Moore, and Auguste Rodin. The museum also collects contemporary artworks, spanning the careers of such artists as Gerhard Richter and Ed Ruscha. Telephone: (202) 633-3382. Metro: L’Enfant Plaza.
National Air and Space Museum (http://www.nasm.si.edu/) Independence Avenue and Seventh Street, SW. The Smithsonian Institution's National Air and Space Museum maintains the largest collection of historic air and spacecraft in the world. It is also a vital center for research into the history, science, and technology of aviation and space flight, as well as planetary science and terrestrial geology and geophysics. Telephone: (202) 633-2563. Metro: L’Enfant Plaza.
National Gallery of Art (http://www.nga.gov) Fourth Street between the Mall and Constitution Avenue, NW. The National Gallery of Art houses one of the finest collections in the world illustrating major achievements in painting, sculpture, decorative arts, and works on paper from the Middle Ages to the present. Records on all of the more than 110,000 objects and images of more than 6,000 objects in the collection are available online. Telephone: (202) 737-4215. Metro: Archives, Judiciary Square, or Smithsonian.
National Museum of African Art (http://www.nmafa.si.edu/) 950 Independence Avenue, SW.The collection of the National Museum of African Art (NMAfA) embraces the diverse artistic expressions found throughout Africa, from ancient to contemporary times. Collection objects range from ceramics, textiles, furniture and tools to masks, figures and musical instruments. The arts of painting, printmaking, sculpture and other media are well represented by living artists whose works highlight individual creativity, address global and local art trends and innovatively transform artistic traditions into modern idioms. Telephone: (202) 633-4600. Metro: Smithsonian.
National Museum of American Art (http://americanart.si.edu/index3.cfm) Eighth and G Street, NW. The Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) is America's first federal art collection, dedicated to the enjoyment and understanding of American art. The museum celebrates the extraordinary creativity of our country's artists, whose works are windows on the American experience. Operating hours are from 11:30am-7pm. Telephone: (202) 633-1000. Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown.
National Museum of American History (http://americanhistory.si.edu/) 14th Street and Constitution Avenues, NW. The Museum collects and preserves more than 3 million artifacts. They display everything from the original Star-Spangled Banner and Abraham Lincoln’s top hat to Dizzy Gillespie’s angled trumpet and Dorothy’s ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz. Their collections form a vast and fascinating mosaic of American life. Telephone: (202) 633-1000. Metro: Federal Triangle and Smithsonian.
National Museum of the American Indian (http://www.nmai.si.edu/) Fourth Street and Independence Avenue, SW. The museum’s galleries and display spaces house both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The museum’s permanent exhibitions, Our Universes, Our Peoples, and Our Lives, represent important ideas and experiences in Native life and history. Temporary exhibitions will present individual artists’ works, explore specific themes in Indian culture, or bring objects from other institutions to the museum. The museum’s galleries also include cases containing study collections and outstanding objects from the museum's collections. Telephone: (202) 633-6644. Metro: L’Enfant Plaza.
National Museum of Natural History (http://www.mnh.si.edu/) Tenth Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. A large variety of exciting temporary and permanent exhibits are on display. Check the museum website to see the most recent additions to the museum. Permanent exhibits include dinosaur and other prehistoric and contemporary animal bones, fossils, the Hope Diamond, an insect zoo, and the most recent, permanent addition of “African Voices”, which pays tribute to African cultures and how they have had major global influence due to their diversity and dynamism. Also offers an IMAX theatre. Telephone: (202) 357-2700 Metro: Smithsonian and Federal Triangle.
National Portrait Gallery (http://www.npg.si.edu/) Eighth and F Street, NW. The National Portrait Gallery is the home of the famous “Lansdowne” portrait of George Washington, as well as portraits of notable Americans such as Marilyn Monroe and Shaquille O’Neal. Museum is open from 11:30am-7pm. Telephone: (202) 275-1738. Metro: Gallery Place-Chinatown
The National Postal Museum (http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/) - 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE. The National Postal Museum is located on the lower level of the historic City Post Office Building, which was constructed in 1914 and served as the Washington, D.C., post office from 1914 through 1986. The Museum occupies 75,000 square feet of the building with 23,000 square feet devoted to exhibition space. The Museum also houses a 6,000-square-foot research library, a stamp store and a museum shop. The Museum is open from 10am-5:30pm. Telephone: (202) 633-5555. Metro: Union Station.
Renwick Gallery (http://americanart.si.edu/renwick/index.cfm) Pennsylvania Avenue and 17th Street, NW. The Smithsonian American Art Museum's Renwick Gallery collects, exhibits, studies, and preserves American crafts and decorative arts from the nineteenth to twenty-first centuries. Housed in a historic architectural landmark across the street from the White House, the Renwick features one-of-a-kind pieces created from clay, fiber, glass, metal, and wood. Telephone: (202) 275-1693. Metro: Farragut West or Farragut North.
Arthur M. Sackler Gallery (http://www.asia.si.edu/) 1050 Independence Avenue, SW. The gallery opened in 1987 to house a gift of some 1,000 works of Asian art from Dr. Arthur M. Sackler (1913–1987), a research physician and medical publisher from New York City. Telephone: (202) 633-4880. Metro: Smithsonian.
Smithsonian Institution Building (The Castle Building) (http://www.si.edu/visit/infocenter/sicastle.htm) 1000 Jefferson Drive, SW. The Smithsonian's first building, popularly known as the Castle, houses the Institution’s administrative offices and the Smithsonian Information Center. Telephone: (202) 633-1000. Metro: Smithsonian.
National Zoological Park (http://www.nationalzoo.si.edu/)
3001 Connecticut Avenue, NW. From May 1st to September 15th the grounds are open 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and the buildings are open 10 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. From September 16th to April 30th the grounds are open 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and the buildings are open 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Telephone: (202) 673-4717. Metro: Woodley Park/Adams Morgan.
Other Places of Interest
National Aquarium (http://www.nationalaquarium.com)
14th Street between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenue, NW. The National Aquarium is located in the U.S. Department of Commerce Building, and contains tanks of fish, frogs, alligators, sharks, and more. Open daily from 9am to 5pm, but is closed on Christmas Day. Feeding of the animals is at 2pm daily. Admission is $5 for adults; $4 for seniors and Military Personnel; and $2 for children, ages 2-10; children under 2 are free. Phone: (202) 482-2825. Metro: Federal Triangle.
Plantations and Historic Mansions
Monticello (http://www.monticello.org) 931 Thomas Jefferson Parkway, Charlottesville, VA.
The home and plantation of Thomas Jefferson which was completed in 1809. Located near Charlottesville, Virginia, 120 miles southwest of Washington, D.C. Monticello is open 9am to 5pm, every day of the year except December 25th. Admission is $11 for adults; $6 for children 6-11; and free for children under 6. Thirty minute guided tours are available of the home and grounds. Telephone: (434) 984-9822.
Mount Vernon (http://www.mountvernon.org) 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Arlington, VA.
The home and final resting place of George and Martha Washington. Open to the public daily from 8am to 5pm from April through August; 9am to 4pm from September through March. Admission is $13.00 for adults; $6.00for Children 6-11; and free for Children 5 and under. Group rates are also available for a party of 20 or more. Telephone: (703)780-2000.
The Octagon House (http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/travel/wash/dc22.htm)
New York Avenue and 18th Street, NW. The Octagon House served as James Madison's White House following the destruction of the real White House by the British in 1814. The treaty of Ghent was also signed here, which ended the War of 1812. The house is now used for architectural exhibits. The Octagon House is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Tours run on the hour and half hour. The House is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Admission is $5 for adults; $3 for students and senior citizens. Telephone: (202) 638-3105. Metro: Farragut West or Farragut North.
Dumbarton Oaks (http://www.doaks.org)
1703 32nd Street, NW. When Robert and Mildred Bliss purchased Dumbarton Oaks in 1920, the hillside property included cowpaths and farm buildings. Over the next twenty years, the grounds were transformed into gardens by Beatrix Jones Farrand, who also worked on the private gardens of John Rockefeller, Jr. and the grounds at Yale University. Now almost a hundred years after the Blisses’ purchase, the former cowpath is a pleasant walk through crocus, scilla, and narcissus, and visitors can wander though ten acres of beautiful landscape, through small formal gardens, past a Roman-style amphitheater, and down Lovers Lane.
The garden is open daily, except on Federal Holidays and December 24 th and 25 th, from 2pm to 5pm. The museum is currently closed for renovations. Admission for the Garden from April through October is $5 for adults; and $3 for senior citizens and children. Admission for the Garden from November to March is free. Guided tours for the museums and gardens are available and must be arranged in advance. Telephone: (202) 339-6409. Metro Bus: 30, 32, 34, 36, D2, D4, and M12 buses have stops within two blocks of the entrance.
Sport/Concert Venues
Check these venues’ websites for up-to-date listings of events.
Merriweather Post Pavilion (http://www.merriweathermusic.com/)
Columbia, MD.Telephone: 410-715-5550
Verizon Center (http://www.verizoncenter.com) Washington, D.C. Sports and Entertainment Center. 601 F Street, NW.
Telephone: (202) 628-3200.
Nissan Pavilion at Stone Ridge ( http://www.nissanpavilion.com)
7800 Cellar Door Drive, Bristow, VA 20136. Telephone: (703) 754-6400.
Wolf Trap Farm Park for the Performing Arts (http://www.wolf-trap.org)
1551 Trap Road, Vienna, VA. The nation's first National Park for the Performing Arts offers opera, symphonic music, pop concerts, jazz and ballet. Telephone: (703) 255-1900.
Theaters
Check these theaters’ websites for up-to-date listings of events.
Arena Stage
(http://www.arena-stage.org/)
6th and Maine Avenue, SW.
Telephone: (202) 488-3300.
Discovery Theater
(http://discoverytheater.si.edu/)
Smithsonian's Arts and Industries Building, 900 Jefferson Drive, SW. Performances for young audiences.
Telephone: (202) 357-1500.
Ford’s Theatre
511 10th Street, NW.
Telephone: (202) 347-4833.
Kennedy Center for Performing Arts
New Hampshire Avenue at Rock Creek Parkway, NW.
Telephone: (800) 444-1324; (202) 467-4600.
The National Theatre
(http://www.nationaltheatre.org/)
1321 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW.
Telephone: (202) 628-6161.
The Shakespeare Theatre
(http://www.shakespearetheatre.org/)
450 7th Street, NW.
Telephone: (202) 547-1122.
The Studio Theatre (http://www.studiotheatre.org/)
1333 P Street, NW.
Telephone: (202) 332-3300.
Warner Theatre (http://www.warnertheatre.com/)
13th and E Street, NW.
Telephone: (202) 783-4000.
Washington Ballet
(http://www.washingtonballet.org/)
3515 Wisconsin Avenue, NW.
Telephone: (202) 362-3606.
Washington Symphony Orchestra (http://www.washingtonsymphony.org/)
2437 15th Street, NW.
Telephone: (202) 986-6030.
