Washington, D.C. Tour Information

Find additional tourist information here or send me an e-mail for further assistance.

Please note: Since September 11, 2001, many tour procedures have changed. Use the phone numbers here to find the most current information on what is open to the public.

These guidelines may change at any time. Please call my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-2441 before your trip to get any updated information.

Capitol Tours

(202) 226-8000

Capitol tours are open to the public. Tours must be scheduled in advance and can easily be arranged by calling my Washington, D.C. office at (202) 224-2441. You may also book your tour online using the Advance Reservation System .

Find more information about visiting the Capitol and the new Capitol Visitor's Center (opening December 2, 2008) here .

Items that are prohibited in the Capitol Building include the following: aerosol and non-aerosol sprays; cans and bottles; oversized suitcases, duffle bags and oversized backpacks; knives of any length; razors and box cutters; mace and pepper spray.

Senate Office Buildings

(202) 224-3121

The Russell, Dirksen and Hart Senate Office Buildings are located on Constitution Avenue on the north side of the Capitol. These buildings house the offices of all 100 Senators and the 21 standing committees of the U.S. Senate.

These buildings are open to the public. Committee schedules are published daily in the "Today In Congress" column of the Washington Post.

House Office Buildings

(202) 224-3121

The Longworth, Cannon and Rayburn House Office Buildings are located on Independence Avenue on the south side of the Capitol grounds. They house the offices of all 435 members of the House of Representatives and the 20 standing House Committees and one permanent select committee.

These buildings are open to the public. Committee schedules are published daily in the "Today In Congress" column of the Washington Post.

The Library of Congress

(202) 707-8000

"America's Library" contains more than 75 million volumes and is a world-renowned research center for scholars. Special exhibitions - including a permanent display of the Gutenberg Bible, the first book printed with movable type - make the Library of Congress a favorite tourist attraction as well.

Free 30-minute tours leave from the visitor's center in Thomas Jefferson Building at 11:30 a.m., 1:30, and 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. Groups of 10 or more should contact the tour office at least three to four weeks in advance.

The Madison Building also has a public cafeteria on the top floor offering an excellent view of downtown Washington.

The United States Supreme Court

(202) 479-3499

"Equal Justice Under Law" is the promise above the entrance of the Supreme Court building. Court sessions begin the first Monday in October and continue two weeks per month through April. Courtroom seats are available to visitors on a first-come, first-served basis when the Court is in session. Twenty-minute courtroom lectures are available every hour on the half-hour when the Court is not in session. Group tours are available and must be made in advance.

9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Monday through Friday
Closed holidays and during August

The White House

(202) 456-7041

Requests for public tours must be submitted through my office at least one month in advance. These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (excluding federal holidays). The White House does not approve or deny tour requests until one week before the requested date. Unfortunately, due to the high volume of requests, the majority of requests are not accepted. I encourage you to submit your request as early as possible. All White House tours are free of charge.

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