Visiting Washington

A trip to the nation’s capital can be an exciting and educational experience for a family vacation or a class trip. Visiting Washington can be made all the more memorable with a tour of the many historical landmarks that symbolically represent the spirit and influence of the United States. The office of Senator Blumenthal is more than happy to assist in submitting tour requests to the Capitol, White House, Bureau of Printing and Engraving, and the Pentagon on behalf of constituents from Connecticut. Although Senator Blumenthal’s office does play a role in the request submission process, it is important to keep in mind that the decision on a tour’s confirmation lies solely with the tour offices of these agencies and is not guaranteed.

White House

The White House is open to self-guided group tours of any size that typically run for 45 minutes to an hour. Tours are scheduled Tuesday through Thursday from 7:30 AM to 11:00AM, Friday from 7:30AM to 12:00PM, and Saturday from 7:30AM to 1:00PM. Tours are not offered on Sundays or Mondays. Due to the number of tour requests that the White House receives on a daily basis, a two to three month window is recommended for submissions. A request cannot be submitted within 21 days of the desired date and no earlier than six months in advance. Although rare, White House tours can be subject to last minute cancellations and rescheduling.

Capitol Tour

Capitol tours are offered Monday through Saturday from 8:30AM to 4:30PM and are led by professional guides. Visitors may view Congress in action from the galleries of the House and Senate floors. The floor galleries are open from 9:00AM to 4:30PM every Monday through Friday that Congress is in session. Gallery passes can be obtained at Senator Blumenthal’s office, which is located in suite number 702 of the Hart Senate Office Building. It is recommended that Capitol tours be booked at least one month in advance.

Bureau of Printing and Engraving

The Bureau offers tours Monday through Friday at 8:15AM and 8:45AM. Between the months of April and August additional tours run every fifteen minutes between 4:00PM and 5:00PM. Tour groups are limited to ten people or fewer, and it is recommended that a window of at least two months be given for a request submission.

Pentagon Tour

Requests to tour the Pentagon can be sent no later than eight days in advance and no earlier than 90 days in advance. Due to high security and the number of requests submitted, tours of the Pentagon are very difficult to obtain.