Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz
Representing the 20th Congressional District of Florida
Visit Washington DC
Our office is pleased to be able to assist constituents in scheduling tours at several popular attractions in Washington, D.C. To request a tour, please call our Pembroke Pines office at (954) 437-3936.
Many tours in Washington, D.C. require advance notice, as they fill up very quickly due to high demand. While our office can assist you in acquiring tickets, there are no guarantees of availability.
The White House requires an absolute minimum of 30 days to process the required security information. Our office cannot process White House tour requests made less than 30 days in advance. Please note that White House tours are granted on a first-come, first-served basis.
School Tours - Our office can schedule tours for constituent school groups visiting Washington, D.C. Please give our office as much advanced notice as possible to accommodate your school group.
Self-Scheduled Tours - Keep in mind that most tour locations are open to the public and there are still opportunities to take the same tours without scheduling them through our office. You can use the information provided below to schedule tours at most locations on your own.
Tours our Office Can Schedule for Constituents:
The White House - http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/tours-and-events
Self-guided tours of the White House are available Tuesday through Saturday (excluding federal holidays). Tours are scheduled on a first-come-first-served basis and are free ofcharge. Requests can be submitted up to six months in advance and no less than 3 months in advance.
Please be aware that on September 4, 2009, President Obama announced that visitor access records to the White House Complex will be made publicly available 90 - 120 days after the date of visit. This policy includes all guests touring the White House. Should you tour the White House, your full name and the date of your visit will be part of the publicly released records. Your date of birth, Social Security Number, and all other information provided will not be released.
Metro: Metro Center, McPherson Square or Federal Triangle.
United States Capitol - http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/
Free, guided tours of the Capitol are conducted Monday through Saturday throughout the year. Tours of the Capitol last approximately an hour and reservations can be made through our office or through the Capitol Visitor’s Center website. If Congress is in session and you would like to observe from the galleries, please visit our office in the Cannon House Office Building, Room 118 to acquire passes.
Metro: Capitol South or Union Station.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
http://www.moneyfactory.gov/tours/washingtondctours.html
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP) is a great place to learn all about U.S. paper currency. The free 40-minute tour of the BEP includes an introductory film and gallery tour of the production process. The BEP is closed on weekends, Federal holidays, and the week between Christmas and New Years Day.
Congressional tours of the BEP take place Monday through Friday. Reservations should be made at least three months in advance.
Metro: Smithsonian
Museums, Monuments and Other Attractions:
U.S. Archives
http://www.archives.gov/nae/visit/
The National Archives is home of the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights which are housed in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom. Advance reservations to visit the National Archives are not required, but are highly recommended during peak tourist season. Reservations can be made by visiting the website. The National Archives is located at the corner of Constitution Avenue and 9th Street. Admission is free of charge.
Metro: Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter.
Arlington National Cemetery - http://www.arlingtoncemetery.org/
Arlington National Cemetery is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier occurs every hour on the hour and every half hour during the summer months.
Metro: Arlington Cemetery.
United States Botanic Gardens -
http://www.usbg.gov/
The United States Botanic Garden is a botanic garden run by the Congress of the United States. It is located on the U.S. Capitol Grounds campus near Garfield Circle. The building is divided into separate rooms, each one simulating a different habitat. The United States Botanic Garden is open daily from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and admission is free.
Metro: Capitol South or Federal Center SW
Department of State’s Diplomatic Reception Rooms
https://receptiontours.state.gov/
The Diplomatic Reception Rooms of the Department of State, which are used for official functions hosted by the Secretary of State and other high level government officials, hold a premier collection of 18th century American furniture, paintings and decorative arts. Guided tours are conducted Monday through Friday at 9:30 am, 10:30 am, and 2:45 pm. Tours are 45 minutes in duration. Reservations are required and should be made at least 2 months in advance.
Metro: Foggy Bottom
Florida House - www.myfloridaembassy.com
Founded in 1973 by Rhea Chiles as Florida's ‘embassy' in our nation's capital, Florida is the only state to have such a facility and enjoys approximately 10,000 visitors a year. Florida House serves as “home base” for tourists as well as the business community. The house is filled with art and period antiques donated by people from all over the state of Florida. Florida House provides gracious, unparalleled hospitality to all Floridians who come to our nation's capital and develops cultural and educational opportunities which enable Florida citizens to enrich their appreciation, knowledge, and involvement in our federal government. Florida House is located directly behind the Supreme Court at Number One Second Street, NE. With the exception of Federal Holidays, Florida House is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Metro: Capitol South
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum - http://www.ushmm.org/
The Holocaust Memorial Museum is a living memorial to the Holocaust and America’s national institution for the documentation, study, and interpretation of Holocaust history.
Admission to the museum is free of charge, but tickets are required. Tickets can be obtained at the museum on a first-come-first-served basis or reserved in advance online or by calling 877-80-USHMM. Please visit the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum website for updated museum hours.
Metro: Smithsonian
International Spy Museum - http://spymuseum.org/
The International Spy Museum is the first public museum in the United States dedicated solely to espionage. The museum features displays of spy-related artifacts, films and various interactive exhibits. Please visit the museum’s website for updated hours and admission pricing.
Metro: Chinatown/Gallery Place
Kennedy Center - http://www.kennedy-center.org/
The Kennedy Center tour highlights the historic events that led up to the establishment of a national cultural center, as well as an interactive exhibit on the life and presidency of John F. Kennedy. The tour also includes the majestic Hall of States Hall of Nations and five of the Center's main theaters, including its three grand performance halls (the Concert Hall, Opera House, and Eisenhower Theater). The Kennedy Center is accessible by the Foggy Bottom/George Washington University Metro Station (23rd and I Streets).
From the metro stop, it is a seven minute walk via New Hampshire Avenue, or you may use the Kennedy Center Show Shuttle free of charge. Signs for the shuttle are located toward the left as you exit the escalator. The shuttle departs every 15 minutes from 9:45 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Friday.
Library of Congress - http://www.loc.gov/visit/tours/
The Library of Congress offers hour-long, docent-led tours of the historic Thomas Jefferson Building. The Library of Congress offers public tours Monday through Saturday at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Please note there is no 3:30 p.m. tour on Saturdays. Reservations are not required. Admission to the Library of Congress is free of charge.
Metro: Union Station or Capitol South
Mount Vernon - http://www.mountvernon.org/visit/plan/index.cfm/pid/27/
Mount Vernon, President George Washington’s historic home estate, is located just 16 miles south of Washington, D.C on the banks of the Potomac River. The mansion, its grounds, and over a dozen outbuildings are open for tours 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Please visit the Mount Vernon website for updated information regarding ticket pricing, tour times and directions to the estate.
National Cherry Blossom Festival
http://www.nationalcherryblossomfestival.org/cms/index.php?id=390
The National Cherry Blossom Festival is an annual two-week event that celebrates springtime in Washington, as well as the cherry blossom trees that were a diplomatic gift from Japan in 1912. The dates of the festival vary from year to year so please visit the website for current information.
National Mall & Memorial Parks - http://www.nps.gov/nacc/index.htm
Please visit the National Parks Service website, which will help you find all of the monuments, memorials and gardens you will enjoy while visiting the National Mall.
National Museum of American Jewish Military History
This museum documents and preserves the contributions of Jewish Americans to the peace and freedom of the United States, and the sacrifices that they made while serving in the armed forces. The museum is located in Washington D.C.’s Dupont Circle neighborhood and is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Closed on certain federal and Jewish holidays. To schedule a tour, contact Mary Westley at 202-265-6280 extension 511.
Metro: Dupont Circle
Newseum - http://www.newseum.org/
The Newseum is a museum dedicated to the history of journalism and the First Amendment. A trip to the Newseum offers a unique opportunity to study our nation’s history through the lense of what previous and current generations have found newsworthy. Please note that the Newseum charges for admission. Updated pricing information and museum hours can be found on the Newseum’s website.
Metro: Archives-Navy Memorial-Penn Quarter.
Pentagon - http://pentagon.afis.osd.mil/index.html
The Pentagon is located in Arlington, Virginia. Tours of the Pentagon last about 60 minutes and follow a route that is approximately one and one half miles in length. Each tour includes the mission of the Department of Defense and each of its branches of service, and visits numerous displays that highlight and depict significant moments in military history. Tours of the Pentagon are free of charge and require reservations.
Metro: Pentagon
Smithsonian Institution - http://www.si.edu/museums/
The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum complex. The Smithsonian museums include the following: the African Art Museum, the National Air & Space Museum, the American Art Museum, the American History Museum, the American Indian Museum, the Freer & Sackler Asian Art Galleries, the Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden, the Natural History Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the National Postal Museum and the Renwick Gallery. Admission is free to all Smithsonian museums.
Supreme Court - http://www.supremecourtus.gov/
The Supreme Court building is open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with the exception of federal holidays. Public tours of the Supreme Court are conducted every hour on the half hour from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. when the court is not in session and do not require reservations. All visits to the Supreme Court are free of charge.
Metro: Capitol South or Union Station.
Washington Monument - http://www.nps.gov/wamo/index.htm
The Washington Monument is one of the most prominent structures in Washington, D.C. and one of the city's early attractions. It was built in honor of George Washington, who led the country to independence and then became its first President. The Monument is shaped like an Egyptian obelisk, stands 555’ 5 1/8” tall, and offers views in excess of thirty miles. It was finished on December 6, 1884. Admission to the Washington Monument is free, but requires reservations. Please visit the website to make a reservation.
Metro: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle
Getting Around Washington:
Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority
http://www.wmata.com/
Most of the attractions listed above are accessible by public transportation. Please visit the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority website for bus and metro maps.
