Washington DC Tourism Information

With so many cultural and historical attractions in the Washington, D.C. area, planning a trip can be very challenging. As a service to the residents of Minnesota's Fourth Congressional District, my office can provide information on the area's attractions and schedule tours for the U.S. Capitol, Supreme Court, and other federal buildings.

Tickets for all tours are limited. We fill requests on a first-come, first-serve basis, and all tours are subject to availability. Please make your requests approximately 8 to 10 weeks in advance.

To request a tour, please complete our online tour request form or call (202) 225-6631.

The following information may also be helpful in making your travel plans to Washington, D.C.

The Capitol:

  • Congressional Tours: Available Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM.
  • Public Tours: Available Monday through Saturday from 8:50 AM to 3:20 PM.
  • Metro stops: Capitol South and Union Station

White House:

  • Congressional Tours: Available Tuesday through Thursday from 7:30 AM to 11:00 AM, on Friday from 7:30 AM to 12:00 PM, and on Saturday from 7:30 AM to 1:00 PM.
  • The White House Visitor Center: Open from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM and features many aspects of the White House, including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events, and relations with the press and world leaders, as well as a 30-minute video. Allow between 20 minutes to one hour to explore the exhibits. There is also a gift shop available.
  • Metro stops: Metro Center or McPherson Square.

Supreme Court:

  • Congressional Lectures: Monday through Friday at 1:45 PM on days that the Court is not sitting.
  • Public Courtroom Lectures: Monday through Friday every hour on the half-hour on days that the Court is not sitting, beginning at 9:30 AM and concluding at 3:30 PM.
  • The building is open from 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM Monday - Friday. The Supreme Court offers a variety of educational programs. Exhibits, which are changed periodically, and a theater, where a film on the Supreme Court is shown, are located on the ground floor.
  • Courtroom Seating: All oral arguments are open to the public, but seating is limited and on a first-come, first-seated basis. Before a session begins, two lines form on the plaza in front of the building. One is for those who wish to attend an entire argument, and the other, a three-minute line, is for those who wish to observe the Court in session only briefly. Please do not hold a space in either line for others who have not yet arrived.
    • Seating for the first argument begins at 9:30 AM and seating for the three-minute line begins at 10 AM.
    • Visitors should be aware that cases may attract large crowds with lines forming before the building opens.
  • Metro stops: Capitol South or Union Station

Library of Congress:

  • Congressional Tours: Monday through Friday at 8:30 AM, 1:45 PM, and 3:45 PM.
  • Public Tours: Monday through Saturday at 10:30 AM, 11:30 AM, 1:30 PM, 2:30 PM, and 3:30 PM. There are no 3:30 PM tours on Saturday and the first tour is at 9:30 AM on federal holidays.
    • No reservations or tickets are required for public tours.
  • Metro stops: Capitol South or Union Station

The National Archives:

  • Congressional Tours: Monday through Friday at 9:45 AM.
  • Public Tours: Monday through Sunday from 10:00 AM until 30 minutes prior to closing.
  • Metro stops: Archives-Navy Memorial or Federal Triangle

Bureau of Engraving and Printing:

  • Congressional Tours: Monday through Friday at 8:15 AM and 8:45 AM. From April through August tours are also offered at 4:00 PM, 4:15 PM, 4:30 PM, and 4:45 PM.
  • Public Tours: Go to http://moneyfactory.gov/tours/washingtondctours.html for additional information.
  • Metro stop: Smithsonian

Kennedy Center:

  • Congressional Tours: Daily at 9:30 AM and Monday through Friday at 4:30 PM.
  • Public Tours: Weekdays from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Weekends from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM.
    • Public tours begin every 10 minutes. Walk-ins are welcome.
  • Every day at 6 PM the Kennedy Center has free performances on the Millennium Stage.
  • Metro stops: Foggy Bottom/GWU. A free shuttle bus is offered from Foggy Bottom Metro Station that goes directly to the Kennedy Center every twenty minutes.

Treasury:

  • Congressional Tours: Saturdays at 9:00, 9:45, 10:30 and 11:15 AM.

National Cathedral:

  • Congressional Tours: Mondays and Wednesdays at 9:00 AM.
  • Public Tours: A number of public tours are offered.

Washington Monument: (CURRENTLY CLOSED AS A RESULT OF DAMAGE FROM EARTHQUAKE)

  • Make reservations online. Tickets are available for tours from 9:00 AM to 4:45 PM.
  • Free tickets are available at the foot of the Washington Monument. The tickets go quickly on busy travel days. During the summer, arrive at the monument before 7:00 AM. This will improve your chances of getting tickets for the day. You can pick up tickets for up to 6 people, including yourself, so everyone in your party does not need to wait with you.
  • Metro stop: Smithsonian

National Mall Ranger Led Bike Tours:

  • Join National Park Service Rangers every Saturday and Sunday from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM for free guided bike tours of the Nation's Capital.

The tour season begins Saturday, March 24 and concludes Sunday, November 25, 2010. All tours begin at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial and last approximately three hours.

  • Metro stops: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle                                                                                                                         

The Eisenhower Executive Office Building (Old Executive Office Building):

  • Public tours: Available on Saturday mornings by advance reservation only. To make a reservation, please call the Reservation Office between the hours of 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM, Tuesdays or Wednesdays at 202-395-5895. You must provide the legal name, date of birth, country of citizenship, and Social Security number for each visitor.
  • Metro stops: Farragut North or Farragut West

 

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