| Visiting Washington, DC |
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My office is pleased to offer assistance in planning your trip to Washington, DC. The listing of tours below is divided into three sections, indicating tours that only allow Congressional requests, tours that have options for both public tours and Congressional requests, and additional tours that may interest you while you are visiting DC. For requests besides the Congressional staff-led Capitol tour, I cannot guarantee availability or timing of tours, as each agency makes its own decisions about requests submitted to it. Please note that during peak tourist season (March through August), Congressional tours fill up quickly, which means that you should request tours for that time period as far in advance as possible. Please click here to submit a tour request.
Opportunities that Require Congressional Requests
White House Metro Stop: Federal Triangle or Metro Center These self-guided tours of the East Wing are reserved on a first-come, first-served basis and, regrettably, are not guaranteed. Tours are available Tuesday through Saturday, and visitors are assigned an entrance time. Tours start as early as 7:30 am and they end at 11:00 am Tuesday through Thursday, 12:00 pm on Friday, and 1:00 pm on Saturday. I submit the tour requests I receive to the White House, and they, in turn, approve and schedule the tours. Unfortunately, the White House has been accepting only a very limited number of congressional tour requests. You will have a better chance of securing a spot if you make your request early. Typically, we have found that only tour requests that are submitted six months in advance will be scheduled by the White House, although they do allow requests to be made as late as 31 days in advance, and they have been making efforts to increase the availability of tours. The White House will notify my office if the tour is scheduled or denied about 2 weeks before the requested tour date. I will, in turn, notify you as soon as I have heard from them. All attendees aged 16 and above are required to submit their name, date of birth, Social Security number, city and state of residence, gender, and country of citizenship to their Congressional office for a background check by the U.S. Secret Service. Attendees under the age of 16 do not need to submit their Social Security number. Approved tours are also subject to last minute cancellations due to special events, emergencies, etc. Please click here to download a copy of the security information form.
United States Department of the Treasury Reception Rooms (Please note that this tour does not include the printing of money, which can be seen on the tour of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing) Metro Stop: Federal Triangle or Metro Center Tours of the Main Treasury Building are conducted on Saturdays with advance reservations made through Congressional offices. The Historic Treasury Building tour program is operated by the Office of the Curator. All attendees are required to submit their name, date of birth, and Social Security number to their Congressional office. Please click here to download a copy of the security information form.
National Park Service Monuments Tours Location: Tour leaves from the Department of the Interior, 1849 C Street, NW This tour is guided by a National Park Service Ranger and visits many of the famous sites around DC, including the Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, Ford’s Theater, FDR Memorial, World War II Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Veterans Memorial, Korean War Memorial, Arlington Cemetery. The tour lasts from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm with a one hour lunch break. Thirteen spots are available every weekday for this tour, which means that this tour is extremely unlikely to have openings. Please note that you can still visit all of the locations listed without being a part of a guided tour.
Opportunities that Offer Congressional Tours
United States Capitol (Congressional Staff-led tours or Visitor’s Center group tours) Metro Stop: Capitol South The Capitol is the most recognized symbol of democratic government in the world. Located in the center of the city, it houses the legislative branch of our government. Tours led by my staff are given Monday through Friday, except for federal holidays. These tours last approximately 120 minutes. Visitors will also receive a Gallery pass to view the proceedings on the House floor when the House of Representatives is in session. Groups of larger than 45 people or individuals wishing to reserve a different time than is available with my staff can join one of the group tours led by the visitor’s center. I can assist in reserving those as well, or you can reserve that directly by going to www.visitthecapitol.gov
Bureau of Engraving & Printing Location: 14th & C Streets, SW This is the place to see how United States paper currency is printed. School groups or small groups of 10 or less can have Members of Congress request a Congressional tour. Tours are offered Monday through Friday, and must be requested at least six weeks prior to your tour date, as space is limited. If the reserved tour is full, you still have other options for visiting the bureau. During March - August, you can tour the bureau by obtaining free, same-day tickets that are distributed at 8:00 am on a first-come, first-served basis at the ticket booth on Raoul Wallenberg place (formerly 15th Street). During September - February, you do not need a ticket but can instead wait in line at the Visitor Entrance on 14th Street. Tours last approximately 45 minutes.
Library of Congress Location: Jefferson Building; 1st Street & Independence, SE Our country's national library contains over 75 million volumes. The Library of Congress offers five walk-up tours daily Monday through Saturday. Congressional tours are at 8:30 am and 1:45 pm, Monday through Friday. Tours last approximately one hour.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Location: New Hampshire Avenue at Rock Creek Parkway, NW The Kennedy Center, located on 17 acres overlooking the Potomac River, is America's living memorial to President Kennedy as well as the nation's busiest arts facility, presenting more than 3,000 performances each year. Public tours are available every ten minutes from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm on weekdays and until 1:00 pm on weekends. Congressional Tours for groups of 10 or less are available Monday through Friday at 9:30 am and 4:30 pm. This tour is conducted by "Friends of the Kennedy Center " volunteers and lasts approximately one hour. Visitors should go to the Tour Desk on Parking Level A.
National Archives Location: 700 Pennsylvania Ave, NW The National Archives Experience is home to the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights which are housed in the Rotunda for the Charters of Freedom; the Public Vaults permanent exhibit gallery; the Lawrence F. O'Brien temporary exhibit gallery; the Boeing Learning Center; and the William G. McGowan Theater. The National Archives Experience is open every day except Thanksgiving and Christmas (see Museum Hours for operating schedule). Reservations are not required for individuals or groups wishing to enter the National Archives Experience through the general public entrance. The general public entrance is located at the corner of Constitution Avenue and 9th Street. Congressional offices can request reservations for the 9:45 am guided tour, but the number of available spots on the guided tour is extremely limited.
National Cathedral Location: Massachusetts & Wisconsin Avenues, NW The National Cathedral is the second-largest Gothic cathedral in the United States. From the cathedral, you may view the nation's capitol or simply enjoy the peaceful gardens and the beauty of the cathedral. Tours occur every half hour on weekdays from 10:00 am to 11:30 am or 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Saturday tours are every half hour from 10:00 am to 11:30 am or 12:45 pm to 3:30 pm. Sunday tours are every half hour from 1:00 pm to 2:30 pm. Congressional tours can be scheduled on Monday and Wednesday, beginning promptly at 9:00 am and lasting approximately 45 minutes. Regular fees apply ($5 per adult; $3 per senior citizen, student, or military; $15 per family).
Mount Vernon Location: George Washington Memorial Parkway Mount Vernon is the historic home of George Washington and his family, with 500 acres of the original estate preserved. The estate allows visitors to see 20 structures and 50 acres of gardens as they existed in 1799, including Washington's mansion and the tombs of George and Martha Washington. Congressional walking tours of the estate and gardens are offered every day June 1 - August 31 at 8:45 am. Regular fees apply ($15 per adult, $14 per senior citizen, $7 for youth ages 6-11, and free for children 5 and under).
United States Department of State Diplomatic Reception Rooms Metro Stop: Foggy Bottom/GWU 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, are open for pre-arranged tours at no charge. These rooms hold a premier collection of 18th century American furniture, paintings and decorative arts. You may see a preview of the collection on the Diplomatic Reception Rooms website. 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 approximately 90 days in advance, due to the large volume of requests. This is a fine arts tour. We do not recommend the tour for children under the age of 12. Strollers are not permitted and there are no facilities for storage of personal belongings.
Pentagon Metro Stop: Pentagon The program, under the purview of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs, hosts more than 100,000 visitors annually. The tour lasts for approximately 60 minutes and follows 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.
Supreme Court Metro Stop: Capitol South (Blue/Orange) or Union Station (Red) Docents from the Supreme Court lead visitors on tours of the building. The tours last for about 30 minutes and will introduce guests of all ages to the history, architecture, and the judicial functions of the Supreme Court. These tours, also called lectures, occur every hour on the half-hour from 9:30am-3:30pm. However, if the Court is in session, tours (lectures) are only held after the Court has adjourned for the day. For more information about the tours, the Supreme Court, and the Supreme Court’s schedule, please visit the website indicated above.
Smithsonian Institution Metro: Smithsonian (Blue/Orange) or Judiciary Square (Red) Most of the Smithsonian museums are open 7 days a week (expect December 25) from 10am-5:30pm. The museums include the Air and Space Museum, the American Art Museum, the Natural History Museum, and the National Zoo. Admission is free, and most of the museums also offer free tours.
Holocaust Museum Metro: Smithsonian The United States Holocaust Museum is a memorial to the tragedy and horror of the Holocaust, and a reminder of genocides that continue in the present day. The museum is a great tool to educate visitors about this history through its mission to remember the millions of victims and survivors. Please consider visiting during your stay in Washington DC. The museum is open 7 days a week and admission is free. If you are interested in specifically seeing the permanent exhibition, The Holocaust, passes are required during the busy season of March-August. Please see the above website to learn more about the passes and other helpful information.
National Mall and Memorial Parks Metro: Foggy Bottom or Smithsonian (Blue/Orange) Sites on the National Mall include: Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, Jefferson Memorial, World War II Memorial, Korean War Memorial and Vietnam War Memorial. More information about tours and special events can be found on the National Park Service website.
Voice of America Studio Tour Metro Stop: Federal Center SW Voice of America, located minutes from the Capitol, is a multimedia international broadcasting service operating under the Broadcasting Board of Governors. In 1942, the VOA began broadcasting to deliver reliable news to people living in closed and war-torn societies. Today the VOA broadcasts news, information, educational, and cultural programming to an estimated worldwide audience of 125 million people. Tours of the Voice of America studio are free and available Monday through Friday 12pm and 3 p.m. This tour lasts approximately 45 minutes.
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