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Washington DC Tourism Information
**Click attraction titles to view their webpage!
Capitol Hill
Located atop Jenkins Hill, the Capitol building is the seat of the United States Congress and the meeting place for both the House and Senate Chambers. The building was originally designed by William Thornton and later modified by Henry Latrobe in a neoclassical style, taking design cues from both the Louvre and the Paris Parthenon. Since Construction began in 1973, the Capitol has been burnt down, rebuilt, extended, and restored. Today, it stands as a monument not only to its founders and builders but also to the American people and their government.
Location – East Capitol Street and First Street, NE. The closest Metro stations are the Capitol South Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line and the Union Station Metro Station on the Red line.
Hours of Operation – The Capitol Visitor Center is open to visitors from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday – Saturday except for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and Inauguration Day. Tours of the U.S. Capitol are conducted from 8:50 AM to 3:20 PM, Monday – Saturday.
Admission – Admission is free; reservations through my Washington office.
Located adjacent to the Library of Congress, the Folger Shakespeare Library is home to the world's largest and finest collection of Shakespeare materials and also to major collections of rare Renaissance books, manuscripts, and works of art. The Folger serves a wide audience of researchers, visitors, teachers, students, families, and theater- and concert-goers. It is active in publishing and conservation as well as in putting on public programs of plays, concerts, literary readings, family activities, and exhibitions.
Location – 201 E Capitol Street, SE. The closest Metro station is the Capitol South Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 5 PM, Monday – Saturday. 12 PM to 5 PM, Sunday. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free, performance tickets through the Library website.
United States Library of Congress
Located across the street from the Capitol, the Library of Congress is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States and is also the national library of the United States and the research library of Congress. Come visit the Library and experience the world’s largest collection of knowledge, culture, and creativity. Take a tour, visit exhibitions, and enjoy activities for kids and families.
Location – 101 Independence Avenue, SE. The closest Metro stations are the Capitol South Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line and the Union Station Metro Station on the Red line.
Hours of Operation – 8:30 AM to 5 PM. The library is closed to the public on Sundays, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas and New Year's Holidays. Tours are offered Monday – Friday 10:30 AM to 3:30 PM and Saturday 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM.
Admission – Admission is free; reservations through my Washington office.
Located across the street from the Capitol, the Supreme Court serves as our nation’s highest judicial court and final arbiter of federal constitutional law. Visitors are encouraged to come visit and take advantage of a variety of educational programs available including courtroom lectures, a visitors' film, and periodically changing exhibitions.
Location – 1 First Street, NE. The closest Metro stations are the Capitol South Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line and the Union Station Metro Station on the Red line.
Hours of Operation – 9 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday – Friday.
Admission – Admission is free; reservations through my Washington office.
Presidential Memorials
Things to know...
Park Regulations – Federal laws prohibit smoking, bicycling or skating, eating, drinking, and certain other activities inside memorial spaces. Pets are excluded from most memorials. Feeding wildlife is not prohibited.
Walking – Many visitors are surprised by the amount of walking they do in the park. Plan to wear appropriate shoes for standing for long periods of time and walking long distances.
Overlooking the Reflecting Pool, the Lincoln Memorial honors the 16th President in a large replica of a Greek Doric temple. Inside this Memorial is a large seated sculpture of the former President and inscriptions of two of his most popular speeches, the Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address. This Memorial space also holds great importance as a place of civic mobilization and has been the site of many famous speeches, including Martin Luther King's "I Have a Dream" speech.
Location – 2 Lincoln Memorial Circle, NW. The closest Metro stations are the Foggy Bottom Metro Station and the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 24 hours a day. Rangers are on duty to answer questions from 9:30 AM to 11:30 PM daily and to provide interpretive programs every hour on the hour from 10 AM until 11 PM.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
Located on the edge of the Tidal Basin, the FDR Memorial takes visitors on a walk through time as FDR’s four terms in office are chronicled through quotes carved in stone and bronze. This Memorial is spread over 7.5 acres and traces 12 years of the history of the United States through a sequence of four outdoor rooms, one for each of FDR's terms of office.
Location – 1850 West Basin Drive, SW. The closest Metro station is the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 24 hours a day. Rangers are on duty to answer questions from 9:30 AM to 11:30 PM daily and to provide interpretive programs every hour on the hour from 10 AM until 11 PM.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Perhaps the most prominent structure in Washington, this 555-foot marble obelisk is located right in the middle of the National Mall within view of the Capitol, White House and both Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials. Honoring our nation's first President, George Washington, this memorial stands as a tribute to the key role he played in founding our great nation and forming its democratic institutions. Construction began in 1848, but the monument would not be finished until 1884 due to a lack of funding and the outbreak of the American Civil War. A subtle difference in the shading of marble attests to the interruption of construction. Hop on a short elevator ride to the top for spectacular views of the city and surrounding monuments.
Location – 2 15th Street, NW. The closest Metro station is the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line
Hours of Operation – 9 AM to 5 PM daily, September 2 - May 11; and 9 AM to 10 PM daily, May 12 - September 1. Closed on July 4 and Christmas Day.
Admission – Free same-day tickets may be picked up at the Washington Monument Lodge on 15th St. Advance tickets may be purchased for $1.50 on the website.
Located on the shore of the Tidal Basin near the FDR Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial is dedicated to Founding Father and third President Thomas Jefferson. This large domed memorial pays homage with a 19-foot bronze statue and excerpts from the Declaration of Independence, which was drafted by Jefferson as a member of the Continental Congress. Most prominent are the words inscribed inside the dome which read, “I have sworn upon the altar of God eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man.”
Location – 900 Ohio Drive, SW. The closest Metro station is the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 24 hours a day. Tours are offered every hour between 10 AM and 11 PM.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Veterans Memorials
Located adjacent to the Reflecting Pool, the Korean War Veterans Memorial honors those US servicemen and women who bravely served our country in the Korean War. This Memorial was dedicated on July 27, 1995 to commemorate the 42nd anniversary of the Korean Armistice Agreement, and features the statues of 19 US soldiers, a large black granite wall sandblasted with photos depicting the war, and a reflective Pool of Remembrance.
Location – 10 Daniel French Drive, SW. The closest Metro station is the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 24 hours a day. Rangers are on duty to answer questions from 9:30 AM to 11:30 PM daily and to provide interpretive programs every hour on the hour from 10:00 AM until 11:00 PM.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located adjacent to the Reflecting Pool, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors those US servicemen and women who served in the Vietnam War and includes the names of over 58,000 of those servicemen and women who gave their lives in the service of our country. The names of the US soldiers who sacrificed their lives are engraved on a sunken black wall, allowing visitors to lay wreaths at the wall’s base and take “rubbings” of particular names. The Memorial also includes "The Three Servicemen" statue and the Vietnam Women's Memorial.
Location – 5 Henry Bacon Drive, NW. The closest Metro stations are the Foggy Bottom Metro Station and the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 24 hours a day. Rangers are available day and night to assist visitors.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located between the Reflective Pool and the Washington Monument, the World War II Memorial is a reminder of the sacrifice of “The Greatest Generation” of Americans. This Memorial features 56 pillars, each inscribed with a state, district, or territory that provided troops during the war, and a pair of triumphal arches situated around a large plaza and fountain. Join a Ranger program or guided tour to learn more about the Memorial.
Location – 17th Street, SW. The closest Metro station is the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 24 hours a day. Rangers are on duty to answer questions from 9:30 AM to 11:30 PM daily and to provide interpretive programs every hour on the hour from 10 AM until 11 PM.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Established on the site of the Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s Arlington Estate across the Potomac River in Virginia, Arlington serves as the final resting place for more than 14,000 veterans dating back to the Civil War. This sprawling cemetery is spread out over 624 acres and is home to a number of memorials including the popular Tomb of the Unknown Soldier which has been perpetually guarded by the US Army since July 2, 1937.
Location – 1 Memorial Drive, Arlington, VA. The closest Metro station is the Arlington Cemetery Metro Station on the Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 7 days a week, year round. 8 AM to 7 PM, April – September; and 8 AM to 5 PM, October – March.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located on the National Mall, the African Art Museum exhibits the finest examples of traditional and contemporary art from the entire continent of Africa. This museum holds the largest publicly held collection of African art in the United States with some 9,000 art objects in its collection. It was founded in 1964 in the Frederick Douglass House until it was moved to the National Mall in 1979.
Location – 950 Independence Avenue, SW. Located in the Enid A. Haupt Garden near the Smithsonian Castle and the Sackler Gallery. The closest Metro station is the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Tours offered Saturdays, Sundays, and Tuesdays at 10:30 AM, 12 AM, and 1 PM. Closed on Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located on the National Mall, the Air and Space Museum features twenty-three galleries exhibiting hundreds of aircraft, spacecraft, missiles, rockets, and other flight-related artifacts. Among its impressive collection are the 1903 Wright Flyer, the Spirit of St. Louis, SpaceShipOne, the Apollo 11 command module, and the Hubble Space Telescope Test Vehicle.
Location – 600 Independence Avenue, SW. The closest Metro station is the L’Enfant Metro Station on the Orange/Blue and Yellow/Green lines.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Tours offered at 10:30 AM and 1 PM. Closed on Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed
Air and Space Museum – Udvar-Hazy Center
Located next to Dulles International Airport, the Udvar-Hazy annex to the Air and Space Museum displays hundreds of aviation and space artifacts that are too large to exhibit in the museum on the National Mall, as well as thousands of other small flight-related artifacts. This museum is home to the Space Shuttle Discovery, B-29 Superfortress Enola Gay, Concorde, the Lockheed Martin SR-71 Blackbird, and Boeing Stratoliner.
Location – 14390 Air and Space Museum Parkway, Chantilly, Virginia. No Metro service.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Tours offered at 10:30 AM and 1 PM. Closed on Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located across the street from the Verizon Center in the Old Patent Office Building, The American Art Museum features one of the world's largest and most inclusive collections of art made in the United States, from the colonial period to the present. With more than 7,000 artists represented in the collection, the Museum covers art from all different regions and art movements.
Location – 8th and F Street, NW. The closest Metro station is the Gallery Place – Chinatown Metro Station on the Red and Yellow/Green lines.
Hours of Operation – 11:30 AM to 7 PM daily. All tours are subject to guide availability. Closed on Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located on the National Mall, the American History Museum is devoted to the scientific, cultural, social, technological, and political development of the United States. With more than three million artifacts under its conservation, this Museum offers an unparalleled look into American life and culture. It is home to the Star-Spangled Banner, the flag that inspired the national anthem, General George Washington’s uniform, Jefferson’s lap desk, and even Dorothy’s rub red slippers from The Wizard of Oz.
Location – 1400 Constitution Avenue, NW. The closest Metro stations are the Smithsonian Metro Station and the Federal Triangle Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Tour times vary; please refer to the museum’s visitors page. Closed on Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located on the National Mall, the American Indian Museum was established by the National Museum of the American Indian Act of 1989 as "a living memorial to Native Americans and their traditions.” The current site was opened in 2004 and is home to one of the largest and most diverse collections of Native art and historical and cultural objects. Each exhibition is carefully designed in collaboration with Native communities from across the hemisphere.
Location – 4th Street and Independence Avenue, SW. The closest Metro station is the L’Enfant Metro Station on the Orange/Blue and Yellow/Green line.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Tours offered Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday; 2 to 3 PM. Closed on Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Freer and Sackler Galleries of Art
Located on the National Mall, the Freer and Sackler Galleries form the national museum of Asian art at the Smithsonian. These galleries cover an expansive region of Asian art from East and South Asia, but also include works from Islamic regions, Ancient Egypt, and even North America. They were built upon the generous contributions of Charles Freer and Arthur M Sackler, and have grown into an indispensible resource for researchers and visitors alike.
Location – 1050 Independence Avenue, SW. The closest Metro station is the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue lines.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Tour times vary; please refer to the visitors page. Closed on Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
Located on the National Mall, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden displays the art of our time in its iconic cylindrical building, adjoining plaza, and sunken sculpture garden. The Museum features an in-depth collection of modern masters as well as emerging artists, cutting-edge films, and sculptures by Rodin, Matisse, and Moore in a pleasant outside garden.
Location – 700 Independence Avenue, SW. The closest Metro station is the L’Enfant Metro Station on the Orange/Blue and Yellow/Green lines.
Hours of Operation – Museum: 10 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Plaza: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Sculpture Garden: 7:30 AM to dusk. Tours offered 12 PM – 4 PM. Closed on Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located on the National Mall, the Museum of Natural History features a large number of exhibitions focusing on the earliest human origins, development of world cultures, and ancient and modern mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles, insects, and sea creatures. Popular attractions include the Hope Diamond, a full Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, and a live butterfly pavilion. As home to some 185 professional natural history scientists, this Museum also features the largest group of scientists dedicated to the study of natural and cultural history in the world.
Location – 10th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. The closest Metro stations are the Smithsonian Metro Station and the Federal Triangle Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Self-guided tours available. Closed on Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed
Located next to Union Station in the Old Post office Building, the National Postal Museum was created by an agreement between the Smithsonian Institution and the United States Postal Service in 1990 and opened to the public in 1993. It features a number of interactive exhibitions relating to the history of the Postal Service as well as an extensive stamp collection.
Location – 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE. The closest Metro station is the Union Metro Station on the Red line.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 5:30 PM, 7 days a week. Tours offered 11 AM and 1 PM. Closed on Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located a metro stop above Dupont Circle, The National Zoo is one of the United States’ oldest zoos and home to approximately 2,000 animals representing nearly 400 species, of which about a quarter are endangered. Come see giant pandas, Asian elephants, white-naped cranes, western lowland gorillas, Sumatran tigers, cheetahs, and more.
Location – 3001 Connecticut Avenue, NW. The closest Metro stations are the Woodley Park-Zoo/Adams Morgan or Cleveland Park Metro Station on the Red line.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 6 PM daily, April – October; 10 AM to 4:30 PM daily, November – March. Open every day of the year, weather permitting, except Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Occupying the same building as the American Art Museum, this Museum offers the Nation’s only complete collection of American President portraits outside the White House. The Portrait Gallery tells the stories of America through the individuals who have shaped our nation, from pre-colonial times to today. It includes the portraits of poets and presidents, visionaries and villains, and actors and activists.
Location – 8th and F Street, NW. The closest Metro station is the Gallery Place – Chinatown Metro Station on the Red and Yellow/Green line
Hours of Operation – 11:30 AM to 7 PM daily. Tour times vary; please refer to the visitors page. Closed on Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Additional National Attractions
Daughters of the American Revolution Museum
Located just off the National Mall, the Daughters of the American Revolution Museum, Library, and Hall offer a number of services and educational experiences. The museum holds a large collection of noteworthy Americana and gives tours of its carefully restored period rooms, the Library boasts one of the world’s premiere genealogical research centers, and Constitution Hall is Washington D.C.’s largest concert hall.
Location – 1776 D Street, NW. The closest Metro station is the Farragut West Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – DAR Library: 8:30 AM to 4 PM, Monday – Friday. 9 AM to 5 PM on Saturday. Closed Sunday
Museum and Shop: 9:30 AM to 4 PM, Monday – Friday. 9 AM to 5 PM on Saturday. Closed Sunday.
DAR Americana Collection: 8:30 AM to 4 PM, Monday – Friday. Closed Saturday and Sunday.
Period Room Tours: 10 AM to 2:30 PM, Monday – Friday. 9 AM to 4:30 PM, Saturday. Closed Sunday.
Admission – Admission is free.
John F. Kennedy Performing Arts Center
Located on the Potomac River, the Kennedy Center has presented some of the greatest performers and performances from across America and around the world, nurtured new works and young artists, and served the nation as a leader in arts education. It is in fact, the busiest performance center in the United States. Stop by to catch a show or take in the roof-top views of the Potomac River.
Location – 2700 F Street, NW. The closest Metro station is the Foggy Bottom/George Washington University Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – Tours are available weekdays 10 AM to 5 PM, and 10 AM to 1 PM on weekends.
Admission – Admission is free; reservations through my Washington office.
Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial
Located on the National Mall, this Memorial covers four acres and honors the great activist and leader of the American Civil Rights Movement. The memorial leads visitors through the “Mountain of Despair” and up to the “Stone of Hope”, in which Martin Luther King’s likeness has been chiseled. It is the first African-American memorial on or near the National Mall and only the fourth non-President memorial.
Location – 1964 Independence Avenue, SW. The closest Metro station is the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 24 hours a day. Rangers are on duty to answer questions from 9:30 AM to 11:30 PM daily and to provide interpretive programs every hour on the hour from 10 AM until 11 PM.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located on the banks of the Potomac River, George Washington’s expansive Mount Vernon Estate offers visitors a unique look into the life of our nation’s first president. Be sure to visit the original estate and surrounding buildings, Washington’s Tomb, the gardens and plantation grounds, the Ford Orientation Center, the Donald W Reynolds Museum and Education Center, and the Distillery and Gristmill down the road. The estate is open year round as Washington himself said, "I have no objection to any sober or orderly person's gratifying their curiosity in viewing the buildings and gardens about Mount Vernon."
Location – 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, VA. No Metro service.
Hours of Operation – 8 AM to 5 PM, April – August; 9 AM to 5 PM, March, September, and October; 9 AM to 4 PM, November – February.
Admission – Tickets can be purchased online or at the Ticket Window line at the estate. Ticket prices are $17 for adults, $16 for seniors, $8 for youth, and free for children under 6.
Located just off the National Mall, the National Archives is responsible for preserving and documenting government and historical records and making such documents accessible to the public. The National Archives building is home to the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights.
Location – 700 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. The closest Metro station is the Archives-Navy Memorial Metro Station on the Yellow/Green line.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Tours offered at 9:30 AM Monday – Friday. The Archives are closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located on the National Mall, the National Gallery of Art was established in 1937 for the people of the United States by a joint resolution of Congress. The National Gallery of Art consists of the original neoclassical Western building and a newer modern Eastern building, and features one of the finest art collections in the world, housing works from the Middle Ages to present day.
Location – 4th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW. The closest Metro stations are the Archives Metro Station on the Yellow/Green line, the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line, and the Judiciary Square Metro Station on the Red line.
Hours of Operation –10 AM to 5 PM, Monday – Saturday; 11 AM to 6 PM, Sunday. Tour times vary; please refer to the visitors page. The Gallery is closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located in Arlington, Virginia, the Pentagon serves as the headquarters of the Department of Defense. Built over a course of just 16 months, the building houses about 28,000 military and civilian employees and contains over 17 miles of corridor. It is in fact the world’s largest low-rise office building. One hour tours are available that highlight the mission of five Armed Services, feature colorful displays and historic photographs depicting significant moments in military history, and explore the 9/11 Memorial Chapel.
Location – 1400 Defense Pentagon, Arlington, VA. The closest Metro station is the Pentagon Metro Station on the Yellow/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – Guided tours of the Pentagon are available by reservation only from 9 AM to 3 PM, Monday – Thursday. Tours are not conducted on weekends or federal holidays.
Admission – Admission is free; reservations through the Pentagon Tour Office.
United States Botanical Gardens
Located across from the United States Capitol Building, the Botanical Gardens features a state-of-the-art indoor garden with approximately 4,000 seasonal, tropical, and subtropical plants. The Gardens are made up of the Conservatory, the National Garden, and Bartholdi Park, which centers around the “Fountain of Light and Water” designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, the French sculptor who also designed the Statue of Liberty.
Location – 100 Maryland Avenue, SW. The closest Metro station is the Federal Center Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – The Conservatory and National Gardens are open 10 AM to 5 PM daily, and Bartholdi Park is open dawn to dusk.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
United States Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Located just off the National Mall near the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing’s Washington, D.C. Tour and Visitor Center is a great place to learn about US paper currency. You can see millions of dollars being printed as you walk along the gallery overlooking the production floor, and the free 40-minute experience includes an introductory film and gallery tour of the production process. At the visitor center there are more exhibits and currency products for sale.
Location – 14th and C Street, SW. The closest Metro station is the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 9 AM to 10:45 AM and 12:30 PM to 2 PM Monday – Friday; Walk-up tour-goers are encouraged to be in line at the Visitor Center entrance at 8AM. The BEP is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Admission – Admission is free; reservations through my Washington office.
United States Department of Treasury
Located nearby the White House, the Department of Treasury Building is the third oldest building in Washington D.C. First founded in 1789 under then Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, the Department of Treasury has managed the government’s revenues for over two centuries. In 1985, The Department building was fastidiously restored to match its historical beginnings.
Location – 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. The closest Metro station is the Metro Center Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line and Red line.
Hours of Operation – Tours are available 9, 9:45, 10:30 and 11:15 AM.
Admission – Admission is free, reservations through my Washington office.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Located just off the west end of the Tidal Basin, the Holocaust Memorial Museum serves both as a memorial to the victims of the Holocaust and as an educational service to its visitors. Members may tour the Permanent Exhibition, the smaller special exhibitions, or spend time reflecting in the Hall of Remembrance.
Location – 100 15th Street, SW. The closest Metro station is the Smithsonian Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 5:20 PM and between March 25 – June 7, hours are extended an extra hour Monday – Friday. Self-guided tours available. The Museum is open every day except Yom Kippur and Christmas Day.
Admission – Admission is free, however from March through August a free pass is required. These passes are available at the Museum or on their website.
United States National Arboretum
Located up the banks of the Anacostia River on 446 acres of wooded park, the Arboretum’s nine miles of trails offer visitors an up close view of its diverse collection of trees and plants. The Arboretum is also home to the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum as well as a number of sculptures and even the original National Capitol Columns that supported the old East Portico of the United States Capitol.
Location – 3501 New York Avenue, NE. The closest Metro station is the Rhode Island Metro Station on the Red line.
Hours of Operation – Visitor Center is open 8 AM to 4:30 PM, Friday – Monday. The grounds are always open to the public but the Visitor Center and Bonsai and Penjing Museum are closed for a number holidays as indicated on their website. Tram tours offered 10:30 PM to 4 PM, weekends only.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed.
Located in NW Washington D.C., the Washington National Cathedral is an Episcopalian church closely modeled on English Gothic style cathedrals of the late fourteenth century. It is the sixth-largest cathedral in the world and the second-largest in the United States. Tours and worship services are available daily.
Location – 3101 Wisconsin Avenue, NW. The closest Metro station is the Tenleytown/AU Station on the Red line.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 5:30 PM, Monday – Friday. 10 AM to 4:30 PM, Saturday. Sunday Services are 8 AM to 5 PM. Self-guided tours available.
Admission – Admission is free; no reservations needed. A donation of $10 is suggested for tours.
Overlooking the northern section of the National Mall, the White House is the official residence and workplace of every US president since John Adams in 1800. The White House was designed by Irish-born James Hoban and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia Creek sandstone in the neoclassical style. Since its construction it has been burnt down, rebuilt, and expanded to it its current size.
Location – 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. The closest Metro stations are the McPherson Square Metro Station on the Orange/Blue line and the Metro Center Metro Station on the Orange/Blue and Red lines.
Hours of Operation – 7:30 am to 11:30 am Tuesday through Thursday. 7:30 am to 1:30 pm Fridays and Saturdays (excluding federal holidays or unless otherwise noted). Tour hours will be extended when possible based on the official White House schedule. (Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation)
Admission – Admission is free; reservations through my Washington office. Go to
http://garamendi.house.gov/how-can-i-help/tours-and-tickets to request a ticket.
Private Institutions
Located in a historic beaux arts building nearby the White House, this museum is home to significant art collections including 19th and 20th-century American and European art, contemporary art, photography, and decorative art. The gallery offers tours, lectures, workshops, music, and more.
Location – 500 17th Street, NW. The closest Metro Station is the Farragut West Metro Station on the Orange/Blue Line.
Hours of Operation – 10 AM to 9 PM, Wednesday; 10 AM to 5 PM, Thursday – Sunday. Closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Admission – Admission is $10 for adults, $8 for seniors, and free for children under 12 and active duty military members. Tickets may be purchased in person at the museum admission desk, by phone through Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or online.
Ford’s Theatre and President Abraham Lincoln Museum
Located due west of the White House, the newly Restored Ford’s Theatre and Lincoln Museum uses 21st-century technology to transport visitors to 19th-century Washington. The museum's remarkable collection of historic artifacts are supplemented with a variety of narrative devices, environmental recreations, videos, and three-dimensional figures, bringing to light Abraham Lincoln's presidency and life in Washington, D.C. Also available to the public is the Peterson House. Located across the street it is best known as the house where Lincoln died.
Location – 511 10th Street, NW. The closest Metro stations are the Metro Center Metro Station and the Gallery Place – Chinatown Metro Station on Yellow/Green and Red lines.
Hours of Operation – Ford's Theatre National Historic Site is open for tours from 9 AM to 5 PM. In the event of evening performances, the Box Office will remain open until 8 PM. The Petersen House (House Where Lincoln Died) is open for tours from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM daily.
Admission – Admission is free, but a ticket is required. They can be reserved online via Ticketmaster or at 1-800-982-2787.
Located one block south of the National Mall, the International Spy Museum is a privately owned museum dedicated to the tradecraft, history, and contemporary role of espionage and features the largest collection of international espionage artifacts currently on public display. Come check out the espionage exhibits, attend a seminar, or practice your spy skills in an interactive spy experience.
Location – 800 F Street, NW. The closest Metro station is the Gallery Place – Chinatown Metro Station on the Yellow/Green and Red lines.
Hours of Operation – Hours vary by season. Please refer to the website for more information on museum hours.
Admission – General Admission is $20.95 for adults, $15.95 for seniors, $14.95 for youth, and free for children 6 and under.
Located in NW Washington D.C., the Kreeger Museum is housed in a modernist building designed by architects Phillip Johnson and Richard Foster and features a broad collection of paintings and sculptures by internationally renowned artists. View works by artists such as Boudin, Cezanne, Kandinsky, Monet, Munch, Picasso, Rodin, and Van Gogh and be on the lookout for special music and art events held periodically.
Location – 2401 Foxhall Road, NW. No Metro service.
Hours of Operation – Tours 10:30 AM or 1:30 PM, Tuesday – Thursday, and open to all 10 AM to 4 PM, Friday and Saturday.
Admission – General Admission is $10 for adults, $7 for seniors, students, and military members, and free for children 12 and under.
National Museum of Crime and Punishment
Located just south of the Gallery Place Metro Station, the National Museum of Crime and Punishment is a for-profit museum focused on the history of crime and penology in America. It features exhibits on colonial crime, pirates, Wild West outlaws, gangsters, the Mob, mass murderers, and white collar criminals. Its twenty-eight interactive stations include a high-speed police chase simulator used in the training of law enforcement officers and a Firearms Training Simulator similar to that utilized by the FBI.
Location – 575 7th Street, NW. The closest Metro station is the Gallery Place – Chinatown Metro Station on the Yellow/Green and Red lines.
Hours of Operation – Hours vary by season. Please refer to the website for more information on museum hours.
Admission – Prices vary with program and place of purchase. General Admission at the gate is $21.95 for adults, $19.95 for seniors, $14.95 for children, and free for children under 5. For more pricing information please visit the website.
Located just off the National Mall and one of the most popular museums in Washington D.C., the Newseum is packed with interactive exhibits that explore how news affects our shared experience of historic moments. It presents daily front pages of over 80 newspapers and is home to the largest display of the Berlin wall outside of Germany.
Location – 555 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW. The closest Metro stations are the Archives Metro Station on the Yellow/Green line and the Judiciary Square Metro station on the Red line.
Hours of Operation – 9 AM to 5 PM daily. The museum is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Admission – Admission is $21.95 for adults aged 19 to 64; $17.95 for seniors 65 and older, military members, and students; $12.95 for youth 7 to 18; and free for children 6 and younger.
Located in the vibrant Dupont Circle area, the Phillips Collection is an arts museum first opened to the public in 1921. Paintings by Renoir and Rothko, Bonnard and O'Keeffe, Van Gogh and Diebenkorn are among the many stunning impressionist and modern works that fill the museum. Its distinctive building houses extensive new galleries in the former home of its founder, Duncan Phillips.
Location – 1600 21st Street, NW. The closest Metro station is the Dupont Circle Metro Station on the Red line.
Hours of Operation –10 AM to 5 PM, Tuesday – Saturday; 10 AM to 8:30 PM, Thursday; 11 AM to 6 PM, Sunday.
Admission – Ticketed exhibitions are $12 for adults, $10 for students and seniors, and free for children 18 and under.
Tour Services
Guided Tours
Walking Tours – Seeing The Washington D.C. sights by foot allows for an engaging tour experience. Some tours are offered on a tip-only basis. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes.
Bike Tours – Cover more ground on a bike tour as you tour the nation’s monuments and Capitol.
Segway Tours – A new and exciting way to see the Capitol and monuments, Segway tours are catching on with many visitors for their ease of use and high entertainment value. Riders must be 16 years of age and older and under 260lbs. The Segway tours are held in small groups. Reservations are recommended, so be sure to plan ahead.
Bus Tours – Bus tours have long been a popular and efficient way to see the Capitol. Hop on hop off tours offer flexibility of schedule and open deck roofs allow for unobstructed views.
Duck Tours – See the city from land and water in one these restored 1942 amphibious “Duck’ vehicles. In 90 minutes you’ll pass by our nation’s monuments and into the Potomac River.
