Special Programs and Encounters

Explore history through hands-on objects and stories

A variety of guided programs and activities are offered on a daily basis. Pick up a copy of "This Week at the Capitol" at the Information Desks to find out about these programs and when they are offered.

	Family Program in Exhibition Hall Mondays and Fridays in the summer at 11 a.m. Check at the Information Desks to find out if the family program is offered on the day you visit. This 30-minute program invites visitors of all ages to learn how the Capitol changed over time and explore how legislative decisions are made. No reservations are needed. Meet at the entrance of Exhibition Hall on the lower level of the Visitor Center.
	Encounters Monday - Saturday from 10 a.m. - Noon Interpreters positioned in Exhibition Hall and Emancipation Hall use hands-on objects to tell a variety of six-minute stories. Topics include how enslaved laborers helped build the Capitol and how ordinary citizens inspired Congress to write new legislation.
	Decorating the Corridors of Power: A Look at Constantino Brumidi Monday - Friday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. 30 minute guided tour. Italian-born artist Constantino Brumidi decorated the Senate wing of the Capitol using classical designs and American themes to emphasize the dignity and importance of Congress. Get passes for this tour at one of the Information Desks on the lower level of the Visitor Center.
	Extraordinary Ordinary People: Freedom Fighters in the Capitol Collections Monday - Friday at 1 p.m. 60-minute program describing four ordinary people who took on the role of freedom fighter and changed the course of civil rights history for generations of Americans. No reservations needed. Get pass at Information Desk.