Visiting D.C.

VisitingDC

Popular tours

The U.S. Capitol

The Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) is the main entrance to the U.S. Capitol. Visitors can enter the CVC without tour tickets. It is located on the East front of the Capitol at First Street and East Capitol Streets NE.

In addition to tours provided through Senator Rubio’s office the U.S. Capitol is open to the public for tours guided by CVC personnel. Tours are conducted from 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Walk-in tours of the Capitol are available each day at the information desks in Emancipation Hall on the lower level of the CVC. You must have a tour ticket (free of charge) obtained from the information desks to enter the Capitol building. The CVC strongly advises that you make a reservation in advance to visit the Capitol during periods of high demand (holidays and spring and summer months are particularly busy). The Capitol will be open on all federal holidays except Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day and presidential inauguration days. However, it may be closed to tours for special events on occasion.

Groups of 10 or fewer can make their own reservations for free through the CVC up to three months in advance by clicking here or calling (202) 226-8000.

Groups larger than 10 can break into groups of 10 or fewer to make their own reservations online (see above).

Gallery Passes
If you are hoping to visit the U.S. House of Representatives or Senate galleries, please be advised that separate passes are needed for entry. Senate gallery passes are required to enter the Senate gallery, and House Gallery passes are required to enter the House gallery. You can visit the galleries regardless of whether you have scheduled a Capitol tour. Entry to the galleries is through the main entrance of the CVC on 1st Street SE, between Independence and Constitution avenues.

Senate Gallery
The Senate gallery is only open to visitors when the Senate is in session.  The Senate session schedule can be found here.
It is Sen. Rubio’s pleasure to offer passes to the Senate gallery free of 
charge for constituents from Florida. Gallery passes do not need to be used on the day they are picked up. These free passes are available on a walk-in basis from Sen. Rubio’s office, which is in Suite 284 of the Russell Senate Office Building, during business hours (9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) Monday through Friday. If your party requires more than 20 passes, please call ahead to the office. Please note: Children under the age of six are not permitted in the galleries. Also, all electronics including – but not limited to – cameras, video recorders, key chains with electronic functions, cell phones, Blackberries and strollers must be checked before entering the gallery.

House of Representatives Gallery
The House gallery is open to the public Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. regardless of whether the House is in session. Passes for the House gallery must be obtained through your representative's office.

International Visitors to the Gallery
International visitors are always welcome to view a session of the Senate or House, and should enter through the main entrance of the CVC. Capitol Guide Service personnel issue international gallery passes.

For the latest recorded information on visiting the Capitol, please call (202) 225-6827. For special needs (wheelchair access, etc.), please call (202) 224-4048 (voice) or (202) 224-4049 (TDD).

For more information, and a list of prohibited items inside the Capitol, please click here.

Closest Metro: Capitol South or Union Station.

The White House

The White House, home to each United States President since John Adams, also offers tours rich in history and tradition. The tours are self-guided and are offered from 7:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (excluding federal holidays). You can visit the White House’s Visitor Center page for more information. For security purposes, White House tours require more personal information than other sites, and tours must be requested from the White House Visitor’s Office at least 30 days in advance.

Constituents are required to go through their federal representative’s office to arrange a White House tour, and my office is able to provide that service for you.

The Pentagon

Free tour reservations are available directly through the Pentagon Web site. To make your reservation, please click here.

Closest Metro: Pentagon

The Supreme Court

You may tour the building (but not the courtroom), located at 1st Street NE between Constitution Avenue NE and East Capitol Street NE, on your own. Guided tours of the Supreme Court are not available. The building is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from Monday through Friday. It is closed on weekends and holidays.

A court term begins the first Monday in October and lasts through June, with breaks for summer.

In session: When the court is in session, oral arguments are open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis (limited seating). To see whether oral arguments are occurring during your visit click here and refer to the calendar at the bottom of the page. The court generally hears two one-hour arguments per day, at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m., with occasional afternoon sessions scheduled as necessary. Arguments are held on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays in two-week intervals through late April (with longer breaks during December and February). In mid-May, after the oral argument portion of the term has concluded, the court takes the bench Mondays at 10 a.m. for the release of orders and opinions. This practice continues until all the cases heard during the term have been decided, usually the last week in June. These sessions, which typically last between 15 and 30 minutes, are also open to the public.

For information on how to attend an oral argument, please click here.

Not in session: When the court is not in session, there are free lectures every hour on the half hour from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. No reservations are necessary. A line forms in the Great Hall on the first floor before each lecture, and visitors are admitted on a first-come, first-served basis. Lecture schedules may vary, and it is best to call and confirm times before your visit.

For the Supreme Court Visitor Information Line, please call (202) 478-3211 (ext. 4).

For more information, please click here.

Closest Metro: Union Station or Capitol South

The Library of Congress

Public tours are offered at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Saturday public tours are offered at 10:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m., as well as at 1:30 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. These free tours are open to individuals and small groups with no more than 10 participants. No reservations or tickets are required.

Groups of 10 to 60 participants may reserve private tours with advance notice by filling out the form provided by the Visitor Services Office through its Web site, or by calling (202) 707–0919. These tours are designed for organizations and schools (fifth-grade level and above). Reserved group tour times are offered Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., subject to availability.

All tours commence in the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson building.

For more information, please click here.

Closest Metro: Capitol South

The U.S. Botanic Garden

Located on the National Mall at the intersection of Maryland Avenue NW and 1st Street, NW, the Botanic Garden is open daily, including weekends and holidays, from 10:00 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Free 45-minute highlight tours of the U.S. Botanic Garden Conservatory may be available on the day of your visit. Check at the visitor information desk upon your arrival. Admission is free.

Groups of 10 to 25 adults may reserve a free 45-minute guided tour of the conservatory Monday through Friday at 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., and on weekends when space permits.

Please make tour reservations at least four-to-six weeks in advance by calling (202) 225-1116.

In general, due to the group-size limitations and the in-depth nature of the docent-led tours, the U.S. Botanic Garden does not offer tours for children or school groups.

For more information about planning a field trip to the U.S. Botanic Garden, including activities more age-appropriate and enjoyable for children and teens, click here.

For any other information about touring the garden click here.

Closest Metro: Federal Center SW or Capitol South

The Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center is located at 2700 F St., NW. Free performances take place on the Millennium Stage at 6:00 p.m., 365 days a year. The Kennedy Center also offers free, hour-long tours of the building on a walk-in basis. The tours can be given in several foreign languages upon request. The center is closed on Independence Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.

For more information, or to book your tour, call (202) 416-8340 (TDD (202) 416-8524) or click here.

Closest Metro: Foggy Bottom/GWU

Arlington National Cemetery

Located on Memorial Drive in Arlington, Va., the cemetery’s daily hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (April to September); 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (October to March).

The changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier occurs each hour on the hour, and every half hour in the summer months.  For more information, please call (703) 607-8000 or visit the cemetery’s Web site here.

Closest Metro: Arlington Cemetery

Mt. Vernon - Home of President George Washington

Located at 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway in Mount Vernon, Va., about 16 miles south of Washington, D.C., Mt. Vernon’s hours are seasonal. A shuttle to the Pioneer Farm site is available from March to November. Tours are available for a fee; admission for children five and under are free.

No food or drink except for bottled water is allowed. Gum, strollers and motorized scooters are not allowed in the mansion. Dogs are allowed, but must be on a leash. For more information, call (703) 780-2000 or click here.

Closest Metro: Huntington Station to Fairfax Connector Bus

Washington Nationals Ballpark

Nationals Park is located in Southeast Washington at 1500 South Capitol St., SE, south of the Capitol, along the fast-developing Capitol Riverfront adjacent to the Navy Yard.

Click here for the Washington Nationals’ schedule and ticket information.

Closest Metro: Navy Yard

Museums

Smithsonian Museums
Locations are varied.

The Smithsonian is a collection of 14 museums and sites in the Washington, D.C. area. Most museums are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with the exception of Christmas Day.

Admission to all museums is free.

Popular Smithsonian Web sites:
- American History Museum
- Air and Space Museum
- American Indian Museum
- Natural History Museum
- National Zoo

National Archives

Located at 700 Pennsylvania Ave., NW between 7th  and 9th Streets, NW, the entrance to the National Archives’ exhibit hall is on Constitution Avenue.

Admission is free and reservations are not necessary for those who wish to enter through the general public line. It can take up to one hour to enter the building through this line during seasons of heavy tourist traffic. The archives are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Plan on spending about 90 minutes viewing the exhibits. Closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Reservations are required for individuals or groups wishing to take a one-hour guided tour of the National Archives Experience. Guided tours are at 9:45 a.m. Monday through Friday, and space is limited to 15 persons.

Reservations can be made up to six months in advance.

To reserve self-guided tours, click here.

You can also reserve tours through the call center at (877) 444-6777, or TDD at (877) 833-6777), and larger groups should call Group Sales Reservations at (877) 559-6777.

For more general information, please click here.

Closest Metro: Archives-Navy Memorial

*Armed Forces personnel in uniform and their guests may enter through the special-events entrance on Constitution Avenue.

The Newseum

The Newseum is located at 555 Pennsylvania Ave., NW. There is a fee for admission. The facility is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

The Newseum – a 250,000-square-foot museum of news – offers visitors an experience that blends five centuries of news history with up-to-the-second technology and hands-on exhibits.

Closest Metro: Archives-Navy Memorial/Penn Quarter (Green Line and Yellow Line) or Judiciary Square (Red Line).

International Spy Museum

There is a fee for admission for the International Spy Museum, which is located at 800 F St., NW. The museum is closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. On occasion, the museum closes for private events earlier than the end of regular visiting hours. Hours vary. To see the schedule, please click here.

For more information, please click here or call (866) 779-6873 or (202) 393-7798.

Closest Metro: Gallery Place (exit at either 7th & F Streets or 9th & G Streets)

The National Gallery of Art

Admission is free. The museum is open Monday through Saturday from 10;00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and on Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m..  and located on the National Mall between 3rd and 7th Streets NW and Constitution Avenue, NW.

Audio tours are available, depending on the exhibit, from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Groups larger than 10 need to call to reserve tours at (202) 842-6592.For more information, please click here.

Closest Metro: Archives-Navy Memorial

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum

The museum is located between 14th Street and Raoul Wallenberg Place SW. There is also an entrance on 14th Street next to the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. It is open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and is closed only on Yom Kippur and Christmas Day. Please allow from one-and-a-half hours and three hours for your visit.

No tickets are necessary for entering the museum building, or for visiting Daniel’s Story, special exhibitions, the interactive Wexner Learning Center, or using for other museum resources.

However, during certain high-volume times of the year, free timed entry passes are required to begin the self-guided tour of the museum's permanent exhibition. To obtain a timed entry pass, go directly to the museum’s entrance on the day of your visit or call (800) 400-9373.

The permanent exhibition is recommended for ages 11 and older, and Daniel's Story is recommended for ages 8 and older.

For more information, please click here or call (202) 488-0400.

Closest Metro: Smithsonian (use the exit at 12th and Independence Avenue)

Ford's Theatre and Lincoln Museum

Located on 10th Street between E and F Streets, NW, admission to Ford’s Theater and the Lincoln Museum is free. The Lincoln Museum and the house where Lincoln died are open from 8:00 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. every day except Christmas Day. Tours at the theatre are self-guided. Fifteen-minute historical talks are presented at 15 past each hour except from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Because Ford’s Theatre also functions as an active stage with live performances, there are times when the theatre will be closed to the public. Matinees usually take place on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday afternoons, although rehearsals can take place at any time of day.

For performance information, please click here.

Closest Metro: Metro Center or Gallery Place

Memorials and monuments

The Washington Monument
 
**Due to repairs underway from earthquake damage, the Washington Monument is currently closed for tours.**

On the National Mall between 15th and 17th Streets, SW, the Washington Monument is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except Christmas Day and Independence Day.

Admission is free. Timed tickets are required and are available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the kiosk on the west side of 15th Street, NW, on the Mall. Tickets are given on a first-come, first-served basis, and they tend to run out early.

Advance tickets are offered through the National Park Service Reservation System by calling (877) 444-6777 or (800) 967-2283, or by visiting the monument’s Web site.

Closest Metro: Smithsonian

Jefferson Memorial

Open 24 hours a day, except Christmas Day, and located at 14th Street, SW on the Tidal Basin. Admission is free. The lower lobby holds an elevator to provide access to the Memorial Chamber, restrooms, museum and bookstore/gift shop.

Wheelchairs are available for loan on a first-come, first-served basis at the Korean War Veterans Memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial Kiosks.

For more information please call (202) 426-6841 or click here.

Closest Metro: Smithsonian

Lincoln Memorial

Located at West Potomac Park and 23rd Street, NW, the Lincoln Memorial is open daily except Christmas Day. Admission is free.

The Lincoln Memorial chamber is wheelchair-accessible via an elevator in the lower lobby. Wheelchairs are available for loan on a first-come, first-served basis at the Korean War Veterans memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial Kiosks. Restrooms are available at the Lincoln Memorial.

For more information please call (202) 426-6841 or click here.

Closest Metro: Foggy Bottom/GWU

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial

The public may visit the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial 24 hours a day. Rangers are on duty to answer questions from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily and to provide interpretive programs every hour on the hour from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m.

Click here for a map to the MLK Jr. Memorial.

Closest Metro: Smithsonian

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial

Open daily from 8:00 a.m. to midnight, and closed on Christmas Day, the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is located at 1850 West Basin Drive, SW. Admission is free.

For more information please call (202) 376-6704 or click here.

Closest Metro: Smithsonian

World War II Memorial

The World War II Memorial is located at 17th Street NW, between Constitution and Independence avenues, NW. It is open 24 hours daily and admission is free.

For more information call (202) 619-7222 or click here.

Closest Metro: Smithsonian

Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Located at Constitution Avenue and 21st Street, NW, this memorial consists of three separate parts: the Three Soldiers statue, the Vietnam Women's Memorial and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, which is the best-known part of the memorial. It is open 24 hours a day. Admission is free.

Wheelchairs are available for loan on a first-come, first-served basis at the Korean War Veterans memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial Kiosks.

For more information please call (202) 634-1568 or click here.

Closest Metro: Foggy Bottom/GWU

Korean War Veterans Memorial

The Korean War Veterans Memorial is located adjacent to the Lincoln Memorial reflecting pool on the National Mall. It is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to midnight. Admission is free.

Wheelchairs are available for loan on a first-come, first-served basis at the Korean War Veterans memorial and Vietnam Veterans Memorial kiosks.

For more information please call (202) 619-7222 or click here.

Closest Metro: Foggy Bottom/GWU