Logo for the FBI Experience, a self-guided tour open to the public at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C.

The FBI Experience is a self-guided tour at FBI Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Open to the public, the tour features interactive multimedia exhibits, content, and artifacts—including a number of items from notable cases on display for the very first time—that help illustrate the importance of the Bureau’s work to protect the nation.

Visitors to The FBI Experience will learn how the Bureau operates in the field, at Headquarters, and within communities across the country. They will also gain a rare look inside the organization’s investigative divisions, laboratory resources, professional occupations, and more. The rich experience tells the story of the FBI’s internal operations and history, as well as how its cooperation with local, state, federal, and international partners helps further its unique national security and law enforcement mission.

How to Visit

Visits to The FBI Experience must be scheduled in advance. Please follow the below instructions carefully to ensure your visit is properly arranged.

General Public/Small Groups (Fewer Than 20 Individuals)

  • To request a visit, you must contact the office of your congressional representative and ask to be scheduled for The FBI Experience.
  • Do not submit an online visit request form if your group does not consist of 20 or more individuals; you will not receive a response and your visit will not be scheduled if your group does not meet this requirement.

Large Groups (20 or More Individuals)

  • School groups and other organizational groups (e.g., scout troops and veterans’ groups) with 20 or more people may submit a visit request form online.
  • Following form submission, a representative from The FBI Experience will contact the group leader to schedule a visit.
  • Forms submitted for groups with fewer than 20 people will not receive a response and a visit will not be scheduled.

Things to Know

  • All visitors to The FBI Experience must be U.S. citizens or valid green card holders.
  • Visits are available Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m., excluding federal holidays.
  • Visits to The FBI Experience may be requested up to five months in advance of, but no later than four weeks prior to the desired visit date.
  • Visitors with confirmed dates will be notified two weeks prior to their scheduled visit if they have been cleared to enter FBI Headquarters.
  • The following items are strictly prohibited and may not be brought into FBI Headquarters: 
    • Backpacks, diaper bags, fanny packs, briefcases, luggage, computer and camera bags, or bags and purses larger than a clutch
    • Point-and-shoot cameras, SLR cameras, or video recorders; cell phone cameras are permitted
    • Strollers
    • Food, beverages, tobacco products, personal grooming items (e.g. makeup, lotion, etc.)
    • Any pointed objects
    • Aerosol containers
    • Guns, ammunition, fireworks, electric stun guns, mace, martial arts weapons/devices, or any knives
  • No storage facilities are available at FBI Headquarters. Individuals who arrive with prohibited items will not be permitted to enter.

History of the Tour

The FBI tour became the public face of the FBI in 1937, when FBI Headquarters was located in the Department of Justice building. In 1975, the J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building was opened to house Headquarters, and the tour became a significant component of the new building. Following the events of September 11, 2001, the tour was closed due to security risks and associated costs. It remained closed for nearly 10 years.

In 2008, the FBI converted the tour into a modern education center to provide new employees and its numerous partners with deeper understanding of the Bureau and its work. In August 2014, the FBI launched a pilot program that opened the FBI Education Center to the public. This allowed the Bureau the opportunity to tell its story—including its history, capabilities, and ideas for the future—to a wider audience.

In April 2016, the Education Center was temporarily closed for renovation, and the tour reopened as The FBI Experience in July 2017.

Privacy Act Statement

Prior to visiting The FBI Experience, The FBI will perform a security check using information such as a constituent’s name, date of birth, and Social Security number. The FBI is authorized to collect and use this information in order to protect the security of its personnel, facilities, and information systems pursuant to one or more of the following provisions: Title 28, United States Code, section 533; Title 40, United States Code, section 1315; Title 28, Code of Federal Regulations, sections 0.75(p) and 0.79; Title 41, Code of Federal Regulations, section 102-81, and Department of Justice (DOJ) Order 2600.2D, Security Programs and Responsibilities (June 16, 2011). Constituent information is protected by the Privacy Act of 1974, Title 5, United States Code, section 552a, as amended, and is maintained in the FBI’s Security Access Control System (SACS), DOB/FBI-013, notice of which was published in the Federal Register at 70 Fed. Reg. 7516 (Feb. 14, 2005) and which may be viewed at http://www.justice.gov/opcl/doj-systems-records#FBI. Constituent information may be disclosed in accordance with the routine uses contained in that notice or as otherwise authorized by law.