Interested in fun activities as you tour the U.S. Capitol? Find out cool facts, fun activities, and a little bit of history you can wow your friends with. Ask your teacher for a copy of the student self-guide, the student activity guide, or both!
My Capitol - Student Self-Guide
Designed for young people ages 11 and older, the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center’s student self-guide of Exhibition Hall includes historical background about the Capitol and Congress, directed-looking activities, and questions to encourage discussion during the tour or after at school or home. Parents and teachers may get copies of My Capitol at the Visitor Center’s North Coat Check on the upper level or download a copy here. If you’re using a mobile device, download the app here.
Discover the U.S. Capitol – Student Activity Guide
With engaging activities related to locations in the Capitol as well as American history in general, Discover the U.S. Capitol is intended for upper-level elementary-school-aged students who can use it before or after they visit the Capitol. Copies are available at the North Coat Check on the upper level of the Capitol Visitor Center, or you may download a copy here.
For further information about educational programs for students and teachers, please contact the Capitol Visitor Center’s Exhibits and Education Division at education@visitthecapitol.gov
A Capitol Adventure – Student Activity Guide
Children in grades K-2 can enjoy this fun-filled activity book about the Capitol and its history while visiting the Capitol and at home. Download a copy here.
Explore Emancipation Hall in the Capitol Visitor Center using these self-guide worksheets.
A Student Tour of Emancipation Hall
Let’s take a tour of Emancipation Hall, the great room on the lower level of the Visitor Center.
Statue Seek and Find: Who Am I?
There are many statues in the United States Capitol. Statues come to the Capitol in different ways. Every state sends two statues to the Capitol.
Design a Statue
What would it be like to create a statue? Today you are going to be an artist creating a statue for the National Statuary Hall Collection!
Learn about Congress and the Capitol using these pre- and post-visit resources.
Bingo
You can play U.S. Capitol Visitor Bingo individually or in teams. Print the card, questions and answer sheet found in the attached pdf.
Crossword Puzzle
Looking for ideas about how to use this puzzle? The puzzle, in brief form, tells the story of the Capitol Building.
Explore Exhibition Hall using one of our self-guided scavenger hunts.
Exhibition Hall Scavenger Hunt
You can use the scavenger hunts while you are at the Capitol Visitor Center or use them to learn more about the artifacts and documents on our Website! Also available at the entrance to Exhibition Hall. Download a copy here.
Enhance your knowledge of Congress by reading these essays.
Committees
Committees improve the organization of the Senate and House of Representatives. Members of Congress can’t be experts on all issues. For this reason, the Senate and House of Representatives developed committees that focus on particular subjects.
Congress by the Numbers
Together, the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S Senate are called Congress, the legislative branch of the federal government.
How Your State Gets Its Seats
Congressional Apportionment: The United States Senate consists of how many members? The answer is fairly simple: with two members apiece representing each of the fifty states, the total is one hundred. How about the House of Representatives? The answer is much more complicated.
Who Elects Our Senators?
United States senators have been elected directly by voters since 1913. Prior to that time, state legislatures chose the state’s senators.
The House of Representatives and Senate: What’s the Difference?
The United States Congress consists of two legislative bodies, the House of Representatives and the Senate. There are many similarities between these institutions, so what are the differences?
