VISITING D.C.
CLICK HERE to download our latest "Visitor's Guide to Washington, D. C. [PDF]
- Capitol Tours
- White House Tours
- Bureau of Engraving and Printing
- Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Kennedy Center
- National Archives
- Supreme Court
- Library of Congress
- United States Department of State
Arlington National Cemetery
Location: Arlington, VA 22211
Main Phone: 703-607-8000 Media, etc.: 202-685-4645
Nearest Metro: Arlington National Cemetery (see Metro Map)
Washington Monument
Location: 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC
Park Info. Phone: 202-426-6841
Nearest Metro: Smithsonian (see Metro Map)
United States Botanical Garden
Location: 245 First Street, SW, Washington, DC 20024
General Phone: 202-225-8333 Tours: 202-226-4082
Nearest Metro: Federal Center, SW (see Metro Map)
Ford's Theater - Lincoln Museum
Location: 511 10th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20004
Box Office: 202-347-4833Administrative Office: 202-638-2941
Nearest Metro: Metro Center or Gallery Place (see Metro Map)
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
Location: 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, Washington, DC 20024
Main Phone: 202-488-0400
Nearest Metro: Smithsonian (see Metro Map)
Library of Congress
Location: 101 Independence Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20540
Main Phone: 202-707-5000
Nearest Metro: Capitol South (see Metro Map)
George Washington's Mount Vernon Tour
Location: 3200 George Washington Memorial Parkway
Mount Vernon, VA 22121
Main Phone: 703-780-2000
This attraction is not Metro accessible. If you are in need of public
transportation, please visit the Mount Vernon web site above to find out
more details.
National Cathedral
Location: Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues, NW
Washington, DC 20016-5098
Main Phone: 202-537-6200
This attraction is only Metro accessible by Metro Bus. To find out
details, please visit the National Cathedral web site above.
Pentagon
Location: Arlington, VA
For Tours: 703-695-1776
Nearest Metro: Pentagon (see Metro Map)
Smithsonian Institution
Location: The Smithsonian includes 14 different museums, so to find
the location of one museum in particular, please visit the site.
Main Phone: 202-357-1729 Recorded Info.: 202-357-2020
Nearest Metro: The museums are dispersed throughout the city and
therefore have different Metro stops, but the main stop
is the Smithsonian (see Metro Map)
United States Department of State
Location: 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, DC 20520
Main Phone: 202-647-4000 Hotline: 202-647-5225
Nearest Metro: Foggy Bottom - there is about a 5 block walk from
this station (see Metro Map)
White House
Location: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20500
Switchboard: 202-456-1414 Comments: 202-456-1111
Nearest Metro: Farragut West or Metro Center (see Metro Map)
National Museum of the American Indian
Location: 4th Street and Independence Ave., SW, Washington, DC
Main Phone: 202-633-1000
Nearest Metro: Federal Center (see Metro Map)
CAPITOL TOURS
Tours of the Capitol Building are provided to constituents upon request. It is best if an appointment is made at least a week in advance to ensure availability. Capitol Tours start from my congressional office, located at 204 Cannon House Office Building, and last approximately ninety minutes. You are free to schedule the tour any time between 9:00AM and 3:00PM, Monday through Friday. In order to schedule a tour, please contact my Washington, D.C. office at 202-225-2431.
If your group is larger than fifteen people, special accommodations will have to be made well in advance of the prospective tour date. Please contact my office to learn more about Capitol Tours for large groups.
The Capitol Building is open on Saturday for tours, however you must make arrangements through the Capitol Guide Service. The Capitol Guide Service offers tickets to tour the Capitol Building on a first-come, first-served basis from Monday through Saturday, free of charge. Tickets are available daily from 9AM until 3PM at the Capitol Kiosk located on the corner of 1st Street, SW and Independence Avenue (directly across from the National Botanical Gardens). Each group is led by its own Capitol Guide, which provides for an intimate tour that offers much insight into the history of the building.
On the tour, you will explore the basement of the Capitol, including the Hall of Columns, the Crypt, and the Old Supreme Court. On the first floor, the tour passes through the Rotunda and Statuary Hall. Finally, provided that the house is in session (check the 2007 House Calendar) and it is a weekday, you will get the chance to see the House Floor, where the members of the House of Representatives vote on legislation.
WHITE HOUSE TOURS
The White House is open for tours Tuesday through Saturday, from 7:30AM to 12:30PM. Tours are only given to groups of ten or more people, and it is best to schedule them at least two months in advance (throughout December, March, and April, further advance notice is critical since the White House receives a high volume of requests during those months). Once a tour is requested, the number of people in the group may not be increased, so be sure to establish an accurate list of attendees prior to contacting my office.
The tour begins from the south side of East Executive Avenue near the Southeast Gate and lasts roughly forty-five minutes. It is a self-guided tour, however there are secret service agents dispersed throughout each one of the rooms who are more than happy to answer any questions you might have. In order to take advantage of this experience, it may be in your best interest to research the history of the White House prior to your tour.
Upon confirmation of your tour approximately one month prior to the requested date, you will need to provide a full name, Social Security number, date of birth, and country of origin for all participants.
To request a tour of the White House, please contact my office at 202-225-2431.
BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING TOURS
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is open to the public on weekday mornings (excluding federal holidays and the week between Christmas and New Year's Day). Requests for a tour must be made at least four weeks in advance.
For smaller groups (10 people or less), tours are scheduled at 8:15AM or 8:45AM year round. During the months between May and August, evening tours will be available at 4:00PM, 4:15, 4:30, and 4:45PM. Additionally, there is a tour offered to the general public every 15 minutes between 10am and 2pm. If you were not able to schedule a congressional tour, this is viable option. Please call 202-874-2330 with questions regarding the public tours.
For large groups (11 people or more), tours start at 9:00AM, 9:15AM, 9:30AM, or 9:45AM daily, and between the months of May and August, evening tours are available at 5:00PM, 5:15PM, 5:30PM, and 5:45PM.
Due to the increased security needs in the Capital, bags, pointed objects, sharp objects, guns, mace, or any other weapon are not permitted in the Bureau. Each Chaperone is required to present a photo ID upon entering the building.
In order to request a tour of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, please call my Washington, D.C. office at (202)-225-2431 and ask for the tour coordinator. If you are requesting a tour for a small group, please have secured a solid date, time, and number of people attending before you call to place your request. If you are requesting a tour for a large group, please have the following information on hand when calling to place your request:
- Name of School
- Fax Number
- Mailing Address
- Email Address
- Primary Contact and Phone Number
- Number of People Attending (Students, Chaperones)
- Date and Time You Would Like to Tour the Bureau
FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION TOURS
The FBI building is currently closed to all tours due to the renovations that are in progress. It is expected to be reopened sometime in 2005.
THE KENNEDY CENTER
The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts offers a wide array of performances, ranging from ballet to the National Symphony Orchestra. In addition to the performing arts, tours are available to the public at 9:30AM and 4:30PM on weekdays, and at 9:30AM on Saturdays and Sundays.
Reservations should be made in advance, but they can only be made within three months of the requested tour date. In order to place a request for this tour, please call my Washington, DC office at (202)-225-2431 and ask for the tour coordinator. Please know the exact number of people who will be attending the tour of the Kennedy Center before calling.
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES
Special behind-the-scenes experiences at the United States National Archives and Records Administration are available for the public to see. The tour consists of an overview of the National Archives, a viewing of select original documents from the holdings of the National Archives, participation in document-led hands-on activities, and a preview of new exhibit space.
Tours are available for groups of 30 people or less on the weekdays between 10:15AM and 1:15PM. Groups of 31 people or more may go on a self-guided tour any day of the week between 10:00AM and 5:30PM.
Tour reservations should be made at least two weeks in advance. To place a request for this tour, please contact my Washington, DC office at (202)-225-2431 and ask for the tour coordinator, or call the National Archives Building directly at 202-501-5205.
THE SUPREME COURT
The United States Supreme Court is open to the public on weekdays from 9:30AM until 3:30PM, when the court is not in session. If the court is in session, the building is closed to the public. View the US Supreme Court schedule to determine whether or not it will be in session when you are coming to town.
There is no longer a need to schedule a tour of the Supreme Court in advance if the group consists of five people or more. Tours are given every hour on the half-hour, starting at 9:30AM and the last tour is offered at 3:30PM. If you have a large group, it is suggested that you arrive 30 minutes early to secure your spot in line. If the group consists of 6 people or less, reservations for tours should be made through my office. Tours do fill up quickly, so I suggest that you call in advance. For small groups, Congressional tours of the Supreme Court are given daily at 2pm when the court is not in session, and it lasts approximately 35 minutes. These tours are restricted to no more than six people.
If you would like to request a tour of the Supreme Court building, please contact my Washington, DC office at 202-225-2431 and ask for the tour coordinator.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS TOURS
Tours of the Library of Congress are available to the public Monday through Friday at 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30. On Saturday, tours are offered at 10:30, 11:30, 1:30 and 2:30. The Library is closed on Sundays.
If you would like a private, congressional tour of the Library, please contact my office at 202-225-2431 and ask for the tour coordinator. Congressional tours are offered Monday through Friday at 8:30AM and 1:45PM for small groups. Prior to placing your call, please know the exact number of people that will be accompanying you on the tour.
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE
The Department of State diplomatic reception rooms are open for tours by reservation only on weekdays. Tours can be scheduled up to ninety days in advance and are open to children, although it is recommended that children be above the age of twelve. This fine arts tour is offered Monday through Friday, excluding all legal holidays, at 9:30AM, 10:30AM, and 2:45PM, and is approximately 45 minutes in duration.
If you are interested in viewing the diplomatic reception rooms of the State Department, please contact my Washington, DC office or call the State Department tour office directly at 202-647-3241. Before calling, make sure you have secured a date and time during which you would like to see the reception rooms.
Due to heightened security concerns, no strollers, bags, or any other unnecessary items are permitted in the Department of State. Please plan accordingly because there is no storage for these items within the department.
PHOTO GALLERY
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