Plan Your Trip
My office hopes to provide you with helpful information and resources as you plan your trip to Washington. There are so many attractions that provide excellent opportunities to explore the inner workings of our nation's capital. Please feel free to visit them all.
Please read our tips for filling out the Tour Request Form carefully.
Click on the links below to jump to a description of the attractions you wish to learn more about.
POPULAR TOURS: U.S. Capitol, Supreme Court, Bureau of Engraving, Library of Congress, Pentagon, Department of State, White House Visitor Center, White House
MUSEUMS: U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Smithsonian Museums,International Spy Museum, Ford's Theatre and Lincoln Museum, National Building Museum,
OTHER ATTRACTIONS: United States Botanic Garden, Dumbarton Oaks Garden,
Folger Shakespeare Library, The National Archives, National Aquarium, Department of the Treasury, Government Printing Office, Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Arlington National Cemetery, The National Cathedral, Naval Observatory, Monticello - Home of Thomas Jefferson,
Also, check out our MEMORIALS and MONUMENTS page. And visit these helpful pages for more information about D.C. Online Visitor Resource Center (for accomodations, etc), WMATA (for public transportation), National Parks in the area, and a Map of the Downtown area.
The White House and Pentagon allow me to request a limited number of reserved spots for tours. As my office's resources allow, I am happy to request reserved times for these tours on behalf of Arizonans. While my office is eager to fit these attractions into your visit, tour acceptance or denial is solely at the discretion of the attractions themselves. We cannot guarantee a reserved tour no matter how far in advance it is requested.
It is not advisable to wait for a confirmed tour before making travel arrangements, as attractions sometimes confirm tours with very little notice. While we immediately begin scheduling your request when we receive your tour request form, every attraction has a different response time. We confirm all of your tours with one email only after every attraction you have requested responds to our request on your behalf. The White House sometimes gives my office as little as seven days' notice before a confirmed tour. We appreciate your patience. If you must make other plans during your visit, my tour coordinators are happy to work around your itinerary, so please keep them updated.
White House tours can occur as early as 7:30am. We always request tours for late morning to try to accommodate those who stay outside of the city during their visit. However, the White House does not always accommodate this request. Please be prepared to come into town early for tours.
TIPS FOR FILLING OUT THE TOUR REQUEST FORM
- DO NOT fill out the tour request form unless you have concrete plans to visit Washington DC and you have either committed to a plane ticket, a train ticket, a hotel room or other definite plan. Changes to the information you provide on your tour request form are not easily made. If you fill out a tour request form with approximate dates and later purchase plane tickets for different dates, you will need to fill out a new tour request form, as well as notify my office of the cancellation of your previously submitted tour request form. Chances are good that tours already scheduled for you will have to be cancelled, and attractions may have filled up in the interim, so the first-come, first-served status will have to be applied to your most recently submitted form.
- The same applies to increasing the number in your group. It is impossible to "just add" one person. Acceptance or denial of the requests we submit on your behalf are based on fire codes and availability. An attraction may not be able to accommodate your larger group. Essentially, each attraction will treat additions to your group as a new request. Please submit a new tour request form when increasing the size of your group so that our office will have a record of these changes.
- When listing your ARRIVAL and DEPARTURE dates on the Tour Request Form, please list TRAVEL days only. No tours will be scheduled on your ARRIVAL or DEPARTURE dates listed on the form.
- When you submit the form properly, the next webpage you will see bears a message informing you that we have received your request. If you do not see this message, you have not submitted properly and you should try again. The 'preview' button is just showing you a preview of what you are sending to us. At the bottom of the preview page is the actual 'submit' button. Please print not only the preview page of your tour request form, but also the message saying we received your tour request, and keep these for your records.
- We would like to know if you have contacted any other Congressional offices with a tour request so that we can work together to avoid scheduling conflicts and double bookings. Submitting requests to several different Congressional offices does not increase your chances of getting tours. It only increases your chances of scheduling conflicts.
To request a White House or Pentagon tour, we MUST receive your security information for the required background checks. The White House security roster is different from the Pentagon security roster. Please read the descriptions of these tours before requesting them.
If you have questions or concerns about the Tour Request Form, please feel free to contact my tour coordinator in Washington at (202) 224-7125.
POPULAR TOURS
For more information about the White House Visitors Center and the White House, please click here.
Group tours are available directly through the Pentagon website if you reserve with your work email address (ending in .edu - .gov - .org -or- .mil). A group tour is made up of 5 or more people and is from an educational institution (K-12, college and home school), government agency, church or military unit; Boy/Girl Scouts are also included in this group. For more information please click here.
Pentagon tour requests that do not meet the above guidelines must be scheduled through a Congressional office. These tours are only available Monday-Friday.
For your request to be considered, we MUST receive your security information for the required background check.
Once your request is submitted through my website, please send a copy of the Pentagon security roster (available here as an Excel document) to my tour coordinator via email or fax (202-228-3995). In the subject line of the email please indicate the surname given on the Tour Request Form submitted and refer to the month and year of the requested tour dates. If you cannot access the security roster documents from the links provided, please send the following information for everyone planning to attend the tour: Full Name, Date of Birth, and Country/City/State of Birth. Should your request be approved by the Pentagon, this information will be given to the Pentagon for a security background check. If anyone planning to attend the tour was not born in the U.S., please include their passport information.
Alternatively, you may also call us with this information.
The Capitol Visitor Center is the main entrance to the U.S. Capitol. Visitors can enter the Visitor Center without tickets for a reserved tour. It is located on the East front of the Capitol at First Street and East Capitol Street, NE.
The U.S. Capitol is open to the public for tours guided by Capitol Visitor Center personnel. You must have a tour in order to enter the Capitol building. Tours will be conducted from 8:45 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Monday through Saturday. 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.
The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center strongly advises that you make a reservation in advance to visit the Capitol (Spring and Summer months are particularly busy). Free tickets are required for a tour of the Capitol and may be needed for other special events. Groups of 10 or less can make their own reservations through the Capitol Visitor Center up to two months in advance by clicking here* or calling (202)226-8000. Groups larger than 10 must make a reservation through a Congressional office. A limited number of same-day passes are available each day at the Information Desks in Emancipation Hall on the lower level of the Visitor Center.
*If you request a White House or Pentagon tour as well, please let my office of Constituent Relations in Washington know when you receive a confirmation from the Capitol so that they can avoid scheduling conflicts.
Large tour groups should familliarize themselves with the restrictions on COMMERCIAL BUSSES while on Capitol Hill, as well as the related MAP OF BUS ROUTES.
If you are hoping to visit the House or Senate Galleries, please be advised that separate passes are needed for entry. Gallery Passes do not need to be used same-day, so you can pick them up at any time during your visit and use them at your leisure. Senate Gallery passes are available from your Senator and House Gallery passes are available from your Representative - and passes can be obtained in their offices during business hours Monday - Friday. The Senate Gallery is only open to the public when the Senate is in session. The House Gallery is open to the public Monday – Friday, 9am to 4:30pm, whether or not the House is in session. You can visit the Galleries whether or not you have scheduled a Capitol tour. Entry to the galleries is through the Capitol Visitor Center, upper level. International visitors may obtain gallery passes at the Senate or House Appointment Desks in the Visitor Center.
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 current list of prohibited items, please click here.
Closest Metro: Capitol South or Union Station.
You may tour the building (not the courtroom) on your own. Guided tours of the Supreme Court are not available. The building is open from 9AM – 4:30PM Monday – Friday and will be closed weekends and holidays. There is a great ground-floor cafeteria open to the public for breakfast and lunch, as well as exhibits, a film, and a gift shop.
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 open the Supreme Court Calendar for the appropriate Term. The Court generally hears two one-hour arguments a day, at 10AM and 11AM, 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 10AM for the release of orders and opinions. This practice continues until all the cases heard during the Term are 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 and open the Visitor's Guide to Oral Argument.
Not in session: When court is not in session there are free lectures every hour on the half hour from 9:30AM to 3:30PM Monday-Friday. No reservations are necessary. Anyone wishing to attend a lecture should line up on the Front Plaza of the Supreme Court Building. If your group size is smaller than 25, they recommend that you arrive 10 minutes prior to start of lecture, 25-50 in group then 20 minutes prior, 50-75 in group, 30 minutes prior, 75-100 then 45 minutes prior, larger than 100 then 60 minutes prior. Lecture schedules may vary and it is best to call and confirm times before your visit.
For weekly updates on the Courtroom Lecture schedule, please call:
202-479-3211 (ext.4 … and ext. 4 again)
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
14th and C Streets, S.W.
You'll see millions of dollars being printed during a tour of the BEP. The tour features the various steps of currency production, beginning with large, blank sheets of paper, and ending with wallet-ready bills!
As the U.S. Government's security printer, the BEP is responsible for the design, engraving and printing of all U.S. paper currency. A world leader in printing technology, the Bureau also produces portions of U.S. passports, materials for Homeland Security, military identification cards, Immigration and Naturalization Certificates, White House invitations, Treasury obligations and other U.S. securities.
Free public tours are available. Photo identification is required. The Bureau is closed on weekends, federal holidays and the week between Christmas and New Years. The Bureau is open on the Friday after Thanksgiving... please be advised that this is one of the busiest tour days of the year, so plan ahead.
September – February
No tickets are required. Line up at the Visitor Entrance to the BEP (14th & C Streets, SW). Allow 45 – 50 minutes from the time you enter the building until the end of your tour. Public tours are offered 9AM - 10:45AM & 12:30PM - 2PM (every 15 minutes).
PEAK SEASON (March - August) FREE TICKETS ARE REQUIRED
From the first Monday in March through the last Friday in August, tickets are passed out on a first-come, first-served basis. The ticket booth is located on Raoul Wallenberg Place (formerly 15th Street). They offer same day tickets only. The Ticket Booth opens at 8AM Monday - Friday, and closes when all tickets have been distributed. Lines form early (some days as early as 5:30AM) and tickets go quickly, most days (especially during the first two weeks in April ~ Cherry Blossom/Spring Break) tickets are gone by 8:30AM. Please plan accordingly.
Extended Hours (May-Aug) 2PM – 3:45PM & 5PM – 7PM (every 15 minutes)
School Group Tours (RESERVATIONS REQUIRED)**
Offered from 11AM - 12:15PM (every 15 minutes) (50 people max per tour)
Please complete a Group Reservation Request Form (click here) and fax it to 202-874-6331.
**If you request a White House or Pentagon tour as well, please let my office of Constituent Relations in Washington know when you receive a confirmation from the BEP for your group tour so that they can avoid scheduling conflicts.
For more information please click here or call 202-874-3188.
Closest Metro: Smithsonian
Public tours are offered at 10:30 and 11:30AM, 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30PM, Monday - Friday. Saturday public tours are offered at 10:30 and 11:30AM, as well as 1:30 and 2:30PM. 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 their website (click here), or calling 202-707–0919. These tours are designed for organizations and schools (fifth-grade level and above). Reserved group tour times are offered Monday - Friday, at 9AM., 10AM, 11AM, and 1PM, 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
U.S. Department of State tours can be requested by emailing them directly***. Tours are only conducted Monday-Friday and are not recommended for anyone 12 years old and younger due to the “fine art” displayed in some rooms. For more information, please click here.
In the email request, you will need to include the following security information for each participant:
FULL NAME
DATE OF BIRTH
THE NUMBER OF A GOVERNMENT ISSUED ID (driver's license or passport)
Everyone 16 years old and older will need to submit information about a government issued photo ID that they will bring with them on the tour. Anyone 15 years old and younger should include their Social Security Numbers.
All tour participants 16 and older must be able to present the valid photo identification used to reserve the tour. The tour should last about 45 minutes. No strollers, briefcases, backpacks, and packages are allowed on this tour and there are no lockers for personal storage. Please note that picture taking is only permitted within the Diplomatic Reception Rooms. Photography in any other area of the building is not permitted.
***If you request a White House or Pentagon tour as well, please let my office of Constituent Relations in Washington know when you receive a confirmation from the Department of State so that they can avoid scheduling conflicts.
MUSEUMS
Located south of Independence Ave., SW. between 14th Street and Raoul Wallenberg Place (formerly 15th St.). There is an entrance also on 14th Street, next to the Bureau of Engraving. Open daily from 10AM to 5:30PM. Closed only on Yom Kippur and Christmas Day. Please allow between 1.5 - 3 hours for your visit.
Year-round, no tickets are necessary for entering the Museum building, or for visiting Daniel’s Story, special exhibitions, the interactive Wexner Learning Center, or using 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 museums’ entrance on the day of your visit or call 800-400-9373 for advance tickets.
Groups of 40 or more people are required to schedule their visit to the Permanent Exhibition, however, no reservations are needed for group visits to Daniel's Story. (The Permanent Exhibition is recommended for ages 11+ and Daniel's Story is recommended for ages 8+).
For more information please click here or call 202-488-0400.
Closest Metro: Smithsonian (use the exit at 12th and Independence Avenue)
Locations are varied.
The Smithsonian is a collection of 14 museums and sites in the Washington, DC area.
Most Museums are open daily from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, except December 25th.
Admission to all museums is free.
For more information please click here.
Telephone: 202-633-1000 (voice) or 202.633.5285 (TTY)
800 F Street, NW.
There is a fee for admission. The Museum is closed New Year's Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. On occasion, the Museum closes for private events earlier than 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)
Located on 10th St between E and F Streets, NW
Admission is free. The Lincoln Museum and the house where Lincoln died are open from 8AM - 11:45PM every day except Christmas Day. Tours at the theatre are self guided. Fifteen minute historical talks are presented at fifteen past the hour except from 12 - 2PM.
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
401 F St, NW, between 4th and 5th Streets.
Admission is free, but there is a suggested donation. Open Monday through Saturday from 10AM - 5PM, and Sundays 11AM - 5PM. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Day. On rare occasions, the Museum may close for a special event. 45-minute, walk-in, public tours are offered Monday through Wednesday at 12:30PM, and Thursday through Sunday at 11:30AM, 12:30PM, and 1:30PM.
Groups of 10 or more must make a reservation by emailing the group coordinator (fees may apply).
For more information call (202) 272-2448 or click here.
Wheelchair access is available through the G Street entrance.
Closest Metro: Judiciary Square
1776 D Street, NW. Two blocks from the White House.
Admission is free. Open Monday through Friday from 9:30AM - 4PM and Saturday 9AM - 5PM. Groups of 10 or more are asked to notify the museum of their planned visit at 202-879-3341 or via email.
Free, 45-minute, guided tours are on the hour and half-hour Monday through Friday 10 AM to 2:30 PM and Saturday 9 AM to 4:30 PM. For groups of 10 or more people, reservations are required for a guided tour (there is a fee for reserving the group guided tour).
For more information call (202) 879-3341 or click here.
Closest Metro: Farragut West
17th and M Streets, NW
Admission is free. No guided tours are available. Open Monday through Saturday from 9AM – 5PM, and Sunday 10AM – 5PM.
For more information call (202) 857-7588 or click here.
Closest Metro: Farragut North
National Mall between 3rd and 7th streets at Constitution Avenue, NW
Admission is free. Open Monday through Saturday from 10AM – 5PM, and Sundays 11AM – 6PM.
Audio Tours are available, depending on the exhibit, from 10:30AM - 3:30PM.
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
2401 Foxhall Road, NW
Near American University
There is a fee for admission and reservations are required for weekday visits. No reservations are needed on Saturdays from 10 AM - 4 PM and optional guided tours are given at 10:30 am, 12:00 pm and 2:00 pm.
To make reservations call 202-338-3552 or email Kreeger Visitor Services by clicking here.
For more information please click here.
For more information about school visits click here.
Closest Metro: Tenleytown
4155 Linnean Avenue, NW
Between the Cleveland Park and Van Ness neighborhoods on the edge of Rock Creek Park.
There is a fee for admission. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 AM - 5 PM and reservations are not necessary during these days. However, on spring weekends daily availability may be limited so advance reservations will guarantee entrance.
Hillwood is closed during the month of January and most national holidays.
Advance reservations are required for Sunday visitation.
Advance reservations may be made for Tuesday - Sunday by calling 202-686-5807 (leave your name and number and a reservations representative will return your call by the next business day).
Group Tours of 10 or more people may choose from a variety of options, including self-guided tours with free audio tours or guided tours. For group inquiries please call 202-686-5807 or click here.
Visitors should plan to spend at least 3 hours here.
The Café serves lunch Tuesday through Saturday, 11 AM - 3 PM. Royal tea starts at 2:30 PM. The Café closes at 4:30 PM. On select Sundays the Café is open from 1 - 4:30 PM.
For more information please click here.
Closest Metro: Van Ness/UDC
700 Army Navy Drive, Arlington, VA 22202
Directly across the street from the Pentagon City Mall at the corner of Army Navy Drive and Hayes Street.
Admission is free. Open Tuesday through Friday from 10 AM - 4 PM. Please allow at least an hour tour to see the exhibits. Groups of 15 or more, please call ahead to make reservations. Due to the design of the exhibits, public group tours of the DEA Museum and Visitors Center will be broken up into groups of 40 or less.
The museum is designed for guests 10+ years and older. Middle school, high school, and other groups are encouraged to visit the museum. The DEA Museum staff offers programs and tours for school and community groups. For more information on these programs, please call the Museum weekdays between 9 AM and 5 PM.
To make group reservations call 202-307-3463.
For more information please call 202-307-3463 or click here.
Closest Metro: Pentagon City
OTHER ATTRACTIONS
100 Maryland Avenue, SW
On the National Mall at the intersection of Maryland Avenue and 1st Street, N.W.
Open daily, including weekends and holidays, from 10am-5pm
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 - 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 - 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 Capital South
There are two separate entrances. The entrance to the museum and the music room is located at 1703 32nd Street, between S and R Streets. The entrance to the gardens is at R and 31st.
Museum and shop:
Open daily from 2 PM - 5 PM
Closed on Mondays, federal holidays, and Christmas Eve.
Admission is free.
90- minute docent-led tours are offered to eligible groups of 10 to 45 people on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday by advance reservation and for a fee. Call the Docent Office at 202-339-6409.
A guided 30-minute special tour of the first floor non-public historic rooms of Dumbarton Oaks – including the hall, Founders' Room, Study and Oval Room – is offered on Saturdays at 3:00 PM for up to 15 people. To join the tour, please sign in at the front desk and meet your docent in the Bliss Gallery (adjacent to the lobby).
Gardens:
November 1 - March 14: 2 PM – 5 PM, free admission
March 15 - October 31: 2 PM – 6 PM, there is a fee for admission
Closed on Mondays, federal holidays, during inclement weather and on Christmas Eve.
Brief introductory tours of the gardens start inside the Garden entrance at 2:15 PM.
In-depth guided tours for the gardens are available for a fee and must be arranged in advance by calling 202-339-6409
201 East Capitol Street, SE
The library is free and open to the public from 10AM - 5PM (Monday - Saturday), but is closed on all federal holidays. Walk-in, docent tours of the building and the current exhibition are available at 11AM (Monday - Friday) and on Saturday at 11AM & 1PM. Docent tours of the Elizabethan Garden are available every third Saturday of the month at 10AM & 11AM (April - October).
Group tours are available for both school groups and adult groups, and must be arranged in advance. Please call the Education department at 202-675-0395.
For more information, call 202-544-4600 or click here.
For more information about school visits and tours please click here.
For more information about activities for all groups please click here.
Closest Metro: Union Station or Capitol South
For additional information, call 202-339-6401 or e-mail Dumbarton Oaks or click here.
Closest Metro: Dupont Circle
Metrobus routes 30, 32, 34, 36, D2, D4, M12 come within two blocks of the garden.
700 Pennsylvania Ave, NW. Between 7th & 9th Streets, NW, the entrance to 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 the general public line during seasons of heavy traffic. The Archives are open daily from 10AM - 5:30PM. Extended summer hours until 7PM. Plan on spending about 90 minutes viewing all the Archives has to offer. Closed Thanksgiving Day and December 25.
All food and beverages are prohibited. There is a small snack bar but no facility in which to store bag lunches. In good weather, groups may eat outdoors on the Mall or at the U.S. Navy Memorial.
Reservations are recommended for individuals or groups wishing to make a self-guided visit to the National Archives Experience. Spring/Summer hours for self-guided tours are 10:15AM – 5:30PM (Monday - Friday). Fall/Winter hours are 10:15AM – 4PM (Monday - Friday). Reservations must be submitted at least 6 weeks prior to the date of the visit. To make a reservation for a self-guided tour, please email the Visitor Services Manager.
Reservations are required for individuals or groups up to 20 wishing to take a one-hour guided tour of the National Archives Experience. Guided tours are at 9:45AM (Monday –Friday) and space is limited to 20 persons. Reservations must be made in advance. Contacting the Archives at least 6 weeks prior to the date of the visit is recommended. Please call the Volunteer and Tour Office at 202-357-5450 to schedule a date and time for your visit.
For more information about reserved self-guided tours click here
For more information about events please click here
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.
14th Street, between Constitution Ave & Pennsylvania Ave, NW. Located in the U.S. Department of Commerce Building on 14th Street between Pennsylvania Avenue and Constitution Avenue NW.
Open daily 9AM – 5PM. Last admission is at 4:30PM. Allow 45 minutes to see everything the National Aquarium has to offer. Animal keeper hosted talks and animal feedings occur daily at 2PM. Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
There is a fee for admission, Children under 2 are free. Credit cards cannot be used for admission.
For more information about school group visits please click here.
For more information about events please click here.
For any other information call 202-482-2825 or click here.
Closest Metro: Federal Triangle
15th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
The Department of Treasury tour does not show you the process of printing money. That is the Bureau of Engraving and Printing tour.
Tours must be scheduled through a Congressional Office and are only available Saturday mornings. The Department of the Treasury is closed for Holiday weekends and it may also close occasionally for special diplomatic events. If your stay in DC includes a Saturday, you may mention in the special needs section of the Tour Request Form that you would like this tour option. For your request to be considered, we MUST receive your security information for the required background check. Once your request is submitted through my website, please send a copy of the Treasury security roster (available here as an Excel or Word document) to my tour coordinator via email or fax (202-228-3995). If you cannot access the security roster documents from the links provided, please send the following information for everyone planning to attend the tour: Full Name, Date of Birth, and Social Security Number. Should your request be approved by the Treasury, this information will be given to the Treasury for a security background check. Tours are only available for citizens and legal residents of the United States.
Alternatively, you may also call us with this information.
Strollers and backpacks are not permitted in the Building and there is no storage area onsite. Photography (still or video) is not permitted. Special arrangements must be made in advance for wheelchair access to the building. Photo ID is required for admittance.
For more information please click here.
Closest Metro: McPherson Square and Metro Center
732 North Capitol St., NW between H & G Streets
Tours must be scheduled through a Congressional Office and are only available Memorial Day – Labor Day. If your stay in DC occurs between Memorial Day and Labor Day, you may mention in the special needs section of the Tour Request Form that you would like this tour option. The tour is not suitable for children under six. Please reserve tours at least 2 weeks in advance.
Cameras and open-toed shoes are prohibited. Photo ID is required for admittance.
For more information please click here.
Closest Metro: Union Station
2700 F Street, NW
Free performances take place on the Millennium Stage at 6:00 pm 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. Tours are available from 10AM – 5PM (Monday - Friday) and 10AM – 1P (Saturday & Sunday). The Center is closed on the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.
Reserved tours can be scheduled through my office, at least 1 week in advance, by mentioning it in the special needs section of the Tour Request Form.
Tour times are 9:30AM and 4:30PM (Monday – Friday), or 9:30AM (Saturday & Sunday).
Group Tours (20 or more) can book a private tour by calling the Visitors Center at (202) 416-8340, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. daily. Group tours are scheduled every half hour until 4:30 p.m. weekdays and 12:30 p.m. weekends.
For more information call 202-416-8340 (TTY 416-8524) or click here.
Closest Metro: Foggy Bottom/GWU
Located on Memorial Drive in Arlington, Virginia
Hours: Open daily 8AM – 7PM (April – September); 8AM – 5PM (October – March)
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 click here.
For information on how to submit a wreath laying request please click here.
Closest Metro: Arlington Cemetery
Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues, NW
It is located on Mount Saint Alban in Washington, D.C., which is one of the highest points in the city.
There is a suggested donation for all tours. Individuals and family-sized groups may take one of many specialty tours, an audio tour, a self-guided tour, visit an exhibit, enjoy an organ demonstration, and more.
Guided Highlights Tours last approximately 30 minutes and are offered on an ongoing basis from 10 AM - 4 PM Monday through Friday, and from 10 AM - 3:30 PM on Saturdays. No reservations are needed for individuals or family-sized groups.
For more information about in-depth Art & Architecture tours, Behind-the-Scenes tours, Gargoyle tours, Tour and Tea, Congressional tours, Garden tours, and Patriotic tours click here.
Groups of 13 or more should make reservations by calling (202) 537-2937 or clicking here.
For More information please click here.
34th Street and Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Free public tours are offered on alternating Monday evenings from 8:30 - 10PM and are by reservation only. The Observatory is closed for Federal Holidays. Backpacks, bags and bulky items are not permitted on the grounds. Photo ID is required for all adults.
Fax a request to the Public Affairs Office at (202) 762-1489. You must submit your tour reservation 4 to 6 weeks in advance. You must provide the names and dates-of-birth of all individuals in your party. As a Requestor you must also provide an email address or daytime telephone number so that the USNO may contact you with the status of your request. You will receive an email or telephone confirmation when your order has been processed no later than the Friday before your First Choice tour date.
For more information please call 202-762-1438 or click here.
VA Route 53 near the intersection of Interstate 64 and VA Route 20, approximately two miles southeast of Charlottesville. Hours are seasonal.
For more information please call 434-984-9822 or click here.
3200 Mount Vernon Memorial Highway, Mount Vernon, Virginia 22121
About 16 miles south of Washington, DC.
Hours are seasonal. A shuttle to the Pioneer Farm Site is available from March 11 to November. Tours are available for a fee, children 5 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
935 Pennsylvania Avenue between 9th and 10th Streets, NW.
Sorry, Headquarters Tours are currently closed, pending renovations.
For more information please click here.
Closest Metro: Federal Triangle, Gallery Place/Chinatown, Metro Center, and Archives/Navy Memorial.
50 Massachusetts Avenue NE.
Open 24 hours. There are public restrooms, public lockers, pay phones and an ATM machine, as well as several shopping, entertainment and food court options available at Union Station... all above the metro.
For more information please click here.
Closest Metro: Union Station.