If you are planning a trip to our Nation's Capital we would like to help you make the most of your stay.
My staff may be able to coordinate tours for your group at the following locations: The United States Capitol Building, Library of Congress, Supreme Court, and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing. While every effort will be made to accommodate your tour request, due to limited availability and heightened security we ask that you let us know about your trip at least three months in advance of your arrival.
When sending a written request, please make sure to include your name, address, and phone number, the places you would like to visit, the number of tickets you want and your dates of travel. If you have any questions, you may also contact the office by phone at (202) 224-2315.
Public tours of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing are offered Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. During peak season, (March through August) tickets are required for all tours, and are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The ticket booth is located on Raoul Wallenberg Place (formerly 15th Street). You may obtain tickets for the day of the tour only. The Ticket Booth opens at 8:00 a.m., Monday through Friday, and closes when all tickets have been distributed. Lines form early and tickets go quickly, most days' tickets are gone by 9:00 a.m. Please plan accordingly. During non-peak seasons (September through February) no tickets are required. You may line up at the Visitors’ Entrance on 14th Street. Please allow 45 – 50 minutes from the time you enter the building until the end of your tour.
Congressional tours of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing are also available. Because tours are limited and usually fill up several months in advance, it is strongly recommended that you submit your request at least three months in advance. To request a tour of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing please use our Tour Request Form.
Tours of the Capitol Building are led by professional Capitol Tour Guides.Tours take place Monday through Saturday from 8:50 a.m. to 3:20 p.m., leaving from the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC). You can schedule your own tour through the Capitol Visitor Center here. If you would like Senate Gallery Passes, please stop by our office at 713 Hart Senate Building.
From Union Station Metro (Red Line): Exit Union Station and walk across the plaza (Columbus Circle) toward the ring of state flags. Cross the street around the plaza and continue south on Delaware Ave., NE. (You will be heading toward the Capitol.) Continue on Delaware Ave. and cross over C Street. Proceed down C Street along the Russell Senate Building, which will be on your right, until you hit First Street. Take a right onto First Street (heading South) and continue over Constitution Avenue until you reach the CVC on your right.
From Capitol South Metro (Orange/Blue Line): Follow 1st St. approximately 3 blocks (you will pass the Library of Congress and when you arrive the Supreme Court will be on your right) until you reach the CVC, which will be on your left.
To begin the tour, arrive at the Capitol Visitor Center where a tour guide will be ready to take you through the Capitol. Please advise all those participating on the tour to leave any sharp objects and liquids in the car, or at the office, or else they will be confiscated at the checkpoints. Cameras and electronics are allowed on the tour, but not in the Senate Gallery. You will be able to check in your electronic items and issued a ticket to retrieve them after you tour the Gallery. Please note that due to the number of requests we receive, responses to tour requests may take over 3 weeks.
The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Cape Canaveral, FL is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except for December 25th and certain launch days. The site offers a highly interactive tour featuring the launch headquarters, launch pads, rockets, current and historical technology; and includes IMAX space movies, shows, and exhibits. The tour runs approximately 2 to 2 ½ hours and includes bus transportation into restricted areas, observation gantry on the Launch pad grounds; and to the Apollo-Saturn V Center Museum which features a restored Saturn V launch vehicle and other exhibits, such as the Apollo capsule. The observation gantry provides views of both launch pads and of the entire Kennedy Space Center property. Tickets are priced at $38 per adult and $28 for children ages 3-11 (tax not included) and can be purchased at the following site:
Public tours of the Library of Congress are available Monday through Friday at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.; and Saturday at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., and 2:30 p.m. Docent-led public tours depart from the Great Hall of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress. Tours are limited to 50 people. For more information on guided tours, ask at either of the information desks in the Visitors' Center of the Jefferson Building, or contact the Visitor Services Office at (202) 707-8000. To request a tour of the Library of Congress please use our Tour Request Form.
Pentagon tours are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. The maximum number of people per Friends and Family tour request is 10, and there is no minimum group. Reservations must be made at least two weeks in advance. Tours begin and end at the Pentagon Metro entrance.
The Supreme Court building is open from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Tours, including a lecture in the Courtroom, are typically given every hour on the half-hour on days that the Court is not sitting, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and concluding at 3:30 p.m. A film and other exhibits on the Supreme Court are located on the ground floor. It is recommended that you call 202-479-3211 for updated information on visiting the Court, including any schedule changes. To request a tour of the Supreme Court please use our Tour Request Form.
Tours of the Main Treasury Building are offered from March through December, and are conducted on Saturdays at 9:00 a.m., 9:45 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 11:15 a.m. Tours last approximately 60 minutes and advance reservations must be made through a Congressional office. At this time, tours are only available for citizens and legal residents of the United States. If you would like to request a tour of the Treasury Building, please use our request form. Our tour coordinator will contact you with additional information.
The U.S. Government Printing Office (GPO) offers tours of its operations and facilities throughout the summer. Tours cover the GPO’s 152-year history and provide a glimpse into the current workings of the agency, which produces vital publications such as the Congressional Record and Federal Register. The GPO is located near Union Station and the Capitol Building, and tours for 2013 are available from June 4th to August 29th. Please use my Tour Request form to request one of these tours. Our tour coordinator will then contact you with additional information.
The Voice of America, which first went on the air in 1942, is a multimedia international broadcasting service operating under the independent federal agency, the Broadcasting Board of Governors. VOA broadcasts approximately 1,500 hours of news, information, educational, and cultural programming every week to an estimated worldwide audience of 125 million people.
During free guided group tours, visitors learn VOA's history and how VOA has expanded from the shortwave broadcasts of the 1940s to today's AM, FM, television, and Internet. The central newsroom, radio, and television studios are featured prominently in the tours, which are approximately 45 minutes long.
Tour Days and Time: Monday through Friday (except holidays) from 12 p.m. and 3 p.m. Reservations are not required, but suggested. To schedule a tour, please visit VOA's online reservation and ticketing site (www.voatour.com), which provides you with an instant overview of available VOA events. You may also contact the Office of Public Relations by calling (202) 203-4990, or sending an e-mail to [email protected].
The White House currently offers tours on a very limited basis Tuesday through Thursday between the hours of 7:30a.m. and 11:30a.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 7:30a.m. to 1:30p.m. My staff can request tickets for these tours of the East Wing and Executive Residence on your behalf. Requests for November tours will need to be submitted at least one week in advance. Any tour requests for December 3 or after will need to be submitted at least 21 days in advance, although we strongly recommend you request your tour as close to 3 months in advance as possible, as White House tours book quickly, especially during peak season. To request a tour of the White House, please use our Tour Request Form.
The White House will also be offering Fall Tours of the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, Rose Garden, and South Lawn of the White House on Saturday, October 26 and Sunday, October 27 from 9:00a.m. until 3:30p.m. To request tickets for these tours, please indicate how many tickets you’d like to receive in the “Special Requests” section of my Tour Request form. The National Park Service will also be distributing free tickets for these tours on a first-come, first-served basis at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion, located at the corner of 15th and E. Please be advised that the National Park Service will only distribute these tickets to patrons who arrive at the kiosk – meaning one ticket per person.