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Visiting D.C.

Visiting D.C.


Tours

With advance notice, congressional offices can requested tours of the Capitol Building and the White House -- the FBI Headquarters, The Department of the Treasury and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing remain closed due to COVID-19 precautions. With the exception of the Capitol Building, please be advised that tours are limited and should be requested at least three months ahead of time. For visits during peak tourist season in Washington, D.C. - around the holidays and between the months of March and August - we recommend requesting tours six months in advance. While we can never guarantee tickets for any tour, we will do our best to provide you with the tours you have requested.






Tours of washington d.c.



The Capitol Building

Tours of the U.S. Capitol are arranged through the Capitol Visitor Center (CVC). The CVC offers guided group tours Monday through Saturday. Please make all group requests three to four weeks in advance. If you prefer, our office is happy to schedule staff-led tours of the Capitol Building departing from my office Monday through Friday at either 10:00 a.m. or 2:00 p.m. If you choose to schedule a tour with my staff, please plan to come directly to our office, 133 Hart Senate Office Building, unless our Tour Coordinator tells you otherwise. No food or drink is allowed on Capitol tours. Tours usually last around 60 – 90 minutes, with the option of going up to the house and senate galleries, if they are open. Cameras are allowed in the Capitol during your tour. 

For security reasons, staff-led tours are limited to groups of fifteen or less. All staff-led tour requests can be made by through our tour request form (here) or by contacting my office at 202-224-5344.

For further information, including travel advice and restricted items, please consult the CVC's website at http://www.visitthecapitol.gov/.



The White House

Requests for public tours of the White House must be submitted through one's Member of Congress. Tour requests are accepted up to three months in advance. Requests can be submitted up to three months in advance and no less than 21 days in advance. These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday (excluding federal holidays), and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. We encourage you to submit your request as early as possible since a limited number of tours are available.  Due to high demand in the spring and summer, requests need to be submitted far in advance.  You will be notified if the tour has been approved approximately two to three weeks before the scheduled date of the tour. All White House tours are free of charge. Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation.



The FBI Headquarters



The Pentagon



The Bureau of Engraving and Printing

Tours of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing allow the general public a rare glimpse at one of the most intriguing processes in American history: the production of our currency. Free public tours are offered every fifteen minutes between 9:00 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., and between 12:30 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. The Bureau offers extended hours until 3:45p.m. between April-August.

Tickets are required during peak season (March-August). These tickets can be ordered at the Bureau's ticket booth located at Raoul Wallenberg Place. The ticket booth opens at 8:00 a.m. Monday through Friday, but lines form early and we recommend arriving at the booth no later than 7:00 a.m. All tickets are for same day use. From September through February (non-peak season) no tickets are required for tours of the Bureau. 

 Congressional offices are only allowed to request tickets for 10 people per day. School group tours (fifty people maximum) require a reservation and are only offered between the hours of 11:00 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.



Library of Congress



The Supreme Court

The Supreme Court building is the central locus of our nation’s legal system. The hundreds of landmark decisions handed down by this court will continue to guide American legal history for generations to come. Exhibits and lectures detailing these historic events are offered on a rotating basis throughout the year. Courtroom seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-seated basis.

From October through April, oral arguments can be viewed by the general public when the court is in session. Although arguments do not begin until 10:00 a.m., we advise you to arrive as early as 8:00 a.m. in order to secure seats. Please view the Calendar of Oral Arguments for a detailed schedule.

Between the months of May and June the general public may observe the Court for the release of orders and opinions, a practice that normally lasts around fifteen to twenty minutes. Although these sessions do not begin until 10:00 a.m., we again urge you to arrive as early as possible to secure seats.

For more information, including Calendar of Oral Arguments, visit the Supreme Court's website HERE.



Department of Treasury




Government Printing Office