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Public Tour Information
The following list includes quite a few sites worthy of a visit while in Washington D.C. For each site, it gives a brief description, points to be aware of, and the name of the nearest Metro station. The list is divided into the following sections:
- Tours which are free, open to the public, and require a ticket.
- Tours which are not open to the public, and require a ticket.
- Tours which are not free, open to the public, and require a ticket.
- Tours which are free, open to the public, and do not offer tickets.
1. Free of charge and open to the public.
These are very popular tours and long waits should be anticipated, especially during the summer. For this reason, we suggest that you obtain tickets before your trip.
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| WHITE HOUSE |
At this point in time, tours of the White House are limited to any groups of 10 people or more, contingent upon tour availability and approval by White House security. If you or your group are planning a trip and want to tour the nation’s house, I urge you to give my office at least two months’ advance notice. White House officials have not indicated when tours for small groups and the general public will resume. However, everyone is encouraged to visit the White House Visitor Center. The center contains a great deal of information and numerous visual displays on many aspects of the official residence of the First Family, including its architecture, furnishings, social events, the history of the families who have lived there, and a thirty-minute video. The center is open seven days a week between 7:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. and is located at the southeast corner of 15th and E Streets. The building is most easily identified by the three American flags and the blue awnings. |
| FBI |
Tours not available at this time.
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| KENNEDY CENTER |
Public tours are conducted by Friends of the Kennedy Center 7 days a week, 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Tours leave approximately every 15 minutes and last about an hour. The nearest Metro station is Foggy Bottom.
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| SUPREME COURT |
Courtroom lectures lasting about 20 minutes are given every hour on the half hour, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., when the Court is not in session. The ground floor exhibits are open to the public. Use main entrance. The Supreme Court is located directly across from the Capitol on 1st Street. You may reserve tickets by calling your Representative or Senator at least three months in advance. The nearest Metro station is Capitol South or Union Station.
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| BUREAU OF ENGRAVING AND PRINTING |
A continuous self-guided tour is offered Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. During the summer months, the line is often cut off as early as noon to ensure everyone entry into the gallery. The Bureau is located at 14th and C Streets S.W., one block south of the Washington Monument. You may reserve tickets by calling your Representative or Senator at least three months in advance. The nearest Metro station is Smithsonian.
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| U.S. CAPITOL |
Public tours are conducted daily from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tour line forms on the front steps of the Capitol. However, you may reserve tickets by calling your Representative or Senator at least three months in advance. The nearest Metro station is Capitol South or Union Station.
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| LIBRARY OF CONGRESS |
Public tours are offered Monday - Friday at 10:00 a.m., 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. No reservations are necessary. However, you may reserve a tour by contacting your Representative at least three months in advance. The reserved tours are only offered Tuesday and Friday at 8:20 a.m. The nearest Metro station is Capitol South.
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| MARINE CORPS PARADE |
During the summer months only, the Marines offer a special parade at the Marine Barracks. This parade takes place every Friday evening from May - August at 8:45 p.m. Reservations are not required, but are recommended. You may reserve seats for the parade by calling your Representative at least three months in advance. Parking is extremely limited. The nearest Metro station is Eastern Market.
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2. Not open to the public and require a ticket.
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| STATE DEPARTMENT |
Guided tours are conducted Monday through Friday at 9:30 a.m, 10:30 a.m., and 2:45 p.m. Tours last 45 minutes. The State Department tour entrance is located on 23rd Street between C and D Streets. You may reserve this tour by calling your Representative's office at least three months in advance or you may reserve the tour yourself by calling the State Department at (202) 647-3241. The nearest Metro station is Foggy Bottom.
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| OLD EXECUTIVE OFFICE BUILDING |
Tours are not offered at this time. |
3. Open to the public, require a ticket and have admission fees.
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| HOLOCAUST MUSEUM |
Same day tickets are available in limited quantity on a first-come, first-served basis. However, tickets may be purchased in advance by calling Ticketmaster at 1-800-551-7328 or from the Washington area 202/432-7328. Tickets purchased by phone are $3.50/ticket + $1.00 order handling. Tickets picked up at outlets in the Washington area are $2.50. The Box Office is on the 14th Street side of the Museum and opens at 9:00 a.m. Museum hours are 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., seven days a week. The Museum is located at 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, Washington, DC 20024. The nearest Metro station is Smithsonian (exits at 12th & Independence).
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| MOUNT VERNON |
Mount Vernon, the home of George and Martha Washington, offers a Congressional Welcome tour April - October. The 45 minute walking tour begins at 8:45 a.m. Admission is $7 for adults, $6 for senior citizens and $3 for children age 6-11. Children age 5 and under are admitted free of charge. Seasonal hours are: April through August, 8:00 a.m to 5:00 p.m.; March, September, October, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; November through February 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Mount Vernon may be reached by car, Tourmobile and scheduled boat service. For more information on the Tourmobile you may call (202) 488-5200.
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| NATIONAL CATHEDRAL |
The National Cathedral offers guided tours Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. except during services. Sunday tours are from 12:45 until 2:45 p.m. The cost of the tour is $2. The Cathedral is located at the corner of Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues, NW. For more information you may call (202) 537-6207.
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4. Open to the public, free of charge and offer no tickets.
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| NATIONAL ARCHIVES |
Tours not open to the public at this time.
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| PENTAGON |
Tours are given Monday through Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tours depart every half hour. The nearest Metro station is Pentagon. Use Main Concourse entrance. |
| SMITHSONIAN |
The museums are open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. For recorded information, call Dial-a-Museum at (202) 357-2020. The nearest Metro station is Smithsonian. |
| FORD'S THEATRE AND THE HOUSE WHERE LINCOLN DIED |
Both sites are open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. The Theatre is closed to visitors during rehearsals and matinees, usually Thursdays and weekends, but the museum and house remain open. Ford's Theatre is located at 511 10th Street, NW. The House Where Lincoln Died is directly across the street. The nearest Metro station is Metro Center or Federal Triangle. |
| WASHINGTON MONUMENT |
The Monument is open 8:00 a.m. to midnight, April 6 through Labor Day, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., September through March. For more information you may call (202) 426-6839. The nearest Metro station is the Smithsonian. |
| LINCOLN MEMORIAL |
The Memorial is located between Constitution and Independence Avenues on 23rd Street, NW. The Memorial is open 24 hours a day. For more information you may call (202) 426-6895. The nearest Metro station is Foggy Bottom. |
| JEFFERSON MEMORIAL |
The Memorial is located on the Southern end of 15th Street, SW across from the Tidal Basin. The Memorial is open 24 hours a day. For more information you may call (202) 426-6821. |
| VIETNAM MEMORIAL |
The Wallis located just north of the Reflecting Pool and a very short distance from the Lincoln Memorial at 23rd Street and Constitution Avenue. The Wall is open 24 hours a day. For more information you may call (202) 634-1568. The nearest Metro station is Foggy Bottom. |
| KOREAN WAR MEMORIAL |
The Korean War Memorial is located beside The Wall at 23rd Street and Constitution Avenue. The Memorial is open 24 hours a day. For more information you may call (202) 634-1568.
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| NATIONAL ZOO |
The Zoo is open seven days a week, except holidays. There is no admission fee. Hours of operation are as follows: April 15 through October 15 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and October 16 through April 14 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The Zoo is located at 3001 Connecticut Avenue, NW. For more information you may call (202) 673-4821. The nearest Metro station is Woodley Park-Zoo.
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