 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
I am glad to provide information on touring Washington, D.C., our Nation's Capital.
I believe it is every American's responsibility to understand the history of our great country, to see where Congress meets to write the laws of our Nation, to witness the workings of the federal government, to stand where presidents have been inaugurated, to view your representatives at work in Congress, and to learn about your national heritage.
West Virginians who are visiting Washington are welcome to come by to see my office at 311 Hart Building and pick up a gallery pass to view the U.S. Senate when it is in session. You should note that when visiting Washington and hoping to see the Senate in action, there are times when the Senate is not in session and in district work periods that would preclude you from being able to watch the deliberations live from the Senate gallery. For 2009, the Senate is tentatively scheduled to be out of session during the following time periods: February 14-22; April 4-19; May 23-30; June 27-30; July 1-5; August 1-29; and September 1-7.
In planning your trip to
Washington, D.C., is a magnificent city filled with hundreds of historical sites, museums, art galleries, monuments, and memorials. I hope that you will find the following information to be helpful about a few of the interesting places you can visit.
The U.S. Capitol, designed by Dr. William Thornton, has housed Congress since 1800 and is the most recognized symbol of democratic government in the world. The cornerstone of the original Capitol was laid by President George Washington on September 18, 1793. Visitors are encouraged to tour the Capitol.
Your visit to the historic U.S. Capitol begins as you enter the Capitol Visitor Center. The entrance is located below the East Plaza of the Capitol between Constitution and Independence Avenues.
With its soaring spaces and skylight views of the Capitol dome, the Visitor Center welcomes you on a journey of discovery. The Capitol is home to the U.S. Congress and its two legislative bodies: the U.S. Senate, with 100 members, two from each State of our great Union; and the U.S. House of Representatives, comprised of 435 members. Through films, exhibits, and tours, you will learn about how Congress works, how this magnificent building was built, and how citizens can participate in this extraordinary experiment called representative democracy.
The Visitor Center is open to the public from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, and Inauguration Day.
Official Business: Visitors with official business appointments may enter the Visitor Center as early as 7:15 a.m.
For the most current tour information, please call the 24-hour line at 202-456-7041. Public tours of the White House are available for groups of 10 or more people. Requests must be submitted through one's Member of Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance. These self-guided tours are available from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday (excluding federal holidays), and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis approximately one month in advance of the requested date. We encourage you to submit your request as early as possible since a limited number of tours are available. All White House tours are free of charge. Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation.
All tours are significantly enhanced if visitors stop by the White House Visitor Center before or after their tour. Located at the souteast corner of 15th and E Streets, NW, the center is open seven days a week from 7:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. and features many aspects of the White House, including its architecture, furnishings, first families, social events, relations with the press and world leaders, as well as a thirty-minute video. Allow between 20 minutes to one hour to explore the exhibits. The White House Historical Association also sponsors a sales area. Please note that restrooms are available, but food service is not.
The Supreme Court offers a variety of educational programs. Exhibits, which are changed periodically, and a theater, where a film on the Supreme Court is shown, are located on the ground floor. Courtroom lectures are held every hour on the the half-hour, on days that the Court is not sitting, beginning at 9:30 a.m. and concluding at 3:30 p.m.
The business of the Court or unforeseen factors such as inclement weather may affect public access to the building, requiring changes in the Courtroom lecture schedule and/or the building's hours of operation.
To obtain updated information on visiting the Court, including any schedule changes, please call (202) 479-3211.
Located at 14th and Independence Avenue, N.W. This famous 555-foot marble obelisk honoring America's first President is the tallest structure in our Nation's Capital and will remain so by law.
The Washington Monument is open daily from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M., with the last tour beginning before 4:45 P.M. The days for scheduled closure are July 4th and December 25th.
Washington Monument admission is free, but does require a ticket. The Washington Monument Lodge, located along 15th Street, opens at 8:30 A.M. for distribution of free, same day, timed tickets on a first come first serve basis. One person may pick up as many as six tickets as well as select their preferred visiting time from what remains available for that operating day. All individuals (including children) must have a ticket. During the spring and summer, tickets run out quickly and the line for tickets forms as early as 7a.m.; please plan accordingly.
If you wish to reserve tickets in advance, you may do so by visiting the National Park Service ticket website at http://www.recreation.gov, or by calling 1-877-444-6777 for individual tickets or 1-877-559-6777 for group reservations. There is a $1.50 fee per ticket to reserve tickets ahead of time. These tickets may be picked up at the “will call” window of the Washington Monument Lodge on the day of your tour.
The Lincoln Memorial is a tribute to President Abraham Lincoln and the nation he fought to preserve during the Civil War (1861 - 1865). Located at West Potomac Park at the foot of 23rd Street, N.W. The public may visit the Lincoln Memorial 24 hours a day. However Rangers are on duty to answer questions from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily. 202-426-6841.
Thomas Jefferson -- political philosopher, architect, musician, book collector, scientist, horticulturist, diplomat, inventor, and third President of the United States -- looms large in any discussion of what Americans are as a people. Jefferson left to the future not only ideas but also a great body of practical achievements. The public may visit the Thomas Jefferson Memorial 24 hours a day. However Rangers are on duty to answer questions from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily. 202-426-6841.
Admission is free for all Smithsonian museums in Washington, D.C., and the American Indian Museum's George Gustav Heye Center in New York. Tickets are not used for general admission. A fee is required at the Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum in New York (Members and children under age 12 are admitted free.)
Most museums are open daily, 10 a.m.- 5:30 p.m., except December 25. 202-633-1000.
For the almost four million people who visit annually, Arlington National Cemetery represents many different things. For some, it is a chance to walk among headstones that chronicle American history; for many, it is an opportunity to remember and honor the nation's war heroes; and for others, it is a place to say a last farewell during funeral services for a family member or friend. The changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier occurs every hour on the hour during all months, except summer, when it occurs every half hour. Arlington National Cemetery is open to the public at 8 a.m., 365 days a year. From April 1 to September 30, the cemetery closes at 7 p.m.; the other six months it closes at 5 p.m. 703-607-8052.
Vietnam Veterans War Memorial
Located at Henry Bacon Drive and Constitution Avenue, N.W. The Memorial is a tribute to all Americans who served in the Vietnam War. Constructed of black granite, the names of 58,000 plus who gave their lives, or who remain missing, are inscribed in the Memorial's walls.
The public may visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial 24 hours a day. However Rangers are on duty to answer questions from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. daily.
Located at 14th and C Streets, S.W. For updated tour information, please call the tour operations office at (202) 874-2330 or toll-free at 1-866-874-2330.
Peak Season (Tickets are required March-September).
Tickets are required for all tours on a first-come, first-served basis. The ticket booth is located on Raoul Wallenberg Place (formerly 15th Street). Same day tickets only. The Ticket Booth opens at 8:00 a.m. and lines form early and tickets go quickly. Most mornings, daytime tickets are gone by 8:30 - 9:00 a.m.
Non-Peak Season (No tickets required October-February)
You may line up at the Visitors' Entrance on 14th Street. (Bus drop off for groups is still on 15th Street during this time). Please allow 45 - 50 minutes from the time you enter the building to the end of your tour.
Individuals that would like to visit the Visitors' Center ONLY must enter on the 14th Street side of the building at the visitor's entrance. The Visitor's Center will open from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. The Visitors' Center contains exhibits and shops where items such as uncut currency, shredded currency, collectors' editions, and novelty items can be purchased.
Admission to all public areas of the U.S. Botanic Garden is free. The Conservatory is open 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. daily, including weekends and holidays. The Conservatory's main entrance is located at 100 Maryland Avenue, SW. The National Garden is adjacent to the Conservatory, with entrances from Independence Avenue, from Maryland Avenue (at 3rd Street), and from the Conservatory Terrace. Visitors are welcome in Bartholdi Park from dawn until dusk and can access it from any of the three bordering streets - Independence Avenue, Washington Avenue or First Street.
Located at 8th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W. The Rotunda of the National Archives Building in downtown Washington, DC, contains the permanent exhibit of the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and the Declaration of Independence. The Public Vaults displays over 1,000 fascinating records (originals or reproductions) from the National Archives holdings.
The National Gallery of Art, located on the National Mall between 3rd and 7th Streets at Constitution Avenue NW, is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. The Gallery is closed on December 25 and January 1. Displayed are American and European paintings, sculpture, decorative arts, selected works on paper, and temporary special exhibits. 202-737-4215.
The National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden, located on the National Mall at 7th Street and Constitution Avenue NW, is bounded by Constitution Avenue and Madison Drive and by 7th and 9th Streets NW.
Of special interest to children...
Located in the lower level of the U.S. Department of Commerce building on 14th Street, between Constitution and Pennsylvania Avenues, N.W., the National Aquarium has over 200 species, including alligators, piranha, shark, eel, and Japanese carp. Admission prices run from $3 to $7 and you should be prepared to pay by cash or check as the Aquarium is unable to process credit cards as a form of payment. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas. 202-482-2825.
Located at 3000 Connecticut Avenue, N.W. The 168-acre National Zoo is home to Chinese pandas, rare white tigers, and hundreds of other creatures. The National Zoo is open every day of the year except December 25. Admission is free. From April 6 to October 25: Grounds are open from 6 a.m. - 8 p.m.; buildings are open from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. From October 26 to April 5: Grounds are open from 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.; buildings are open from 10 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Mount Vernon was the beloved home of George and Martha Washington from the time of their marriage in 1759 until President Washington's death in 1799. Mount Vernon is open seven days a week, everyday of the year, including holidays and Christmas. 703-780-2000.
The Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution and serves as the research arm of Congress. It is also the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, maps and manuscripts in its collections.
The Library of Congress occupies three buildings on Capitol Hill. The Thomas Jefferson Building (1897) is the original separate Library of Congress building. (The Library began in 1800 inside the U.S. Capitol.) The John Adams Building was built in 1938 and the James Madison Memorial Building was completed in 1981.
Today's Library of Congress is an unparalleled world resource. The collection of more than 138 million items includes more than 32 million cataloged books and other print materials in 470 languages; more than 61 million manuscripts; the largest rare book collection in North America; and the world's largest collection of legal materials, films, maps, sheet music and sound recordings.
Located on First Street SE, between Independence Avenue and East Capitol Streets.
The Library of Congress offers hour-long, fully accessible docent-led tours of the historic Thomas Jefferson Building. During your tour you will learn about the Building’s symbolic art and architecture and view the grandeur of the Main Reading Room. Professionally trained docents tell the story of the Library—America’s oldest cultural institution—by talking about its history, its collections (including the Gutenberg Bible), and the services provided to Congress and the nation.
Schedule: Monday – Saturday, 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m.*
*no 3:30 p.m. tour on Saturdays.
- No reservations or tickets required
- Information available at the Orientation Desks Public tours are conducted at 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4 p.m. 202-707-8000.
Located on 10th Street, between E and F Streets, N.W. The building is open daily, except Christmas, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The theatre is closed when a performance is scheduled. 202-426-6924.
