Tour Information
D.C. CORONAVIRUS INFO:
For all constituents who are planning or have planned a trip to the D.C. area, please be advised that due to the ongoing efforts to contain and help stop the spread of the coronavirus, many tours and/or events have been canceled or rescheduled. Please contact my office if you have inquired about a tour of the Capitol, White House, Pentagon, Supreme Court, FBI, Treasury and Bureau of Engraving and Printing.
Many buildings and Museums in Washington D.C are in the process of re-opening. Please see the attached Word document and PDF document for the most updated information.
FOR INFORMATION ABOUT IDAHO PUBLIC HEALTH OFFICIALS’ RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS, PLEASE VISIT CORONAVIRUS.IDAHO.GOV. FOR MORE INFORMATION AND RESOURCES ABOUT CORONAVIRUS, VISIT THE CDC WEBSITE.
Every year, we have hundreds of Idahoans who come to Washington, DC, on business and pleasure trips. The seat of American government is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, but it does take some planning to make the most of your time in our nation's capital. There is so much to see and do that it is hard not to be overwhelmed. Washington, DC is a beautiful city with a lot of history. There is notable architecture, impressive museums, political landmarks and family-friendly activities.
To help you with your planning, I have come up with a number of tours. Please click on the document listed below to learn more about attractions, sites and suggestions that can help make your visit unforgettable. CLICK HERE
Whenever possible, you will find links included with the entry; those links will open in a separate window. We make every effort to keep the information on these pages updated, but because of the volume of material, we encourage you to confirm hours, admission costs and other details should you decide to visit a particular site. Some of the attractions also offer discount admission tickets through their websites, so it's worth checking out!
Learn some insight for touring Washington, DC, by visiting the Touring Tips page. Please also remember that my office can assist you with congressional tours of certain sites. That information is available on a Tour Request Form. Also, please remember to request a Welcome To Washington: A Guide To Our Nation's Capital brochure; it is an invaluable resource for planning your trip.
It is worth remembering that most federal buildings and tour attractions will require you to pass through security screening. As such, please consider leaving backpacks, large bags and metal jewelry behind in order to expedite entry.
I am also interested in learning about your thoughts on the various sites you visited. Please send those to me through this e-mail link. Please put DC Tour Review in your subject line. Information that you send to me may be used on this website to advise others about what to expect, so please take that into consideration when submitting comments.
TOURS WE CAN SCHEDULE FOR YOU
Guided tours are offered at a number of sites in Washington, DC. My office can assist you with tour scheduling for some of the sites listed below, and you can make your own arrangements for others. Also, reservations are required for some and not for others; the same applies to admission charges.
Please note that due to the popularity of these tours, it is recommended you submit your tour request as soon as possible. For some attractions - especially the White House - tours are scheduled up to three months in advance and fill up quickly. This is especially true for the spring and summer months (April-September). The sooner you are able to request a tour, my staff will have a better chance - though not guaranteed chance - to request a tour for you.
It is worth remembering that most federal buildings and tour attractions will require you to pass through a security screening. As such, please consider leaving backpacks, large bags, food, beverages and metal jewelry behind in order to expedite entry.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20535
Limited tours available, tours must be arranged through my office. Please contact my office at least two (2) months in advance to request a tour.
Home of America's premier law enforcement agency, the FBI's J. Edgar Hoover Building was closed to public tours in 2002. In place of a building tour, the FBI Education Center is designed to educate the public about the work of today’s FBI. The center contains numerous exhibits about the Bureau’s history, its investigation for the September 11 terrorist attacks, the training for Special Agents and FBI personnel, and also about some of the Bureau’s most high-profile cases throughout its history. When staffing and time permits, tours may also include a live demonstration of the historic and modern firearms used by the FBI.
Library of Congress
101 Independence Avenue, SE, Washington, D.C.
Hours and Admission
8:30am-4:30pm Monday-Saturday
No admission charged
Tours scheduled by congressional offices occur Monday-Friday at 9:45am, 11:45am and 1:45pm.
Public tours of the library are also offered Monday-Saturday and no reservation is needed. Contact my office for further reservation information.
Home of the Congressional Archives, the Library of Congress consists of three buildings: the Adams, the Thomas Jefferson and the James Madison.
The Jefferson Building is named after the 3rd President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson, who, in 1814, sold his personal library of 6,487 books to the LOC to rebuild the library’s collection that was destroyed when British troops burned the Capitol during the War of 1812. The LOC is the most ornate of the buildings and is home to the spectacular Reading Room.The lobby on the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the is remarkable; the Great Hall is constructed of white Italian marble, with a stucco ceiling accented with a twenty-three karat gold leaf. A tour of this building won't leave you disappointed!
U.S. Capitol
(202) 226-8000 - Automated visitors' information line
Hours and Admission
8:30am-4:30pm Monday-Saturday (including most federal holidays)
No admission charged
My office offers staff-guided tours at 10:00 and 2:00 every weekday, though we are more than happy to adjust those times to your schedule. With at least 21 days’ advance notice, we are also able to reserve passes on Saturdays.The U.S. Capitol Guide Service also offers tours.
You can book a tour online at Visit The Capitol or you can pick up same-day tickets in the Capitol Visitors Center. Tours operate Monday-Saturday, 9 AM to 3:30 PM. Please be aware of security guidelines and prohibited items in the U.S. Capitol.
In advance of a Capitol tour, the U.S. Capitol Historical Society's website offers a wealth of information about the Capitol's art and exhibits such as the National Statuary Hall Collection, murals within the Capitol corridors painted by Allyn Cox, and the large 12' x 18' paintings within the Rotunda to complement your tour.
Another resource with information about the architecture, art and grounds of the U.S. Capitol is the Architect of the Capitol's (AOC) website. The AOC is the steward responsible for the maintenance, operation, and preservation of many of our nation’s most recognizable landmarks of democracy and government including the U.S. Capitol and its grounds, the U.S. Supreme Court, Library of Congress and the U.S. Botanic Gardens.
U.S. Supreme Court
1 First Street, NE, Washington, D.C.
Hours and Admission
Monday-Friday 9am-4pm
Closed weekends and federal holidays
No admission charged
You can visit the Supreme Court building and tour portions of the interior without a reservation. My office can schedule a congressional reservation (for up to six people), offered only at 12:30pm with check-in at 12:15pm.
The tour includes a 30-minute lecture held in the Supreme Court Chambers, on days when the Court is not in session. The same lecture is offered to the general public every hour on the half-hour, 9:30am-3:30pm Monday-Friday. However, court business may conflict with the schedule, so please check the tour telephone line for updates. Contact my office for additional information.
The cornerstone of the U.S. Supreme Court building was laid in 1932 and the building was completed in 1935. It was the first time in our country’s history that the nation’s highest court had its own building. It is worth noting that the construction was done for less than what Congress funded, so money was returned to the Treasury. Initially, the Court met in the Merchants Exchange Building in New York City, and later in Chambers located in the U.S. Capitol. The Court is in session October-April. Courtroom seats are available on a first come first served basis, every hour on the half-hour.
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, Washington, D.C.
The White House Visitors Office 24-Hour Hotline at (202) 208-1631
Hours and Admission
No admission charged.
Please note that while my office is able to assist you with scheduling a tour, there are times when tours may be canceled without prior notice from the White House. For more information, please visit: www.whitehouse.gov
The White House offers self-guided tours to patrons on a first-come-first-served basis. Reservations are required to tour the White House. Please contact my office for assistance in securing a tour reservation for your party. Upon request, my office will be asked to provide the White House with security information about each member of your party (including children). Upon submission of your request by my office, you will receive an email from the White House asking for this information, and the link provided in the link in the email will expire after 8 days.
Due to extremely limited availability, it is highly recommended that tour requests be submitted as early as possible. Requests must be submitted at least three (3) months in advance. If your party requests a visit that is less than three (3) months away, the White House may not have space available.
Every President since John Adams has lived at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, one of the most famous addresses in the world. The White House is also the only private residence of a head of state that is open to the public. President George Washington oversaw construction of the building, but never resided in it. The White House survived a fire set by British troops in 1814, and another fire in the West Wing in 1929. The White House is six stories and includes 132 rooms, 35 bathroom and six levels, with 412 doors, 147 windows, 28 fireplaces, eight staircases and three elevators. While it’s now known as The White House (officially given by Theodore Roosevelt in 1901), it has also been known as the President’s Palace, the President’s House, and the Executive Mansion. Self-guided tours include the East Room and the Blue Room.
A visit to the White House Visitors Center, located at the southeast corner of 15th and E Streets, is also a great stop and will greatly enhance your tour experience.
TOURS YOU CAN SCHEDULE ON YOUR OWN
Many sites in Washington, DC, allow you to make your own arrangements for guided tours. There are several sites that require congressional assistance (like the White House), and my staff is happy to assist you with those. Please click here for a Tour Request Form that lists the attractions we can help with. Below you will find a listing of attractions that you can make your own tour arrangements.
It is worth remembering that most federal buildings and tour attractions will require you to pass through security screening. As such, please consider leaving backpacks, large bags and metal jewelry behind in order to expedite entry.
Anderson House (Society of the Cincinnati)
2118 Massachusetts Avenue, NW (between 21st and 22nd Streets along Embassy Row)
Washington, DC 20008
Hours and Admission
Open Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm
Sunday Noon-4pm
Closed most federal holidays and during some Cincinnati Society meetings and events.
Free admission
A magnificent Beaux Arts mansion that was the winter home of Larz Anderson, an American diplomat and his wife, Isabel. Completed in 1905, the National Historic Landmark is one of the few original Embassy Row homes open to the public. It also serves as the headquarters for the Society of the Cincinnati. Hour-long guided tours are offered; museum contains weapons, portraits and artifacts from the Revolutionary War. Tours are wheelchair accessible.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
(866) 874-2330 or (202) 874-2330
14th and C Streets, SW, Washington, DC 20228
Hours and Admission
Monday-Friday 9am-2pm; Extended hours in summer months; Closed federal holidays
No admission charged but tickets are required March-August.
A limited amount of same-day tickets are available beginning at 8:00am Monday-Friday. Tickets are distributed from a ticket booth located at Raoul Wallenberg Place (formerly 15th ST, SW).
You may also contact my office assistance. Reservations should be made at least one month in advance of your visit, but cannot be guaranteed.
The Bureau of Engraving and Printing is responsible for the design, engraving and printing the paper currency that we use every day. During a tour of the facility, you will see millions of dollars being printed - from the blank sheets of paper right through to bills ready for your wallet. The Bureau was first established in 1862; although printing, producing and examination technologies are up-to-date, engravers still use some of the same traditional tools that have been used for over 125 years.
Department of State Diplomatic Rooms
U.S. State Department
2201 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20520
(202) 647-3241
Hours and Admission
Tours conducted Monday-Friday at 9:30am; 10:30am; and 2:45pm.
Make reservations by calling the number above or through the tour website.
Reservations can be made up to 90 days in advance.
The 45-minute tour covers the Diplomatic Reception Rooms used by the Department of State for official functions. The renovation of the modern glass and wood rooms took place in the early 1960s, and provided a remarkable transformation into an area that has hosted dignitaries and world leaders from around the globe. The rooms hold a premier collection of 18th century American furniture, paintings and decorative arts. The tour is recommended for those over the age of 12. For a preview of what you will see, please visit the website link above.
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
(202) 416-8340 - Visitor Information Line
2700 F Street NW, Washington DC 20566
Hours and Admission
Tours 10am-5pm weekdays
10am-1pm weekends
No admission charged for tours; tickets required for most performances
Ballet, jazz, symphony, opera and theatre combine in this center, established by an Act of Congress in 1958. Its artistic mandate is to present a wide variety of classical and contemporary performances.
To make it easier to reach The Kennedy Center, a free shuttle bus runs every 15 minutes or so from the Foggy Bottom Metro stop from 9 a.m. to 45 minutes after the final curtain each day.
National Archives
(866) 272-6272
700 Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20408
Between 7th and 9th Streets, NW
Hours and Admission
10am-5:30pm Daily
Closed Thanksgiving Day and December 25
No admission charged.
Those wishing to make an advance reservation can do so online for a small transaction fee.
Millions of documents are created in the course of government business, but less than three percent are so important for legal or historical reasons that they are kept forever. It is in the National Archives that you will find some of those documents, including the Declaration of Independence and The Constitution, which are in display in the Exhibit Hall. You can also make arrangements to visit the Research Room to conduct your own research in the textual and microfilm records kept at the National Archives. You can view what documents are available here. The Archives were collected starting in 1926. While no tickets are needed, the lines form early during spring and summer months.
National Museum of the United States Navy
(202) 433-4882
Building 76, 805 Kidder Breese SE, Washington, DC 20374-5060
Hours and Admission
Monday-Friday 9am-4pm
Weekends 10am-5pm
Closed Thanksgiving, December 24, 25, January 1.
No admission charged, but appointment required
Located at the Washington Navy Yard, this is the official history program of the U.S. Navy and is a great research resource about Naval history. It contains displays on Navy ships, submarines, and various wars in which the Navy has played a role. Artifacts from Admiral Richard Byrd’s Polar Expedition, uniforms and weapons. For safety reasons, please do not use public transportation to get to the Museum; plenty of parking is available inside the Navy Yard.
U.S. Capitol Exterior Tours
Meet outside of the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center near the bottom of the north ramp to the entrance.
Hours and Admission
Monday-Saturday at 1:00pm
No admission charged.
No passes or reservations are needed.
Tours of the exterior of the U.S. Capitol are offered Monday through Saturday at 9am and 10am. Visitors will explore the Capitol building and grounds on a 50-minute guided tour.
The Pentagon
(703) 697-1776 (Pentagon Tours Office)
Arlington, VA
Hours and Admission
Monday-Friday 9am-3pm
No admission fee, but reservations required through the Pentagon Tours website
Guided tours of the Pentagon are available and reservations must be made in advance. A tour can be booked as early as 90 days in advance but no later than fourteen 14 days before your desired tour date. Requests for dates within 13 days of a desired date or more than 90 days in advance will not be accepted.
Please review the Pentagon's tour guidelines and security information before requesting a tour.
The headquarters of the Department of Defense, the Pentagon is one of the largest office buildings in the world and houses approximately 23,000 military and civilian employees. Its unique five-sided construction makes it one of the most recognizable landmarks in the country. The Pentagon conducts limited one-hour public tours, which must be arranged through my office.
You can visit the 9/11 Memorial on the Pentagon grounds without being on a tour.
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
(202) 488-0400
100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, Washington, DC 20024
Hours and Admission
10am-5:30pm daily
Closed Yom Kippur and December 25
Free timed tickets are required and are available on-site.
Advance tickets can be purchased online for a small transaction fee.
During World War II, approximately six million Jews were murdered by Nazi Germany and its collaborators. The Holocaust Museum is America's memorial to those who were killed. Its goal is to stimulate visitors to confront hatred, prevent genocide, promote human dignity and strengthen democracy. Carefully-crafted exhibits carry stark reminders of what happened during the Holocaust. While this is a somber museum, it is an educational and personal experience that is unforgettable. Children's programs are available, along with a special exhibit directed at younger visitors.
U.S. Marine Corps Evening Parade
Marine Corps Barracks, Washington, DC
8th and I Streets, SE, Washington, DC 20390
Hours and Admission
Friday's at 8:45 p.m.
May-August
No admission charged, but online reservations required.
Each Friday evening during the summer months, the Washington, DC, Marine Corps Barracks hosts an evening parade and concert by the U.S. Marine Corps Band. The one hour, fifteen minute performance of music and precision marching ceremony reflects the story of the Marines and their service throughout the world. Features are “The President’s Own” United States Marine Band, “The Commandant’s Own” The United States Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, the Marine Corps Color Guard, the Marine Corps Silent Drill Platoon, Ceremonial Marchers, and Sgt. Chesty XIII, the official mascot of the Marine Barracks Washington. Reservations can be made through the Marine Barracks, Washington, DC, website.
U.S. Naval Observatory
(202) 762-1467 (Fax)
Massachusetts Avenue at Observatory Circle, NW
Hours and Admission
Tours offered at the discretion of the U.S. Naval Observatory. Check website for current tour status.
The residence of the Vice President is located on the grounds of the U.S. Naval Observatory. Until 1974, Vice Presidents and their families lived in private homes, but the cost of securing those homes grew over the years until it became advisable to select a permanent Vice Presidential residence. The residence is not open for public tours.
The oldest scientific agency in the country offers limited public tours. The tour takes you through the USNO's unique library and gives you a perspective on the timekeeping responsibilities entrusted to the agency. You may even have the opportunity to view celestial objects with the 12-inch Alvan Clark refractor telescope.
Please be aware that the U.S. Naval Observatory is a military installation. Public access is limited to the designated tour nights and tours may be suspended at any time and with little notice by military security and/or other considerations.
Voice of America
(202) 203-4990
330 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20237
Hours and Admission
Monday-Friday at noon
No admission is charged
While walk-in tours are available, reservations are encouraged by visiting Voice of America's website.
The Voice of America is an international broadcasting service that provides more than 1,000 hours of news, information, educational and cultural programming each week to a worldwide audience that exceeds 115 million people. Those broadcasts are conducted in more than 40 languages. The studio tour is a behind-the-scenes look at live broadcasting in radio, television and the Internet in several of the languages in which VOA broadcasts; a "Kid's Version" of the tour is also available. The tour lasts 45 minutes. You can make arrangements for a tour online through the link above.
Washington Monument
2 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20024
The 555-foot monument to our 1st President, George Washington, is the world's tallest stone structure. Dedicated in 1885, it is shaped like an Egyptian obelisk and took 40 years to build. The 50 flags that surround the base of the monument represent the 50 states.
Washington National Cathedral
(202) 537-6200
3101 Wisconsin Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016
Hours and Admission
Monday-Friday 10am-5:30pm; Tours begin at 10:15am
Saturday 10am-4:00pm; Tours begin at 10:15am
Sunday: Worship services at 8am, Guided tours at 1pm.
Admission charged; Sunday tours are free.
The National Cathedral is an Episcopal church that was chartered by Congress. The Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul took 83 years to build. It has been the site of a number of Presidential funerals, with more than 150 people interred (including Helen Keller and Woodrow Wilson).
Several touring options are offered--guided tours that focus on art, architecture and history; a garden tour; a gargoyle tour; and other options. Check the Washington National Cathedral website for details on what is offered.
HELPFUL MOBILE APPS
As you plan your tour to Washington, there are several mobile apps that can help you make the most of your trip.
Many of these apps are free and provide additional information on attractions and exhibits. They also offer parking and transportation information to help you navigate Washington, D.C.
TRANSPORTATION
Parkmobile
Parkmobile provides an easy way to pay for parking while in D.C. With the mobile app, drivers provide their vehicle license plate information and enter a parking zone number found on nearby meters. Parking fees will then bill to a driver’s credit card.
Go here for the mobile app available on Apple iOS and Google Play
Sportcycle (Capital BikeShare)
Spotcycle is an app that can help you find the nearest Capital BikeShare location, tell you how many bikes are available and offers maps and information on attractions so you can plan your route. Riders can drop off a bike where it was rented it or ride it and drop it off at another BikeShare location.
Click here for the mobile app available on Apple iOS and Google Play.
Uber
Uber provides on-demand rides to riders dispatched from a mobile app. Uber offers multiple ride options with different price ranges to meet individual customer needs.
Available for download on Apple iOS and Google Play.
Lyft
Like Uber, Lyft also provides on-demand rides to riders who use the Lyft mobile app. Lyft also offers multiple ride options and price points for consumers to choose.
Available for download on Apple iOS and Google Play.
ATTRACTIONS
United States Capitol
The United States Capitol offers four different mobile apps that will assist your tour planning and also exchange the exhibits you will see when touring the Capitol. All four applications are available on Apple iOS and Google Play.
U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Guide
The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Guide can assist you in planning your tour of the Capitol. It includes information about tour times, hours of operations, location and how to observe Congress when it is in session.
U.S. Capitol Rotunda
The Rotunda is located in the center of the Capitol and has staged many important events in our nation's history. The Rotunda app offers information about historic ceremonies that have happened in the Rotunda, its architecture, sculptures and paintings that are housed within it.
Guide to State Statues
The National Statuary Hall Collection is comprised of 100 statues - two from each state - that honor notable people from the history of each of our 50 states. This app will guide you through the entire collection with descriptions and illustrations and provides the locations for all 100 statues of the collection.
My Capitol (Exhibition Hall)
The My Capitol app is designed to complement your tour of the Capitol Visitor Center's Exhibition Hall. It includes information about the Capitol grounds, historic information, activities and questions for discussion during your tour or after your tour at school or at home.
Go here for the mobile apps available for Apple iOS and Android.
Arlington National Cemetery
Offered by Arlington National Cemetery, the mobile app enables family members and the public to explore Arlington's rich history. The app allows visitors to locate graves of family or friends, as well as the graves of notable men and women buried in the cemetery. It also offeres directions to monuments and memorials within the cemetery and information the Changing of the Guard ceremony.
Available for download on Apple iOS and Google Play.
National Mall
Offered by the National Park Service, this app will help visitors make the most of their visit to the National Mall. The app includes information about events happening on the National Mall and at memorials along the mall, maps highlighting walkways between memorials and sites, and information on self-guided walking tours along the Mall.
Go here for the mobile app available for Apple iOS and Android.
Smithsonian Institute Museums
The Smithsonian mobile app serves as a digital guide to the museums and exhibits of the Smithsonian Museums in Washington. The app is helpful to show visitors highlights, access tour information and hours, museum locations, and other information like podcasts to compliment your tours.
Go here for the mobile app available for Apple iOS and Android.
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum offers a mobile app that will help visitors plan their visit that may also include events specific to the day of each visit. The mobile app also offers visitors personal stories of individuals who experienced the Holocaust as well as family photographs, personal artifacts, and videos of survivors sharing their stories.
Go here for the mobile app available for Apple iOS, Android and at Amazon Apps.
National Gallery of Art
The National Gallery of Art's mobile app provides highlights including high resolution images of works from the Gallery's collection, information for young art lovers ages 7-12, gallery maps, museum hours and other updates on rotating exhibits.
Go here for the mobile app available for Apple iOS and Android.
Notice: The links contained in this website are intended to provide a tool for easy navigation to sites related to the Washington, D.C. area. The content of the sites listed are the sole responsibility of those who maintain the websites. The views reflected in these sites are not necessarily the views of Senator Mike Crapo. In no way should a link from the website of the office of Senator Crapo be construed as an endorsement by Senator Crapo of that organization or the views contained in the site. Once you have left the Senator’s website, Senator Crapo is not responsible for the content of the website you may visit.
