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Popular Attractions
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Basic information on several Washington attractions is provided on the links below. Because tour and security information can change frequently and without notice, we recommend you contact each attraction or visit each website for the most up-to-date information. At locations where it is required, we are pleased to submit requests on behalf of our Tennessee constituents.
Please keep in mind that all tour requests are awarded by the locations on a first-come, first-served basis, and are subject to availability. In order to best accommodate your request, please submit tour requests as soon as possible. Families and groups of 10 people or less should submit requests at least two months in advance of a visit, and large organized groups should submit requests at least six months before a planned visit. Please note that tours fill up very quickly during holiday times and in the spring and summer months.
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| Popular Attractions Websites |
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Federal Bureau of Investigation
935 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
202-324-3447
All tours of the FBI have been suspended until further notice. |
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Holocaust Museum
100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW
202-488-0400
Open: 10 am - 5:30 pm, daily. Admission is free, but tickets to the permanent exhibit are required. Same-day, timed tickets can be obtained at the museum beginning at 8 am, or advance tickets can be purchased for a nominal fee by calling 1-800-400-9373 or online at www.tickets.com. The museum tells the story of the Holocaust through its three-story permanent exhibition. Points of interest include actual barracks from Auschwitz, the Tower of Faces, and the Hall of Remembrance. |
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Kennedy Center
2700 F Street, NW
202-467-4600 or 1-800-444-1324
Public tours last one hour and leave every 15 minutes between 10 am and 5 pm Monday through Friday and 10 am and 1 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is free.
The memorial to our 35th president is a major cultural center for Washington and the nation and features Broadway-bound plays, the National Symphony, grand opera, great American films, fine dining and more. |
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Library of Congress
10 1st Street, SE
202-707-5000
Building Hours: The Jefferson Building is open from 10 am - 5:30 pm, Monday - Saturday. The Library is closed on Sunday and all federal holidays.
Public Tour: 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30, and 3:30, Monday-Friday; 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, and 2:30, Saturday. The tour begins at the Information Desk in the lobby of the Great Hall of the Jefferson Building. Tour participants should use the West Front doors. Admission is free.
"America's Library" contains more than 75 million volumes and is a world-renowned research center for scholars. Special exhibitions — including a permanent display of the Gutenberg Bible, the first work printed with movable type — make the Library a favorite attraction. |
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National Archives
7th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
1-866-272-6272
Admission is free. Reservations are needed for guided tours. The National Archives is the repository for legislative documents and historical records of Congress, as well as the entire federal government. The Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, the Bill of Rights, and extensive genealogical and census files are housed in the National Archives. |
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National Cathedral
Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues, NW
202-537-6200
Open Monday - Friday 10 am - 5:30 pm. Saturday: 10 am - 4:30 pm. Sunday: 8 am - 6:30 pm
Daily guided tours: 10-11:30 am, 12:45-3:30 pm, Monday-Saturday; 12:45-2:30 pm Sunday, except during services. No guided tours on Thanksgiving, Christmas, Palm Sunday, Good Friday afternoon, and Easter. Admission is free.
The sixth largest cathedral in the world and the second largest in the United States, this 14th century-Gothic style cathedral contains gardens, shops, and an observatory gallery that offers a spectacular view of Washington. |
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National Gallery of Art and East Wing
6th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
202-737-4215
Open: 10 am - 5 pm, Monday - Saturday; 11 am - 6 pm, Sunday. Admission is free.
World masterpieces from medieval times to the present adorn the National Gallery. Included are major works by Boticelli, Cezanne, da Vinci, Raphael, Renoir, and many other masters. The East wing highlights contemporary art. |
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The Pentagon
Located off Route I-395 in Arlington, Virginia
703-697-1776
For security reasons, the Pentagon does not offer tours to the general public.
Tours of the Pentagon are available to schools, educational organizations, and other select groups by reservation only. Groups interested in touring the Pentagon should contact the Pentagon Tour Office at 703-695-1776. |
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Smithsonian Institution Museums
Located on the National Mall and at various locations in Washington.
202-357-2020
Open daily, 10 am - 5:30 pm (closed Christmas). Admission is free. Tickets are not required.
The world's largest museum complex and research organization, the Smithsonian Institution's exhibitions offer visitors a glimpse into its vast collection numbering over 142 million objects documenting art, history, science, and more. The Smithsonian Institution contains the following museums and galleries:
· Anacostia Museum, 1901 Fort Place, SE
· Arthur M. Sackler Gallery, 1050 Independence Avenue, SW
· Arts and Industries Building, 900 Jefferson Drive, SW
· The Castle, 1000 Jefferson Drive, SW
· Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum
· Freer Gallery of Art, 12th Street and Jefferson Drive, SW
· Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, 7th Street and Independence Ave., SW
· National Air and Space Museum, 600 Independence Avenue, SW
· National Museum of African Art, 950 Independence Avenue, SW
· National Museum of American Art, 8th and G Streets, NW
· National Museum of American History, 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
· National Museum of the American Indian, (under construction)
· National Museum of Natural History, 10th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW
· National Portrait Gallery, 8th and F Streets, NW
· National Postal Museum, 2 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
· National Zoo, 3000 Connecticut Avenue, NW
· Renwick Gallery, 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
· S. Dillon Ripley Center, 1100 Jefferson Drive, SW |
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U.S. Botanic Gardens
1st Street and Maryland Avenue, SW
202-225-8333 or 202-226-4082 (group tours)
Admission to all public areas of the U.S. Botanic Garden (USBG) is free. The Conservatory is open 10 AM - 5 PM everyday, including weekends and holidays. The Conservatory main entrance is located at 100 Maryland Avenue, SW (use this address for internet mapping searches). 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.
Group tour for 10 or more: 10:30 am and 1 pm, Monday - Friday. Reservations must be made at least three weeks in advance for group tours. Admission is free.
Located at the base of Capitol Hill, the conservatory features more than 8,000 varieties of exotic flowers, fruits, and plants. |
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U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
202-647-3241
Guided tours are given at 9:30 am, 10:30 am, and 2:45 pm, Monday through Friday. The tour is 45 minutes in duration. Reservations are required and should be made approximately four weeks in advance. The tour features displays of fine 18th century furniture and an Americana collection in the diplomatic reception rooms and is not recommended for children under the age of 12. |
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U.S. Department of the Treasury: Bureau of Engraving and Printing
14th and C Streets, NW
From September to February, no tickets are required and tours leave every 15 minutes, Monday - Friday, 9 am - 2 pm.
From March to August, free tickets are required and tours leave every 15 minuites, Monday - Friday, 9 am - 2 pm.
The tour features the various steps of currency production, beginning with large, blank sheets of paper, and ending with wallet-ready bills. |
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Union Station
50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE
202-289-1908 or 1-800-527-2554
Store Hours: 10 am - 9 pm, Monday-Saturday; Noon - 6 pm, Sunday. Admission is free.
Union Station was closed in 1978 for restoration. A decade later, the doors were reopened to reveal $160 million of renovation, the largest, most complex public/private restoration in US history. Union Station now attracts more than 40,000 visitors annually and contains specialty shops, movie theaters, and restaurants, as well as Metro and Amtrak stations. |
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Official Tourism Website of Washington, DC |
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The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Tours of the White House have been expanded to include parties of 10 or more people, regardless of age or type of group, through the office of Senator Alexander. Tour requests must be submitted through Senator Alexander's office and should be submitted between six weeks and six months in advance. These self-guided group tours will be scheduled approximately one month before the requested date, from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Phone: (202) 224-4944 |
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The White House Visitor's Center
15th and E Streets. 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, and 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. Phone: 202-208-1631. |
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United States Capitol
Senator Alexander's office can arrange staff-led tours of the Capitol. To arrange a tour, call 202-224-4944. Please contact the office at least 5 weeks in advance to set up your tour. Public tours are also available through the Capitol Guide Service. Phone: 202-225-6827. |
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Washington, DC Visitor's Information Center
1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
The Ronald Reagan International Trade Center Building
Ground Floor
Washington, DC 20004
Spring / Summer Hours:
Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 5:30 pm
Saturday 9 am - 4 pm
(Closed Sunday)
Fall / Winter Hours:
Monday - Friday 8:30 am - 5:30 pm
Saturday 9 am - 4 pm
(Closed Sunday)
Phone: 1-866-324-7386
E-mail: dcvisit.info@guestservices.com |
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