Visiting Washington, DC
President-Elect Barack Obama's Inaugural
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
Inauguration Tickets:
Due to the extraordinarily high number of inauguration ceremony ticket requests, I regret to inform my constituents that we are beyond capacity and my office is no longer able to accept requests for tickets to the Inauguration.
I suggest that you contact either Illinois Senate Office or the Presidential Inauguration Committee to obtain tickets. The number to call is (202) 224-2228.
I regret the inconvenience.
We plan to update this website often, so please don't forget to come back soon to check on the latest news regarding the events surrounding the Presidential Inauguration.
Also, for more information regarding Inauguration Day ceremonies and Inaugural Balls, please visit the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies website at Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies
INAUGURAL BALLS
The Presidential Inaugural Committee is solely responsible for all balls, galas, receptions, parties, and the official Inaugural Day parade. Ticket requests for these events should be directed to the PIC.
Tickets to the Illinois State Society Inaugural Ball:
For information on tickets, please visit the ISS website at www.illinoisstatesociety.org and click on the link to the 2009 Gala on the left-hand side or call the hotline at 703-451-1747
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My staff in my Washington, D.C. Office can help you arrange a Capitol and White House Tour. Remember that all tours are on a first come first served basis and are subject to availability. Therefore when planning your trip, please allow 3-6 months advance notice in placing your White House tour request. Once your request has been placed, please follow up with my office two weeks before your requested White House tour date for a status update. Contact Nicole Dinis in my Washington office at (202) 225-8203 for more tour information.
In planning your visit to our nation's capital, I would encourage you to visit: www.washington.org to find useful information to help enhance your stay in Washington D.C. Additionally if you are interested in cultural activities and special events that may be happening during your visit, click on the events calendar link.
DC ATTRACTIONS
African American Civil War Memorial
10th & U Sts., NW, Washington, DC. 202-667-2667
This new memorial is a sculpture commemorating the more than 208,000 African American soldiers who fought in the Civil War.
2017 I St, NW, Washington, DC. 202-331-7282
Located in the historic James Monroe House. Exhibitions in the club’s two galleries reflect a variety of styles and mediums and change monthly.
Nearest Metro Station: Farragut West
Bureau of Engraving & Printing
U.S. Treasury Dept. 14th & C Sts., SW, Washington, DC. 202-874-2330
See currency printed at the rate of 8,000 sheets per hour on the self-guided, tour. Free, but reservations are required.
Nearest Metro Station: Smithsonian
800 3rd St, NE, Washington, DC. 202-675-4120
Unique educational complex that encourages children to touch, smell, taste and wear the exhibits.
Nearest Metro Station: Union Station
500 17th St, NW, Washington, DC. 202-639-1700
Washington’s oldest art collection features Dutch and Flemish masterpieces, French impressionists and Post-impressionists, and American art from colonial times to the present.
Nearest Metro Station: Farragut West
1776 D St, NW, Washington, DC. 202-879-3241
The museum of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution features 33 period rooms with a superb collection of pre-1840s furnishings and a gallery with changing exhibits.
Nearest Metro Station: Farragut West
748 Jackson Place, NW, Washington, DC. 202-842-0920
Built for naval hero Commodore Stephen Decatur in 1819, Decatur House was the first neighbor to the president. Follow this 19th-century historic house museum on its 170-year journey from private home to rental property, Civil War supply depot to public museum.
Nearest Metro Station: Farragut West
2715 Q St, NW, Washington, DC. 202-337-2288
Federal-style house museum features 18th- and 19th-century American furniture and fine arts.
Nearest Metro Station: Dupont Circle
1859 West Basin Drive, SW, Washington, DC. 202-619-7222
A 7.5 acre site near the Jefferson Memorial, this memorial with four outdoor gallery rooms that depict President Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt and events from the Great Depression and World War II. It is the first memorial in Washington purposely designed to be totally wheelchair accessible.
201 East Capitol St, SE, Washington, DC. 202-544-7077
Private, non-profit research library with one of the world’s finest collections of Shakespeare and Renaissance materials. Public events include exhibits, concerts, literary readings, theatre, lectures and family programs.
Nearest Metro Station: Capitol South
511 10th St, NW, Washington, DC. 202-426-6924
The Ford’s Theatre National Historic Site includes the theatre, the Lincoln Museum and the Petersen House. Metro: Metro Center and Archives/Navy Memorial
1400 Quincy St, NE, Washington, DC. 202-526-6800
Founded to educate Franciscan missionaries to the Holy Land, this stately retreat features an enclosed garden with a statue of Saint Francis and Holy Land shrines.
Nearest Metro Station: Brookland
Frederick Douglass national Historic Site
1411 W St, SE, Washington, DC. 202-426-5961
Former residence of famed African-American abolitionist, orator, diplomat, essayist and auditor of the U.S. Treasury. Visitor center features a film and exhibits on Douglass’ life.
Nearest Metro Station: Anacostia
The Historical Society of Washington, DC,
1307 New Hampshire Ave., NW, Washington, DC. 202-785-2068
The local historical organization devoted to making the history of the Washington Metropolitan area and its people accessible and understandable to the public.
Nearest Metro Station: Dupont Circle
Howard University School of Divinity Museum
1400 Sheperd St, NW, #295, Washington, DC. 202-806-0750
The School of Divinity occupies 22 pastoral acres, consisting of a 16,000 square foot library with state-of-the-art multimedia center and 145,000 books. The Andrew Tweed Ethiopian Religious Artifacts Museum stirs the imagination of 11th- and 12th-century Afro-American heritage along with the Greek Youssis collection.
Nearest Metro Station: Brookland
The International Trade Center & Ronald Reagan Building
1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC. 202-312-1330
One of Washington, DC’s, newest attractions and home to the new Visitor Information Center. There is a diverse food court featuring menus from around the globe, fine dining restaurant, cafes and impressive works of art.
Nearest Metro Station: Federal Triangle
Tidal Basin, south end of 15th St, SW, Washington, DC. 202-426-6841
Beneath the marble rotunda, the 19-foot statue of the third U.S. president is surrounded by passages from the Declaration of Independence and other famous Jefferson writings.
Jewish Historical Society of Greater Washington
701 3rd St, NW, Washington, DC. 202-789-0900
Oldest synagogue building in Washington, was dedicated in 1876.The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and features a restored sanctuary, a permanent exhibit on the history of the Washington Jewish community, plus changing exhibits.
Nearest Metro Station: Judiciary Square
Anacostia Ave. & Douglas St, NE, Washington, DC. 202-426-6905
Thousands of water plants, waterlilies, lotuses, water hyacinths and bamboo grow in ponds along the Anacostia River. Flowers bloom from May through early fall.
Nearest Metro Station: Deanwood
Independence Avenue at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, DC. 202-619-7222
Built by the Korean War Veterans Memorial Advisory at a cost of $18 million in donated funds, this memorial features a sculptured column of 19 foot soldiers arrayed for combat with the American flag as their symbolic objective. A 164-foot mural wall is inscribed with the words "Freedom Is Not Free" and is etched with 2,500 photographic images of nurses, chaplains, crew chiefs, mechanics and other support personnel to symbolize the vast effort that sustained the military operation.
10 First St, SE, Washington, DC. 202-707-8000
The world’s largest library with almost 110 million items in three buildings. The James Madison Building houses one of the world’s three perfect vellum copies of the Gutenberg Bible and changing exhibits.
Nearest Metro Station: Capitol South
West Potomac Park at 23rd St, NW, Washington, DC. 202-426-6841
This grand monument overlooks the Reflecting Pool, the Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol. Inside, the 19-foot marble statue of the 16th president is flanked by inscriptions of his Second Inaugural Address and the famous Gettysburg Address.
14th & Constitution Avenue, NW, Washington. 202-482-2825
Often overlooked, the National Aquarium provides a unique setting with more than 250
different species of fish, invertebrates, reptiles, and amphibians. Centrally located, the National Aquarium is stowed in the Department of Commerce Herbert C. Hoover Building.
Nearest Metro Station: Federal Triangle
3501 New York Ave, NE, Washington, DC. 202-245-2726
More than 400 acres of trees, shrubs, flowering plants, picnic grounds, herb garden and famous Bonsai collection.
401 F Street, NW, Washington, DC. 202-272-2448
Housed in the historic Pension Building, the museum presents exhibits, lectures, films, family programs and workshops on all aspects of building, architecture and historic preservation.
Nearest Metro Station: Judiciary Square
4th & Constitution Ave, NW, Washington, DC. 202-737-4215
Permanent collection of European and American paintings, sculpture, plus changing exhibitions of art from around the world.
Nearest Metro Station: Archives/Navy Memorial
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial
Visitor Center, 605 E St, NW, Washington, DC. 202-737-3400
Elegant marble walls display the names of more than 14,000 federal, state and local law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty dating back to 1794. Located at Judiciary Square on E Street, between 4th & 5th Streets, NW.
Nearest Metro Station: Judiciary Square
Between Constitution & Independence Aves., SW, Washington, DC. 202-426-6841
A splendid green park area extending approximately two miles from the U.S. Capitol to the Washington Monument. Lining either side of the park near the Capitol are 200 year-old American elm trees, several of the Smithsonian Institution museums, National Archives, National Gallery of Art and U.S. Botanic Gardens.
Nearest Metro Station: Smithsonian
National Museum of Women in the Arts
1250 New York Ave., NW, Washington, DC. 202-783-5000
Collection of more than 1,500 pieces by 400 women artists from 28 countries, including Cassatt and O’Keeffe.
Nearest Metro Station: Metro Center
National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
4th St. & Michigan Ave, NE, Washington, DC. 202-526-8300
Roman Catholic Shrine containing the largest collection of contemporary Christian art in the USA in over 60 chapels and oratories, reflecting the religious heritage of America’s many cultures.
Nearest Metro Station: Brookland
Washington Navy Yard, 901 M St, SE, Washington, DC. 202-433-4882
Housed in the old Naval Gun Factory, the museum’s collection features the foremast fighting top from the USS Constitution, the bathyscaphe Trieste, ship models, medals, uniforms, photographs and fine art.
Nearest Metro Station: Navy Yard
Capitol Hill, Washington, DC. 202-225-6827
Senators and Representatives shape U.S. legislative policy under the famous white dome. Tour highlights include Statuary Hall, the original Supreme Court chamber and the Crypt – the intended burial place of George and Martha Washington. Timed passes are required to enter the Capitol building. Call the Capitol Guide Service at 202-225-6827 for more information.
Nearest Metro Station: Capitol South, Union Station
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum
100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, Washington, DC. 202-488-0400
This somber and moving museum tells the story of the Holocaust through artifacts, films, photos and oral histories. Timed passes required to view the permanent collection, which is not recommended for children under age 11. Call 1-800-400-9373 for more information.
Nearest Metro Station: Smithsonian
Constitution Ave. & Henry Bacon Drive, NW, Washington, DC. 202-426-6841
The black granite walls of this moving V-shaped memorial are inscribed with the names of the 58,209 Americans missing or killed in the Vietnam conflict. Frederick Hart’s life-size bronze sculpture depicts three young servicemen.
21st St & Constitution Ave, NW, Washington, DC. 202-426-6841
Located in a grove of trees across from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, this 2,000 pound bronze statue by sculptor Glenna Goodacre depicts three servicewomen and one wounded soldier supported by sandbags.
15th St & Constitution Ave, NW, Washington, DC. 202-426-6841
One of the tallest masonry structures in the world, this majestic obelisk was dedicated in 1885 to the memory of the first U.S. president.
Nearest Metro Station: Smithsonian
Massachusetts & Wisconsin Aves., NW, Washington, DC. 202-537-6200
An Episcopal Cathedral welcoming visitors of all faiths, Washington National Cathedral is possibly the last purely Gothic building to be constructed. It is the sixth largest cathedral in the world and the burial sites of President Woodrow Wilson, Hellen Keller and Keller’s two teachers. See the magnificent view from the Cathedral’s observation gallery or visit the Bishop’s Gardens, Greenhouse, Herb Cottage or the gift shop.
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC. 202-456-2200
Home of every U.S. president except George Washington. Additional information can be obtained at the White House Visitor Center located at the southeast corner of 15th and E Streets. Look for the three American flags and the blue awnings. Allow between 20 minutes and 1 ½ hours to see the videos and exhibits.
Nearest Metro Station: Federal Triangle
SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION
The world’s largest museum complex houses some of the world’s most unique and rare artifacts. Get information on any of its museums, galleries and the National Zoo in Washington, DC, by calling or stopping by the Smithsonian Information Center (the Castle). All Smithsonian museums in Washington, DC, unless otherwise noted, are open daily from 10 am to 5:30 pm, except on December 25th. Some museums offer extended hours in the summer. Admission is free.
Smithsonian Institution Visitor Information Center (the Castle)
1000 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC. 202-537-2700
Known as the Castle, the oldest of the 14 Smithsonian museums in Washington houses the crypt of founder James Smithson, 2 orientation theaters, scale models of Washington’s monumental core, interactive touch-screen program in 6 languages, 2 electronic wall maps, plus multilingual information and assistance.
Nearest Metro Station: Smithsonian
1901 Fort Place, SE, Washington, DC. 202-357-2700
Changing exhibitions dealing with African-American history, art and culture in Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia, Georgia and the Carolinas.
Nearest Metro Station: Smithsonian
1050 Independence Ave, SW Washington, DC. 202-357-2700
Changing exhibitions of Asian art drawn from major collections around the world, plus Chinese jades, Iranian silver, Persian manuscripts and contemporary Japanese ceramics. The striking architectural design features 3 underground levels that connect with the Freer Gallery of Art.
Nearest Metro Station: Smithsonian
900 Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC. 202-357-2700
Changing exhibitions pertaining to African-American and Native American cultures and a permanent exhibition on the 150 years of Smithsonian collecting.
Nearest Metro Station: Smithsonian
12th & Jefferson Drive, SW, Washington, DC. 202-357-2700
Outstanding collection of Asian art, plus works by 19th- and 20th -century American artists. The opulent Peacock Room is the only surviving example of American expatriate James McNeill Whistler’s interior design.
Nearest Metro Station: Smithsonian
Hirshhorn Museum & Sculpture Garden
7th & Independence Ave, SW, Washington, DC. 202-357-2700
Collection of 19th- and 20th-century paintings and sculpture in a striking cylindrical museum and adjoining outdoor garden. Changing exhibitions explore the newest trends in modern art.
Nearest Metro Station: L’Enfant Plaza
6th St. & Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC. 202-357-2700
The world’s most visited museum houses the Wright Brothers’ 1903 Flyer, Lindbergh’s Spirit of St. Louis, Apollo 11 lunar command module and an incredible collection of aviation and space technology treasures. Samuel P. Langley Theater shows spectacular IMAX film daily. Albert Einstein Planetarium presents several programs daily.
Nearest Metro Station: L’Enfant Plaza
National Museum of African Art
950 Independence Ave, SW, Washington, DC. 202-357-2700
Devoted to the collection and study of African art.
Nearest Metro Station: Smithsonian
National Museum of American Art
8th & G Sts., NW, Washington, DC. 202-2-357-2700
Paintings, sculpture, folk art, photography and graphics by American artists from the 18th-century to the present.
Nearest Metro Station: Gallery Place/Chinatown
National Museum of Natural History
10th & Constitution Ave, NW, Washington, DC. 202-357-2700
Houses the 45.5-carat Hope Diamond, dinosaur fossils, Insect Zoo and the world’s largest African bush elephant. More than 120 million objects in all.
Nearest Metro Station: Federal Triangle
8th & F Sts, NW, Washington, DC. 202-357-2700
Unique collection of portraits of famous Americans from the world of politics, sports, literature, stage and screen. The Hall of Presidents features official portraits of U.S. presidents.
Nearest Metro Station: Gallery Place/Chinatown
2 Massachusetts Ave, NE, Washington, DC. 202-357-2700
Unique collection of airmail planes, stagecoaches, rare stamps and letters, Owney the Postal Dog, Pony Express exhibit, rare postage and revenue stamps.
Nearest Metro Station: Union Station
3000 block of Connecticut Ave, NW, Washington, DC. 202-673-4800
A collection of more than 3,000 exotic animals, birds and reptiles. Amazonia is a re-created microcosm of the world’s largest rain forest.
Nearest Metro Station: Woodley Park Zoo/Adams Morgan
17th & Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC. 202-357-2700
Collection of 20th-century American crafts.
Nearest Metro Station: Farragut West
SURROUNDING AREA ATTRACTIONS
Across Memorial Bridge, and 3/4 mile from Lincoln Memorial, Arlington, VA. 703-607-8052
America’s largest national burial ground with more than 600 acres of landscaped hills. Among the thousands of white headstones are the graves of President John F. Kennedy, Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall, world champion Joe Louis and the Tomb of the Unknowns. Choice of self-guided walking tour or paid shuttle tour (information available at the Visitors Center).
Nearest Metro Station: Arlington Cemetery
Marine Corps Memorial Iwo Jima Statue
Route 50, near Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA. 703-289-2530
One of the largest bronze statues ever cast, this 78-foot memorial commemorates all the marines who have died in battle since 1775.
George Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate & Garden
George Washington Parkway, PO Box 110, Mount Vernon, VA. 703-780-2000, 1-800-429-1520
Stretches over 500 open acres overlooking the Potomac River. Just 16 miles from Washington, DC, and 8 miles from historic Old Town Alexandria. Tour the mansion, George Washington’s tomb, 2 museums, 12 outbuildings, gardens and gift shops.