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.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing (877) 874-4114 or (202) 874-8888 14th and C Streets, SW, Washington, DC 20228 Tours conducted between 9-10:45am and 12:30-2pm Monday-Friday; closed weekends, federal holidays and the week between December 25 and January 1. My office can make reservations for you, but you can pick up same-day tickets on your own at the ticket booth on Raoul Wallenberg Place. |
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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. |
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Department of State Diplomatic Rooms (202) 647-3241 Tours conducted 9:30am; 10:30am; and 2:45pm Monday-Friday Make reservations by calling the number above or through the tour website |
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The 45-minute tour covers the Diplomatic Reception Rooms used by the Department of State for official functions. 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. |
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John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (202) 416-8727 New Hampshire Avenue, NW and Rock Creek Parkway, Washington, DC Tours conducted 10am-5pm weekdays; 10am-1pm weekends No admission charged for tours; tickets required for most performances |
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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. | |
Library of Congress (202) 707-8000 My office can make reservations for you, but you can participate in the public tours which start at 10:30 a.m. Monday-Saturday |
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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 for 3rd President Thomas Jefferson, who, in 1814, sold his personal library of 6,487 books to the library to rebuild the library’s collection which was destroyed when the British burned the Capitol during the War of 1812. It is the most ornate of the buildings and is home to the spectacular Reading Room; public and congressional tours are conducted daily. The other buildings are open to the public and researchers. The lobby of the first floor of the Thomas Jefferson Building of the Library of Congress is ornate and remarkable. The Great Hall is constructed of white Italian marble with a stucco ceiling accented with 23 karat gold leaf. A tour of this building won't leave you disappointed! |
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National Archives (202) 357-5000 Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW, Washington, DC 10am-5:30pm Day after Labor Day (September)-March 14 10am-7pm March 15-Labor Day (September) |
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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 (http://archives.gov/genealogy). The Archives were collected starting in 1926. While no tickets are needed, the lines form early during spring and summer months. |
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Naval Historical Center/U.S. Navy Museum at the Washington Navy Yard (202) 433-4882 Building 76, 805 Kidder Breese SE, Washington, DC 20374-5060 9am-4pm weekdays; closed weekends and federal holidays No admission charged, but appointment required |
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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. |
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U.S. Capitol Due to the Inauguration Swearing-In Ceremony scheduled for January 20, 2009, no Capitol tours will be conducted from Saturday, January 17, through Tuesday, January 20, 2009. |
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I am happy to provide Idahoans who come to our nation's Capitol with a tour of the building. Staff members are available by reservation for tours for tours starting at 10:30 a.m. Monday through Friday. The last tour begins at 2:30 p.m. Please make arrangements at least seven days in advance of your visit. The U.S. Capitol Guide Service also offers tours. You must pick up free timed tickets (one per person present) at a kiosk located in the southwest corner of the Capitol Grounds, at 1st and Independence, SW, across from the U.S. Botanic Gardens. Tickets are handed out daily and cannot be reserved. Tours operate Monday through Saturday. |
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U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum (202) 488-0400 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, SW, Washington, DC 20024 10am-5:30pm daily; closed Yom Kippur and December 25 Free timed tickets are required and are available on-site; tickets can be purchased online for a small transaction fee. |
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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. |
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U.S. Marine Corps Evening Parade Marine Corps Barracks, Washington, DC 8th and I Streets, SE Washington, DC 20390 |
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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. Cherty XII, the official mascot of the Marine Barracks Washington. Reservations can be made through the Marine Barracks, Washington, DC, website. |
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U.S. Naval Observatory (202) 762-1467 Tour given 8:30pm selected Mondays No admission charged, but reservations are required and can be submitted at least six weeks in advance |
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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. |
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(202) 203-4990 330 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20237 12pm and 3 pm Monday-Friday; closed federal holidays |
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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 offered. The tour lasts 45 minutes. You can make arrangements for a tour online through the link above. |
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Washington Monument (202) 426-6841 9am-4:45pm daily Tickets are free and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets can also be purchased online for a small transaction fee. |
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No building in Washington, DC, is allowed to be taller than this 555-foot monument to our 1st President, George Washington. 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. |
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Washington National Cathedral (202) 537-6200 3101 Wisconsin Avenue, NW (Massachusetts and Wisconsin), Washington, DC Tours offered 10-11:30am; 12:45-4pm Monday-Friday and similar times on weekends Donations charged for tours range from $1-3 |
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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. |
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