Sincerely, THAD COCHRAN United States Senator

Major Washington Buildings and Museums

The United States Capitol Located on Capitol Hill between Constitution and Independence Avenues, the U.S. Capitol offers free public tours every day from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., with tours originating in the Rotunda at the center of the Capitol Building. Special tours for the disabled and handicapped also are available. The tour includes visits to the Senate and House Galleries overlooking the legislative chambers.

The White House 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. For the most current tour information, please call the 24-hour line at 202-456-7041. Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation.

The U.S. Supreme Court Located at First and East Capitol Streets, N.E., the U.S. Supreme Court is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. every hour on the half hour. Courtroom seats are available to visitors on a first come, first served basis when the Court is in session. Twenty-minute courtroom lectures are available to the public every hour on the half-hour when the Court is not in session.

The Library of Congress Located at First Street and Independence Avenue, S.E., the Library of Congress contains more than seventy-five million volumes and is a world-renowned research center for scholars. Free thirty-minute tours leave from Madison Memorial Hall (101 Independence Avenue, S.E.) at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 3:30 p.m.

Union Station Located on Massachusetts Avenue between 1st and 2nd Streets, NE, Union Station attracts more than 40,000 visitors daily to its renovated halls containing an assortment of specialty shops, movie theaters and eateries. The building was closed for restoration in 1978. Ten years and $160 million dollars later, the doors were reopened in 1988 with a gala celebration. It was the largest, most complex public/private restoration project ever attempted in the U.S. Open 24 hours daily.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation Located at Ninth Street and Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., the FBI building is one of the most interesting tourist attractions in Washington. The FBI Tour is presently closed. No date has been set for its reopening..

The Pentagon Located off Route I-395 in Arlington, Virginia, the Pentagon is the world's largest office building and the command center for our nation's defense. Group tours are available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and normally last approximately 60 minutes. The program does not operate on federal holidays and weekends. Tours are available for educational institutions (schools/colleges/universities/Academies), churches, government agencies, or military organizations. Tours can be reserved up to 3 months in advance. A minimum of two weeks notice prior to the proposed tour date is required.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Located at 2700 F Street, N.W., the Kennedy Center is a memorial to our 35th President and a major cultural center for Washington and the nation. Broadway-bound plays, the National Symphony Orchestra, grand opera, great American films, fine dining, and much more invite the visitor. Tours of the Center are conducted daily from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Rooftop historical tours of the city are also featured.

The State Department Located at 2201 C Street, N.W., the Department of State features displays of fine 18th century furniture and an Americana collection in the diplomatic reception rooms. Public tours are available by reservation only and are offered Monday through Friday at 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., and 2:45 p.m.

The National Archives Located at Eighth Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., the National Archives displays the original Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, as well as extensive genealogical and census files. Special tours are conducted Monday through Friday at 10:15 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. by reservation only.

The Smithsonian Institution Museums Anacostia Museum Arthur M. Sackler Gallery Arts and Industries Building The Castle Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum Freer Gallery of Art Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden National Air and Space Museum National Air and Space Museum: Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center National Museum of African Art National Museum of American Art National Museum of American History National Museum of the American Indian National Museum of Natural History National Portrait Gallery National Postal Museum Renwick Gallery S. Dillon Ripley Center

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing Located at 14th and C Streets, S.W., the Bureau of Engraving and Printing produces over seventy billion dollars in cash every year. Tours of this favorite tourist stop leave continually from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, and last approximately twenty minutes.

The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Located at 100 Raoul Wallenberg Place, S.W., the Holocaust Memorial Museum is open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and tells the story of the holocaust in its three-floor permanent exhibition. Tickets are not required to enter the museum but are required for admission to the main exhibition hall. The tickets are free of charge and are distributed daily from the Museum Box Office on a first come, first served basis beginning at 10:00 a.m. It is recommended you arrive sixty to ninety minutes before the box office opens. The tours are self-guided. Tickets also can be reserved in advance through Ticketmaster for a small service charge by calling 1-800-551-7328.

The National Zoological Park Located at 3000 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., the 168-acre National Zoological Park is a year-round favorite of tourists and residents alike. The zoo is free and open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. daily, with extended evening hours during the spring and summer.

Washington Monuments and Memorials

Washington Monument Located at 15th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W, the famous marble obelisk, honoring America's first President, is the tallest structure in the nation's Capital and will remain so by law. Elevators take you to the top of the 555-foot monument for a spectacular view of the city. Open 8:00 a.m. to midnight daily, April through Labor Day. Open 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily, Labor Day through March.

Lincoln Memorial Located at 23rd Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W is one of the most impressive sights in Washington -- the memorial to our 16th President, Abraham Lincoln, especially under dramatic night lighting. The giant seated figure of Lincoln overlooks the Reflecting Pool toward the Washington Monument and the Capitol Building. Memorial walls are inscribed with passages from the Gettysburg Address and the Inaugural Addresses of President Lincoln. Open 8:00 a.m. to midnight daily.

Jefferson Memorial Located on the Tidal Basin at 14th Street, S.W., the memorial to our third President, Thomas Jefferson, celebrates his architectural as well as governmental influence in America. A 19-foot bronze figure of Jefferson dominates the interior, and the walls are inscribed with his most famous writings -- including excerpts. Open 8:00 a.m. to midnight daily.

Arlington National Cemetery Located on Memorial Drive in Arlington, Virginia, here is the final resting place of thousands of American soldiers, sailors and airmen, including the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier with its precision-drill honor guard. President John F. Kennedy is buried here, his grave adorned with an eternal flame. Open 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. daily, April through Labor Day. Open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily, Labor Day through March.

Marine Corps War Memorial Located on the George Washington Parkway between Arlington National Cemetery and Rosslyn, Virginia, the Marine Corp War Memorial (Iwo Jima Statue) honors the soldiers about whom Admiral Nimitz said, "uncommon valor was a common virtue." The Marine Drum & Bugle Corp and the Silent Drill Platoon perform a flag-lowering ceremony on Tuesday evenings in the summer.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Located at 21st Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., the Vietnam Veterans Memorial honors the men and women of the armed forces who served in the Vietnam War. The names of more than 58,000 who gave their lives or remain missing are listed in the chronological order they became casualties, on the black granite panels. Open 8:00 a.m. to midnight daily.

Korean War Veterans Memorial Located southeast of the Lincoln Memorial along Independence Avenue, S.W., the Korean War Veterans Memorial is the most recent addition to the National Mall. It is dedicated to all those who served during The Korean War (1950 - 1954), the first major conflict of the Cold War. The memorial was authorized by Congress in 1986, and dedicated on July 27, 1995, the 42nd Anniversary of the Armistace. It is a garden memorial that includes a reflecting pool, life-size statues depicting servicemen, and a black granite wall with murals of actual men and women who served in the Korean War. Open 8:00 a.m. to midnight daily.

United States Navy Memorial Located between Seventh and Ninth Streets, N.W., on Pennsylvania Avenue, this Memorial honors the men and women of the United States Navy, and centers on a circular plaza bearing the world's largest map of the world. A 7 ft. statue called the Lone Sailor stands on the map and represents all who have served or will serve in the Navy. Open 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Open noon to 5:00 p.m. Sunday.

Historical Washington Homes

Mount Vernon Located at the end of the George Washington Parkway south of Alexandria, Virginia, George Washington’s estate, overlooking the Potomac River, has been restored to its 18th century colonial grandeur. The mansion, slave quarters, stables and the tomb of our first President and Mrs. Washington are among the points of special interest, as well as the formal gardens, designed by the surveyor-planter-soldier-President. Admission is charged. Open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, March through October, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, November through February.

Arlington House Located in the Arlington National Cemetery, and overlooking the Potomac River and Washington, DC, Arlington House is preserved as a memorial to General Robert E. Lee, a man who gained respect of Americans in the North and South. It is uniquely associated with the families of Washington, Custis, and Lee for it was built by George Washington Park Custis. Open 9:30 am to 4:30 pm daily, October - March; 9:30 am to 6:00 pm, April - September.

Gunston Hall Located near Mount Vernon and overlooking the Potomac River, the Colonial plantation home of George Mason, Father of the Bill of Rights, is famous for both architectural beauty and historical associations. At this house, Mason met with his friends Washington, Jefferson and Madison. The plantation is surrounded by 550 of the original 5,000 acres and was complete with out-buildings, formal gardens and a deer park. Stroll along scenic nature trails or watch the 17-minute film at the Visitor’s Center. Admission is charged. Open 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Closed Christmas Day.

General Washington Area Links

Washington, DC Point and Click Map DC Metrorail Subway Map Metropolitan Washington National Park Areas