us capitol tours 2022

Welcome to Washington, DC, the nation’s capital. You will find an abundance of cultural, educational, and just plain fun attractions and events here. Start your trip planning with the useful resources below.

United States Congress

U.S. Capitol Visitor Center Book a tour, look at a Capitol map and find other useful information. The mission of the Visitor Center at the U.S. Capitol is to provide a welcoming and educational environment for visitors to learn about the unique characteristics of the House and the Senate and the legislative process as well as the history and development of the architecture and art of the U.S. Capitol.

Map of Capitol Grounds The Capitol, House and Senate office buildings.

Map of Accessible Transportation at the Capitol Accessible entrances and transportation servicing the Capitol and surrounding buildings.

Virtual Tour of Capitol Explore the nation's Capitol, including the old and current House chambers.

Library of Congress

Each of “America’s Library buildings”, named for a U.S. President (Adams, Jefferson, and Madison), contains millions of cataloged books and other print materials on 530 miles of shelving is a world-renowned research center for scholars easily accessible to both Congress and the public. Special exhibitions —including a permanent display of the Gutenberg Bible, the first book printed with movable type—make the Library a favorite tourist attraction. First Street and Independence Avenue, SE.

Supreme Court of the United States

“Equal Justice Under Law” is the promise on the portals of the Supreme Court building.Court sessions begin the first Monday in October and continue two weeks per month through April. 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 every hour on the half-hour when the court is not in session. Group tours are available and must be made in advance. First and East Capitol Streets, NE.

United States Botanic Garden

Located at the base of Capitol Hill, the conservatory features more than 20,000 plants, including exotic flowers and fruit species. First Street and Maryland Avenue, SW.

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After closing for 2 years, tours begin at the U.S. Capitol

Kelsey Snell

Vincent Acovino

Kathryn Fox

NPR's Kelsey Snell takes a tour of the Capitol Building, which is open again for public tours after being closed for the COVID-19 pandemic.

Copyright © 2022 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.

NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of NPR’s programming is the audio record.

Guided public tours returning to US Capitol for first time since the pandemic

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Capitol will reopen to the public on Monday for guided tours for limited groups of people who have registered in advance, congressional officials said, two years after the coronavirus pandemic prompted the cessation of such visits. 

Officials said that the resumption would occur in phases, beginning on Monday for school groups and other groups of up to 15 people who would be led by lawmakers or their aides. Congressional offices would each be limited to leading one tour weekly.

The move, announced Wednesday, marked Congress’ latest relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions as Washington, D.C., and the world struggle to return to normalcy as the omicron variant wave wanes in the U.S.  Mask requirements inside the Capitol  were relaxed weeks ago in a gradual easing that has been colored by politics , with Republicans pushing for more aggressive easing of restrictions than Democrats.

WELCOME BACK: White House to resume public tours after two-year pandemic closure

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A health screening form for all visitors was being “recommended," according to the statement by House Sergeant at Arms William J. Walker and Brian P. Monahan, the Capitol's attending physician.

The Capitol Visitor Center , an adjacent underground complex that has exhibits and a restaurant, would tentatively reopen to limited numbers of visitors on May 30, officials said.

Walker and Monahan said the renewed tours would be monitored with an eye to revamping the new restrictions if needed. They also said they would be guided by how widespread COVID-19 is in the Washington area.

“We appreciate your continued patience and cooperation as we work together to resume public tours of the Capitol for the American people in a way that protects the health and safety of visitors and institutional staff alike,” they wrote.

The two officials said the decision to renew limited tours was made by congressional leaders, the Capitol's medical and visitors services staff, the U.S. Capitol Police and the board that oversees that force.

In normal times, around 3 million people visit the Capitol every year.

U.S. Capitol & Capitol Visitor Center

The capitol visitor center is the main entrance to the u.s. capitol and is located below the east front plaza of the capitol between constitution and independence avenues.

The Capitol Visitor Center is the main entrance to the U.S. Capitol and is located below the East Front plaza of the Capitol between Constitution and Independence Avenues. The Visitor Center is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.mm., Monday through Saturday. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and Inauguration Day. Guided tours of the Capitol are available Monday through Saturday, 8:50 a.m. to 3:20 p.m. Tours are free, but tour passes are required. Tours may be booked in advance online at www.visitthecapitol.gov , through the offices of your senators or representative, or through the Office of Visitor Services at 202.226.8000. A limited number of same-day passes are available each day. The Capitol Visitor Center also features a 500-seat Restaurant, two Gift Shops, and an Exhibition Hall which tells the story of the U.S. Congress and the Capitol. For a list of items prohibited in the Capitol, and for other information, go to www.visitthecapitol.gov .

• ADA Compliant
• Foreign Language Guides
• Free Admission
• Guided tours available

Additional Information

Total meeting space sq. ft, length of tour.

Less than 1 hour

Metro Station

Capitol South

E Capitol St. & 1st St. NE Washington , DC 20004 United States

(202) 226-8000.

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U.S. Capitol to resume dome tours led by members of Congress on Monday

WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) - As part of the phased reopening of the United States Capitol to visitors, dome tours led by a member of Congress will resume on April 25.

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Dome tours will continue to be handled by Capitol Visitor Center Visitor Services and visitor guides will lead all tours into the dome. A member of Congress must personally accompany each dome tour.

Capitol officials note that dome tours are physically challenging and strenuous. The member and tour participants must climb over 300 steps in single file to reach the top of the dome and these steps consist of a series of steep, narrow, spiral, curved and irregularly spaced landings and stairs. 

WASHINGTON, D.C. - APRIL 19, 2018: Tourists enjoy the view of the Rotunda below from the inner dome of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Robert Alexander/Getty Images)

The Office of Attending Physician strongly advises that all persons with heart, back, neck, knee, acrophobia (a fear of heights) or breathing problems, as well as those with difficulty in bending, or with any disability that may prevent them from walking unaided (cane, walker, etc.) should not go on a dome tour. 

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: US Capitol set to partially reopen for guided tours March 28

Capitol Visitor Services will begin taking dome tour reservations on April 11. All dome tours are scheduled on a first-available basis and reservations must be made by calling 202-593-1762.

The maximum dome tour group size is seven guests, plus the member of Congress and a Visitor Services Guide. Dome tours are offered Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. with one tour per hour.

No one under the age of 10 years old is an appropriate candidate for participating in a dome tour. In addition, children may not be carried on a dome tour; parents/guardians must have both hands free at all times.

Each member of Congress is limited to no more than one dome tour reservation per day.

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For further questions regarding dome tours, contact Visitor Services at 202-593-1762 or the Office of the Sergeant at Arms at (202) 225-2456.

U.S. Capitol to reopen for limited public tours after two years

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Capitol will reopen to the public on Monday for guided tours for limited groups of people who have registered in advance, congressional officials said, two years after the coronavirus pandemic  prompted the cessation of such visits .

Officials said that the resumption would occur in phases, beginning on Monday for school groups and other groups of up to 15 people who would be led by lawmakers or their aides. Congressional offices would each be limited to leading one tour weekly.

The move, announced Wednesday, marked Congress’ latest relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions as Washington, D.C., and the world struggle to return to normalcy with the omicron variant wave waning in the U.S. Mask requirements inside the Capitol were relaxed weeks ago in a gradual easing that has been colored by politics, with Republicans pushing for more aggressive easing of restrictions than Democrats.

A health screening form for all visitors was being “recommended,” according to the statement by House Sergeant at Arms William J. Walker and Brian P. Monahan, the Capitol’s attending physician.

The Capitol Visitor Center, an adjacent underground complex that has exhibits and a restaurant, would tentatively reopen to limited numbers of visitors on May 30, officials said.

Walker and Monahan said the renewed tours would be monitored with an eye to revamping the new restrictions if needed. They also said they would be guided by how widespread Covid-19 is in the Washington area.

“We appreciate your continued patience and cooperation as we work together to resume public tours of the Capitol for the American people in a way that protects the health and safety of visitors and institutional staff alike,” they wrote.

The two officials said the decision to renew limited tours was made by congressional leaders, the Capitol’s medical and visitors services staff, the U.S. Capitol Police and the board that oversees that force.

In normal times, around 3 million people visit the Capitol every year.

The Associated Press

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Book a tour, specialty tours, exhibition hall, group resources, shopping and dining, watching congress in session.

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The U.S. Capitol will start formally reopening to tourists next week.

Tours of the Capitol were suspended for about two years over the pandemic and security concerns related to the Jan. 6 riot.

By Emily Cochrane

• March 23, 2022

The United States Capitol will begin formally reopening to visitors and tourists on Monday, after being closed to the public for about two years because of the coronavirus pandemic and security concerns after the Jan. 6 riot.

A limited reopening will start March 28 with lawmaker-led tours and staff-led tours of up to 15 people as well as a limited number of school tours, according to a memo from William J. Walker, the House sergeant-at-arms, and Dr. Brian P. Monahan, the attending physician. Tours of the Capitol Dome for up to eight people will begin April 25, and the Capitol Visitors Center will fully open at the end of May.

“We appreciate your continued patience and cooperation as we work together to resume public tours of the Capitol for the American people in a way that protects the health and safety of visitors and institutional staff alike,” Mr. Walker and Dr. Monahan wrote in the memo.

The two men said the phased reopening was coordinated with congressional leadership, the U.S. Capitol Police Board, the Capitol Police and other leaders.

The Capitol has seen an uptick in visitors in recent weeks, even before the announcement was made. The formal reopening comes as pandemic restrictions loosen across the country and just weeks after House leaders announced that masks would no longer be required in the chamber, regardless of vaccination status. The White House said last week that public tours would start in April , after being closed to the public because of the pandemic.

Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton, the nonvoting representative for Washington, D.C., said that the reopening was too slow, particularly given the effectiveness of vaccines.

“America’s symbols of democracy should be accessible to the people we serve,” she said in a statement. “Already, the distance between government and the people has grown, with trust in government at historic lows. We should not entrench that distance further or longer by delaying the reopening of the Capitol, especially when the tools exist to prevent serious illness and death from Covid-19.”

Republicans, many of whom eschewed mask-wearing and other pandemic restrictions long before this year, have pushed for Democratic leaders to agree to reopen the building. But there have been a flurry of recent coronavirus cases on Capitol Hill, with Senator Bob Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania, announcing a positive test on Tuesday .

The Capitol first shut down in March 2020 , but its reopening has been delayed as new variants swept through the country and security concerns increased after the Jan. 6 riot. The ranks of the Capitol Police were depleted after the attack, as officers recovered from the mental and physical trauma they suffered defending the building.

Emily Cochrane is a reporter in the Washington bureau, covering Congress. She was raised in Miami and graduated from the University of Florida. More about Emily Cochrane

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Visit The White House

The President and Dr. Biden are delighted to welcome members of the public to tour the White House. Public tour requests are scheduled through your Member of Congress and their Congressional Tour Coordinator. Constituents may reach your Member of Congress and Congressional Tour Coordinator through the U.S. House of Representatives Switchboard at 202-225-3121, the U.S. Senate Switchboard at 202-224-3121, or online at  www.congress.gov/members .

Consistent with prior practices, public White House tour requests must be submitted a minimum of 21 days in advance and no more than 90 days in advance of the requested tour date(s). Reservations cannot be accepted for tour dates outside this 21 – 90-day window.  

Public tours are typically available from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, excluding Federal holidays or unless otherwise noted. If your tour is confirmed, please note that you will be assigned a specific time.  All White House tours are free of charge. The White House tour schedule is subject to change, with little notice, based on inclement weather or official use.

If you are a citizen of a foreign country, please contact your embassy in Washington, D.C. for assistance in submitting a tour request.

Identification Requirements

All U.S. citizens ages 18 and older, and foreign nationals of all ages (including children), must present a valid, government-issued photo ID upon arrival for their tour. Acceptable forms of identification are below.

U.S. CITIZENS

• United States Driver’s License
• Valid United States Passport
• United States Military ID

FOREIGN NATIONALS

• Valid Passport
• Alien Registration Card
• Permanent Resident Card
• U.S. State Department Issued Diplomatic ID Card

A U.S. driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification for foreign nationals. No foreign-issued state IDs, foreign-issued driver’s licenses, expired passports, photocopies, other transmissions of these documents, or other forms of identification will be accepted. Individuals without acceptable identification, or whose identification does not exactly match the information previously registered, may be denied entry.

Prohibited Items

• Bags of any kind (including fanny packs and clutches)
• Cameras with detachable lenses
• Electric stun guns
• E-cigarettes
• Knives of any kind
• Martial arts
• Tobacco Products
• Toy Weapons
• Video cameras
• Weapons/devices
• Any pointed object
• Any other item determined to be a potential safety hazard

Please note that storage facilities are not provided during your visit. Individuals who arrive with bags or prohibited items will not be permitted to enter the White House.

Permitted Items

• Baby carriers worn on the body
• Breast pumps
• Cell phones
• Compact cameras with lenses less than 3 inches
• Umbrellas without metal tips
• All items needed for medical purposes (i.e. wheelchairs, EpiPens, medication, etc.)

Getting Here

Use of public transportation is strongly encouraged, as there is no parking available on the White House complex and street parking is limited. The closest Metrorail stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (blue and orange lines), Metro Center (blue, orange, silver, and red lines), and McPherson Square (blue, orange, and silver lines).

The White House Tour entrance is located in Sherman Park at 15th Street NW and Alexander Hamilton Place NW. If arriving by rideshare, use the White House Visitor Center (WHVC) as the drop-off address. The WHVC is located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20230, which is one block from the White House.

Restrooms are located at the White House Visitors Center, located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20230. There are no restrooms available once you arrive for your tour.

Accessibility

The White House tour route is wheelchair accessible. Visitors who wish to use a White House wheelchair should notify a U.S. Secret Service officer upon arrival.

Guide animals are permitted in the White House.

Health and Safety Guidance

Guests who receive a confirmed tour reservation will be issued a White House Tour Pass ahead of their tour date containing pertinent health and safety guidance.

Know Before You Go

• Tours are self-guided and last approximately 45 minutes
• Eat a snack and stay hydrated prior to arrival.
• Dress for the weather, knowing you will be outside before your tour.
• Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled tour time.
• No late arrivals are accepted.
• All guests must be previously registered via the RSVP link provided by the White House.
• Please silence your cell phone and refrain from phone calls during the tour.
• No flash photography or video recording is permitted during your tour.
• Visitors may call the 24-hour Visitors Office information line at 202-456-7041 for latest updates and information relevant to White House tours.

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Justices reject Lanpher’s appeal from 2022 shoot-out

P IERRE, S.D. (KELO) — A man from Sioux Falls who admitted his crimes after a harrowing 2022 shoot-out with law enforcement officers in Madison has claimed that the two life sentences he received were cruel and unusual punishment and that the circuit judge abused his discretion in handing them down.

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But the South Dakota Supreme Court completely disagrees. The state’s high court ruled unanimously against James Joseph Lanpher, Jr., in a decision publicly released on Thursday.

The justices determined that South Dakota law specifically allows for life sentences to be imposed under the circumstances of the crimes and Lanpher’s previous convictions, and that Circuit Judge Patrick Pardy acted within his legal authority.

The court’s senior member, Justice Janine Kern, authored the opinion. The 22-page document details how dangerous Lampher’s actions were on that day, as the suspected drug trafficker fled arrest, drove the wrong way at high speed for five miles on I-29, shot repeatedly at law enforcement from his moving vehicle and later on foot, and attempted to steal two other vehicles after his stalled out of gas.

Lanpher also tried to force his way into a Madison home during the chaos but the father threw his weight against the door and locked it to keep Lanpher outside.

Law enforcement had placed a tracking device on Lanpher’s vehicle because the Sioux Falls Area Drug Task Force “previously identified Lanpher as a source of supply for methamphetamine coming into the Sioux Falls metropolitan area.” according to the Supreme Court decision.

“In light of Lanpher’s violent criminal history and demonstrated disregard for human life, his sentence is not grossly disproportionate to the gravity of his offenses and thus does not violate the Eighth Amendment,” Justice Kern stated.

She added, “Additionally, given the seriousness of Lanpher’s conduct, the circuit court’s decision to impose two life sentences was not an abuse of discretion.”

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com.