My Washington office is available to assist you in obtaining tour tickets for some of these attractions. My staff can also provide maps and brochures.

We are located in room 731 of the Hart Senate Office Building, located at the corner of 2nd and C Streets, NE, across from Union Station. Please drop by and say hello when you are in town.

Here are several resources to assist you in planning your trip to Washington. I hope they are helpful.

HELPFUL HINTS:

• Before you arrive in Washington, be sure to make your lodging reservations. Because of the high demand for hotel accommodations in the Washington area, it is usually unwise to arrive without a reservation. The downtown area can be expensive, so you may want to consider hotels in the nearby Virginia or Maryland suburbs. Be sure to consider access to the Metro, since taxi trips that cross state lines can be expensive.
• Washington has an extensive public transit system that is affordable and often faster than driving around town. The Metro, DC's subway system, can take you all over the city and into some suburbs. Fares range from $1.75 to $5.90 each way. Farecards can be purchased at every Metro station. Bus fare is $1.75 each way.
• Parking can be scarce around major tourist areas, so it is usually best to take the Metro or a taxi to those areas.

Please note that neither I nor the U.S. Senate can take responsibility for any of the locations listed below. Listing on this page does not constitute my endorsement. Links to these sites will take you out of the U.S. Senate's web server, and I cannot be responsible for the information you find there. This information is subject to change.

National Museum of African American History and Culture
14th and Constitution Ave, NW (Map)
Metro: Metro Center  (red), Smithsonsian or Federal Triangle Capitol South  (blue, orange, silver)
Phone: 844-750-3012
The National Museum of African American History and Culture is the newest Smithsonian and very popular. There are a number of reserved free tickets available at Etix.com. If no tickets are available for your requested date there are a number of same day in-person tickets available.  The line for same day tickets is on the Constitution Ave side of the building and tickets are distributed starting at 9:15AM, same-date timed-entry passes are released online only at 8:15 am daily.

Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, VA (Map)
Metro: Arlington Cemetery  (blue)
Phone: 877-907-8585
September from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm. Highlights include the grave of President John F. Kennedy, the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Lee Mansion (Arlington House), and the Challenger Memorial.

The United States Botanic Garden
1st and Maryland Ave, SW (Map)
Metro: Federal Center SW  (blue, orange, silver)
The Conservatory offers a beautiful and fascinating living plant museum here on our Nation's Mall at the foot of the U.S. Capitol. Open from 10:00am to 5:00pm, admission to  the Garden is free.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing
14th and C Streets, SW (Map)
Metro: Smithsonian  (blue, orange, silver)
Phone: 866-874-2330 (toll free)
Admission is free for the 40-minute public tour, however tickets are required March through August. All tour visitors must present a valid photo ID at the ticket booth located on Raoul Wallenburg Place (formerly 15th Street) to pick up tickets. Same day tickets only. The Ticket Booth opens at 8:00 am and lines form early and tickets go quickly. During the Spring/Summer hours of operation, the Visitor Center will be open from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm. Tours are run from 9:00am to 10:45 am, 12:30 pm to 3:45 pm, and 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. During the months of September through February, no tickets are required for the 40-minute public tour. Tours run from 9:00 am to 10:45 am and 12:30 pm to 2:00 pm. The Visitor Center is open from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm. The Visitor Center contains exhibits and two shops where items such as uncut currency, shredded currency, collectors’ editions, and novelty items can be purchased. My office may be able to assist you in obtaining pre-scheduled tours. Please click here to request these tickets.

The U.S. Capitol Building
Capitol Hill, East end of the National Mall (Map) 
Metro: Capitol South  (blue, orange, silver) or Union Station  (red) 
The Capitol Visitor Center is located below the East Plaza of the Capitol between Constitution and Independence Avenues. The Visitor Center is open to the public from 8:30am to 4:30pm Monday through Saturday. It is closed on Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day, and Inauguration Day. Tours are free, but tour passes are required. To book your tour, please visit www.visitthecapitol.gov or contact the Office of Visitor Services at (202) 226-8000.

Corcoran Gallery of Art
17th Street and New York Ave, NW (Map)
Metro: Farragut West  (blue, orange) or Farragut North  (red) 
Phone: 888-CORCORAN (toll free)
The largest non-federal art museum in the nation’s capital, the Corcoran was founded in 1869. It was Washington’s first art museum and ranks with Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts and New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art as one of the three oldest museums in the United States. Admission to the Corcoran is: $14 for individuals; $12 for senior citizens and military; $10 for students ages 6-18; and free for children under 6. Admission is free on Mondays, and on Thursdays after 5 pm. There is sometimes an additional fee charged for Featured Exhibitions. The Corcoran galleries are now closed and scheduled to reopen in 2015.

Daughters of the American Revolution Museum
17th and D Streets, NW (Map)
Metro: Farragut West  (blue, orange, silver) or Farragut North  (red)
Phone: 202-879-3241 
Founded in 1890, the DAR Museum is Washington's only decorative arts museum. The museum galleries are free and open during museum hours for browsing on your own. Free docent-led tours of the period rooms are available Monday through Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m and Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.. Docent-led tours are $5 per person, free for student groups, and available from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm on Monday through Friday. Groups of 10 or more are asked to contact museum@dar.org in advance.

Dumbarton Oaks
1703 32nd Street, NW (Map)
Metrobus: Routes 30, 32, 34, 36, D2, D4, M12 (no Metrorail service in this area)
This house museum includes extensive Byzantine and Pre-Columbian art. Surrounding the building on its north, south, and east sides are ten acres of formal gardens. The gardens are open to the public daily between 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. (November through March) and 2:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. (April through October). Museum is open Tuesday-Sunday, 11:30 am to 5:30 pm. Admission to the museum is free. Garden is open mid-March through October from 2:00pm to 6:00pm. $7.00 individual daily admission; children under 2 $5.00. During winter, admission to the garden is free.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
South bank of the Tidal Basin near the Jefferson memorial (Map)
Metro: Smithsonian  (blue, orange, silver)
The main part of the memorial remains open 24 hours a day. The Interpretive Ranger staff are available from 9:30 am to 10:00 pm daily except Christmas Day. The Bookstore opens from 8am to 6pm. All restroom facilities close 15 minutes prior to midnight.

Folger Shakespeare Library
201 East Capitol Street (Map)
Metro: Capitol South  (blue, orange, silver) or Union Station  (red) 
Established in 1932 by Henry Clay and Emily Jordan Folger, the Library is home to the world’s largest collection of Shakespeare’s printed works, as well as collections of other rare Renaissance books and manuscripts. Included in the collections are over 310,000 books and manuscripts; 250,000 playbills; 27,000 paintings, drawings, engravings, and prints; and musical instruments, costumes, and films. Theatre reopening in November, remainder of the building in 2024. See schedule of events on the website.

Ford's Theatre
511 10th Street (between E and F Streets, NW) (Map)
Metro: Metro Center  (red, blue, orange, silver) 
The site where President Abraham Lincoln was assassinated, Ford's theatre is an important landmark in downtown Washington. As a living tribute to President Abraham Lincoln's love of the performing arts, the theater continues to work and puts on regular stage productions. Self-guided tours of the theater, museum and Petersen House (where Lincoln died, located across the street) are free.

Jefferson Memorial
Tidal Basin (Map)
Metro: Smithsonian  (blue, orange, silver) 
This memorial to our third President and father of the Declaration of Independence is open daily (except Christmas Day) 24 hours a day. Park Rangers present several interpretive talks at the memorial upon request when they are on duty between 9:30 am and 10:00 pm. At the Swan Boathouse you can rent a paddleboat to cruise the basin.

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
New Hampshire at Rock Creek Parkway NW (Map)
Metro: Foggy Bottom  (blue, orange, silver) 
Phone: 202-416-8340
TTY: 202-416-8524
Free tours of the Kennedy Center are given by the Friends of the Kennedy Center from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday and 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. They depart from the parking plaza on Level A, and feature the Hall of States and Hall of Nations, the Center's main theaters, and dozens of paintings, sculptures, and other artworks given to the Center by foreign countries.

Korean War Memorial
Independence Avenue and 23rd Street, SW (National Mall) (Map)
Metro: Smithsonian  (blue, orange, silver) 
The Korean War Veterans Memorial honors those Americans who answered the call, those who worked and fought under the trying of circumstances, and those who gave their lives for the cause of freedom. Open 24 hours daily.

Library of Congress
1st Street and Independence Ave, SW (Map)
Metro: Capitol South  (blue, orange, silver) 
The Library serves as the research arm of Congress and is recognized as the national library of the United States. Its collections comprise the world's most comprehensive record of human creativity and knowledge. It contains over 17 million books, as well as nearly 95 million maps, manuscripts, photographs, films, audio and video recordings, prints and drawings, and other special collections. Time-entry passes are required and available on the LOC website. Tours are available Tuesday, Wednesdays, Friday, Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Thursdays 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m..  Groups of 20 or more need to complete the online large group reservation request. A limited number of same-day passes are available online at 9:00 a.m.

Lincoln Memorial
The National Mall (Map)
Metro: Foggy Bottom  (blue, orange, silver) 
The Lincoln Memorial was built to resemble a Greek temple. It has 36 Doric columns, one for each state at the time of Lincoln’s death. A sculpture by Daniel Chester French of a seated Lincoln is in the center of the memorial chamber. Inscribed on the south wall of the monument is the Gettysburg Address. The public may visit the Lincoln Memorial 24 hours a day. Park Rangers present several interpretive talks at the memorial upon request when they are on duty, between the hours of 9:30 am and 10:00 pm.

National Arboretum
24th and R Streets, NE (Map)
Metro: Stadium/Armory  (blue, orange, silver)
Phone: 202-245-2726
The Arboretum's beautiful 446-acre campus in Washington, D.C. contains an array of display gardens, collections, and historical monuments set among native stands of eastern deciduous trees. From the Stadium/Armory station, transfer to Metrobus B-2; disembark the bus on Bladensburg Road and walk 2 blocks to R Street. Make a right on R Street and continue 2 blocks to the Arboretum gates. The Arboretum grounds are open every day of the year except December 25 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., so plan to visit this collection first if you visit late in the day. Admission is free.

National Archives
8th Street and Constitution, NW (Map)
Metro: Archives/Navy Memorial  (green, yellow)
Phone: 202-501-5205
See the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and other national treasures. 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. Admission is free.

National Gallery of Art
Constitution Avenue between 3rd and 7th Streets, NW (Map)
Metro: Judiciary Square  (red) or Archives/Navy Memorial  (green, yellow)   
Phone: 202-842-6691 
Open Monday through Saturday from 10 am to 5pm and Sunday from 11am to 6pm The Gallery is closed on 25 December and 1 January. Admission is free.

National Geographic Museum at Explorer's Hall
17th and M Streets, NW (Map)
Metro: Farragut North  (red) or Farragut West  (blue, orange, silver) 
Phone: 202-857-7588
Currently closed for construction.

Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception
400 Michigan Ave, Northeast (Map)
Metro: Brookland-CUA (Catholic University of America)  (red) 
The Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception is adjacent to the campus of The Catholic University of America. Dedicated in 1959, the Catholic Basilica has over 60 small chapels, a large upper church, and a lower crypt church. Free parking is available. Guided tours are availabe and can be scheduled on their website.

Washington National Cathedral
Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues, Northeast (Map)
Metro: Tenleytown/AU (American University)  (red) then take any "30" bus going South on Wisconsin
Phone: 202-537-6207
Tours reservations and times can be found on the Washington National Cathedral website.

National Law Enforcement Officer's Memorial
400 block of E. Street (Map)
Metro: Judiciary Square  (red) 
Phone: 202-737-3400
The memorial honors all of America's federal, state and local law enforcers. Inscribed on the Memorial's blue-gray marble walls are the names of more than 14,000 officers who have been killed in the line of duty. The memorial is right at Judiciary Square.

National Museum of Women in the Arts
New York Ave and 13th Street, NW (Map)
Metro: Metro Center  (red, blue, orange, silver)   (13th Street Exit, 2 blocks north)   
Phone: 800-222-7250
Celebrating the contributions of women to the visual, performing, and literary arts. Open Tuesday through Sundayfrom 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; The museum is closed Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. Admission for adults is $16.00, Seniors (70+) is $13.00, Free for 21 and under and visitors with disabilities. Purchase tickets online at http://nmwa.org/visit/visitor-information.

Octagon House Museum
18th Street and New York Ave, NW (Map)
Metro: Farragut West  (blue, orange, silver) or Farragut North  (red) 
The oldest museum in the United States devoted to architecture and design, the Octagon serves as the museum of the American Architectural Foundation. Designed by Dr. William Thornton (who also designed the Capitol), this building served as President James Madison's Executive Mansion after the destruction of the original White House by the British in 1814. The Treaty of Ghent that ended the War of 1812 was signed in this building. Fall 2023 hours are Friday and Saturday 11:00 a.m. to  4:00 pm.., except on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. Free 45 minute guided-tours at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children, and free for children under 5.

Pentagon
Metro: Pentagon  (blue, yellow) (Map)
The Pentagon, headquarters of the United States Department of Defense and the nerve center for command and control, is virtually a city within itself. The Pentagon presently houses approximately 23,000 military and civilian employees and about 3,000 non-defense support personnel dedicated to protecting our national interests.

Phillips Collection
1600 21st Street NW (Map)
Metro: Dupont Circle  (red) 
Phone: 202-387-2151 
America's first museum of modern art, the Collection houses Renior's masterpiece Luncheon of the Boating Party as well as other outstanding impressionist and modern works. Tuesdays through Saturdays from 11:00am to 5:30pm, Sundays from noon to 7:00pm. Closed Mondays. Weekend admission is $20 for adults, and $15 for seniors over 62, $10 for full-time students, and free for anyone under 18. No charge for persons 18 and under. Weekday admission is by contribution.

The Smithsonian
Phone: 202-633-1000
The Smithsonian Institution is a collection of 16 museums and the National Zoo in the Washington, D.C. metro area, as well as 2 additional museums in New York City. It is the world's largest museum complex and research organization. 

• Smithsonian African Art Museum
  950 Independence Avenue, SW (Map)
  Metro: Smithsonian  (blue, orange)
  Phone: (202) 633-4600 
  As a leading center for the visual arts of Africa, the National Museum of African Art maintains an extensive collection of understanding of the diverse cultures in Africa as these are embodied in aesthetic achievements in the visual arts. The museum accepts into its collections and exhibits the art of all African areas, including the ancient and contemporary arts for the entire continent. Open 10:00am to 5:30pm Tuesday through Sunday; 12:00pm to 5:30pm on Monday. Closed on December 25. Admission is free, but time-entry passes are required from their website.

• Smithsonian Air and Space Museum
  7th Street and Independence Avenue, S.W. (Map)
  Metro: Smithsonian  (blue, orange) or L'Enfant Plaza  (green, yellow, blue, orange)
  Phone: 202-633-2214
  Washington's most popular tourist destination, the Air and Space Museum has hundreds of artifacts on display including the original Wright 1903 Flyer, the "Spirit of St. Louis," Apollo 11 command module, and a Lunar rock sample that visitors can touch. Open daily 10:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. except December 25. Admission is free, but timed-entry passes are required from their website.

• Smithsonian American Art Musuem
  8th and F Streets, NW (Map)
  Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown  (red, yellow, green)
  Phone: 202-633-7970
  Some exhibits from the American Art Museum are set up at the Renwick Gallery. Open from 11:30 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., this museum shares its building, the historic former Patent Office, with the American Portrait Gallery. The Smithsonian American Art Museum is the first federal art collection, begun in 1829 with gifts from private collections and art organizations established in the nation's capital before the founding of the Smithsonian in 1846. The museum has grown steadily to become a center for the study, enjoyment, and preservation of America's cultural heritage. Today it houses the world's most important American art collection, with artworks in all media spanning more than three centuries.

• Smithsonian American History Museum
  14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W. (Map)
  Metro: Federal Triangle  (blue, orange) or Smithsonian  (blue, orange)
  The National Museum of American History (NMAH) is devoted to collecting, preserving, and interpreting artifacts as a special class of historical evidence--and as principal expressions of human creativity. The Museum is interested in how objects are made, how they are used, how they express human needs and values, and how they influence society and the lives of individuals. NMAH's natural focus is on the history of the United States of America, including its roots and connections with other cultures. Open daily, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Closed December 25. Admission is free.

• Smithsonian American Indian Museum
  4th St. and Independence Ave., S.W. (Map)
  Phone: 202-633-1000
  The museum's galleries and display spaces house both permanent and temporary exhibitions. The museum's permanent exhibitions, Our Universes, Our Peoples, and Our Lives, represent important ideas and experiences in Native life and history. Temporary exhibitions will present individual artists' works, explore specific themes in Indian culture, or bring objects from other institutions to the museum. The museum's galleries also include cases containing study collections and outstanding objects from the museum's collections. Open every day 10:00 am to 5:30 pm; closed December 25. Admission is free.

• Smithsonian Anacostia Museum
  1901 Fort Place, Southeast (Map)
  Metro: Anacostia  (green), transfer to W2/W3 Bus Stop on Howard Road    
  Phone: 202-633-4820
  As the Smithsonian Institution's museum of African American history and culture, the Museum explores American history, society, and creative expression from an African American perspective. Open every day 10:00 am to 5:00 pm; closed December 25. Admission is free.

• Smithsonian Freer & Sackler Galleries (Asian Art)
  The National Mall (Map)
  Metro: Smithsonian  (blue, orange, silver) 
  Phone: 202-633-1000
  The Freer Gallery of Art and Arthur M. Sackler Gallery together form the national museum of Asian art. The galleries offer one of the Western world's most refined collections of Asian art and the finest collections of paintings by James McNeill Whistler. Open 10:00am to 5:30pm daily, except December 25. Admission is free.

• Smithsonian Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden
  The National Mall (Map) 
  Metro: L'Enfant Plaza  (green, yellow, blue, orange, silver)
  Phone: 202-357-3091
  Open daily except December 25, the Museum is open from 10:00am to 5:30pm, the Plaza from 7:30am to 5:30pm, and the Sculpture Garden from 10:00am to 5:30pm. Admission is free.

• Smithsonian National Zoo
  300 Connecticut Ave, NW (Map)
  Metro: Woodley Park-Zoo  (red) 
  The 163-acre Smithsonian National Zoological Park in Rock Creek Park is a world leader in exhibition, conservation, zoological research, and education. The Zoo is home to more than 5,800 animals—mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and invertebrates. It was the first zoo established with the purpose of saving animals on the brink of extinction. Today, nearly 130 of the Zoo’s species of animals are endangered or threatened. The National Zoo is open every day of the year except December 25. The National Zoo grounds are open 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the winter starting September 15; and 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for the summer starting March 15. Exhibit Buildings are open 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.. in the winter; and 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the summer. Admission is free, but timed entry passes are required. found on their website.

• Smithsonian Natural History Musuem
  10th and Constitution, NW (Map)
  Metro: Smithsonian  (blue, orange, silver) or Judiciary Square  (red) 
  Phone: 202-357-2700 
  Dedicated to the natural world, this museum includes an IMAX theatre and an ever-changing variety of special exhibits and displays. Open daily except for December 25 from 10:00 am to 5:30 pm, and open until 7:30 pm during the summer.

• Smithsonian National Postal Museum
  1st and Massachusetts NE (Next to Union Station) (Map)
  Metro: Union Station  (red) 
  Phone: 202-357-2991
  Located on the lower level of the former Washington City Post Office Building on Capitol Hill, this interactive museum focuses on postal history and philately (stamp-collecting). Open daily from 10:30am to 5:30pm. Closed December 25. Admission is free.

• Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery
  8th and F Streets, NW (Map)
  Metro: Gallery Place/Chinatown  (red, yellow, green)
  Phone: 202-633-8300
  Home of the famous "Lansdowne" portrait of George Washington. This museum shares a building with the American Art Museum. Open 11:30 am to 7:00 pm daily. Closed December 25.

• Smithsonian Institution Building ("The Castle")
  1000 Jefferson Drive, SW (Map)
  Metro: Smithsonian  (blue, orange, silver) 
  Phone: 202-357-2700
  The home to the Smithsonian Information Center is currently being renovated and closed to tours.

The Supreme Court
First Street and East Capitol St., NE (Map)
Metro: Union Station  (red) or Capitol South  (blue, orange, silver) 
Phone: 202-479-3211
Open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m. The Court offers a variety of educational programs. Exhibits, which are changed periodically, and a theater, where a film on the Supreme Court is shown, are located on the ground floor. Lectures in the Courtroom are generally scheduled at 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. with an additional 6:00 p.m lecture in the summer. The business of the Court or unforeseen factors such as inclement weather may affect public access to the building, requiring changes in the Courtroom lecture schedule and/or the building's hours of operation.

The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave, NW (Map)
Metro: Federal Triangle  (blue, orange), Metro Center  (blue, orange, silver, red)
Phone: 202-456-7041
Public tours of the White House 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 9:30 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. 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. Click here to request White House tour tickets.

Voice of America Studio Tour 
Independence and 3rd St., SW (Map)
Metro: Federal Center SW  (blue, orange, silver) 
Phone: (202) 203-4990
The Voice of America is a multimedia international broadcasting service operating under the Broadcasting Board of Governors. VOA broadcasts 1,500 hours of news, information, educational, and cultural programming a week to a worldwide audience of 125 million people. Reservations are recommended. Tours are at 12 pm Monday through Friday. There are no tours on Federal holidays. Doors open 10 minutes before tour time. Admission is free.