Capitol Hill

The west lawn at the Capitol on Christmas Eve had Christmas carols and people celebrating. I'm usually not in DC for Christmas. We stayed home this year and were in for a wonderful surprise on our walk. The Christmas carols were beautiful and people were gathered around listening. It's a wonderful experience for all and something I didn't know about for my 9 years living in DC.

My kids and I had the opportunity to visit the United States Capital. We booked (free) tickets through our locks US Representatives office and they were great to work with, easy, fast and efficient! We happened to be visiting the first week of January, so there was a lot going on with the preparation of the change over with the new administration. A lot of meetings were going on and also the passing of former President Jimmy Carter caused even more event preparation to occur during our visit for upcoming events. None the less we still got to tour parts of the building. It was grandeur and incredible in person. The art and depiction of "history" that is displayed is sad to me, but I guess that's still part of "history." The tour groups were extremely large. They provided a headset for everyone so you could hear what the tour guide was saying. However, the mass amount of people they allow at once and really the smaller spaces doesn't allow for a lot of room to move about and truly appreciate the space. Another thing to note is make sure you read ALL rules on your ticket sheet. I failed to read they don't allow any food or drinks inside. This also means any unopened packages too. I had brought food and snacks for my kids as this tour was first on our list for the day. The snacks were to get them through the rest of the day. Instead we had to sit outside the front entrance and scarf down as much as possible and ultimately throw food away. I wish they had lockers we could have out our stuff in, but I'm sure that's a security precaution they take to not provide them. Overall, I'm glad we had the experience, but not something I would necessarily want to go back to do again.

Qué aburrida. If you want to be amazed by architecture, you should see the original St. Paul's Cathedral in London. It's symbolic of the United States that they'd build basically the same thing as the Brits, only bigger and more dominant. The British crow that their empire lasted 400 years. The Roman empire lasted 500 years (back when the City of London was Londinium, true story). The United States was founded in 1776. The funny linear regression is 500 years, 400 years, 300 years. 1776 + 300 = 2076. It is currently 2024. Back of the envelope, because the people that work in, around, and for this building do this 24-7 right? Let's say you earn $49,200 per year (or, say $4.92 trillion). You spend $67,500 per year ($6.75 trillion). You have a credit card debt of $331,000 ($33.1 trillion). That would be panic-inducing, wouldn't it? Imagine what your credit card providers are thinking...

The seat of our government! Where every two or six years you get to keep or fire your bosses. I was able to secure a public tour without a reservation so my scope was somewhat limited. My group's tour guide did mention that to get a more extensive tour including the House debate floor one needs to contact their congressperson (Representative or Senator) so that they can arrange it and handle the logistics. I plan to do this for the next time. After an introductory film on our country's and the Capitol's history, we were taken to the Crypt of the capitol where George Washington had been scheduled to be buried. We had a very informative session of the art in the area, as well as the statuary hall in the rotunda (the actual dome). There are some contributed by the individual states, as well as directly by an act of congress of our new Founding Fathers (ie people who have contributed to the wonderful craziness that is our "US and A" In addition to the statues, there is a painting called the "Apotheosis of Washington" around the rim of the Capitol's Dome. I did get to walk past the Speaker of the House's office but alas not walk in.

An iconic dome that speaks of hope, debate, compromise and potential for a better future. The Capital is a dynamic place. It is for all intents and purposes a place that is both half- empty and half-full when it comes to progress and addressing the most pressing issues for its citizens it serves. The truth is every citizen has a different set of issues that don't always align. Arguments may develop. That is normal. We all win when discussion and change is peaceful.

Had a wonderful time walking around U.S. Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. We didn't get a chance to go inside this time but look forward to coming back. Happy Yelping :)

A trip to Washington DC is not complete without a visit to the US Capitol, one of the most monumental buildings in the country. Before heading over to the visitor's center entrance (on the side facing the Supreme Court), we went over to the front of the building for some photos. Keep in mind that if the "members" of Congress arrive, security fences off the area for safety reasons. On this particular day, the area was open in the morning, but they had blocked it off by 1:00PM. Similarly to any of the other government buildings, you can't bring in food nor water, and you'll go through a security scan. Once inside, we found our guide and off we went! Each tour may vary slightly, but will be informative and memorable nonetheless. We started in The Crypt which we learned was originally supposed to be George Washington's burial place before he was ultimately laid to rest in Mount Vernon. Our tour guide then took us to the room where the Dred Scott case took place, followed by a look into the Old Senate Chamber. As a fun fact, every state selected two statues of notable historical figures to donate to the US Capitol building. For example, Thomas Edison was displayed proudly with a light bulb to represent Ohio. It was a fun scavenger hunt trying to search for the statues from my home state of Washington. The main event was walking through The Rotunda which had the most spectacular architecture and murals - just look up! After our tour, we walked around the Exhibition Hall (tickets not required) where there are various exhibits that feature stories behind Congress and the US Capitol. There were replicas of the Capitol building showing how it changed over the years and an interactive game where you can attempt to pass a bill. We enjoyed exploring this area as a closing to our visit since it provided a quieter environment away from the crowds.

I would recommend this to anybody! Such a cool experience, the history behind it and the architecture is amazing. Cool museum showing the build up over the early years! Your guide was knowledgeable and easy to understand. Everybody should go once!

A trip to Washington DC is not complete until you see the US Capitol! To enter the US Capitol, you have to go down this set of stair and through the ground floor entrance and security. They made us dump our water but no worries, they have water fountains by the bathrooms. We booked a free tour online and went to the help desk for them to print our tickets. Everyone was really nice and friendly. We showed up a little early during our time slot so we explored the free exhibition hall (which does not require a ticket to visit). It had a cool replica of the Capitol, copies of documents like the Bill of Rights, furniture displays, explanations of the House and Senate on each side of the room. As it was closer to our tour time, we lined up and entered this theater to watch a introduction video. Then we formed 5 lines and were given headphones + small device to wear while we follow our tour guide. It's pretty cool because we could hear our tour guide better instead of other tour guides group around us. They took us to The Crypt where they had head statues of big figures like Abraham Lincoln. It also was the center of the building where they planned on burying George Washington (but didn't lol). My favorite part was the rotunda room. There were gigantic displays of historical paintings on the wall. It was absolutely mesmerizing looking at the art in the rotunda ceiling! Lastly, they took us to this room that displayed more historical figure statues (each state gets to pick 2 individuals that they think best represents their state and have it display there.) I think the coolest part was walking past the Speaker of the House's and then actually seeing Mike Johnson afterwards!

Beautiful structure with so much attention to detail. Fully rich in history. Nice to see the grounds of the republican lead insurrection that was quelled by the capital police. These hallowed grounds held strong. It was shameful. So pleased our nation held strong.

The United States Capitol is majestic from the outside and breathtaking inside. The information in the exhibitions are in-depth and easy to understand for any one, even for kids 7 year old kids. There is a room for kids and adults to do interesting and inspiring activities like voting on an issue, and debating/discussing an issue that you strongly believe which will help the people. Such activities inspire kids to learn and understand how they could make US better. I highly recommend to go on the free tours. I gained more knowledge on the Capitol's architecture from the tours. The tours are free and are first-come-first-serve basis. The tour guides are very friendly and knowledgeable. Their explanations are wonderful too. I spent about 3hrs at The US Capitol which was a good amount of time to read and understand everything.

What a beautiful place to visit. We enjoyed it very much. A lot to learn and see inside and out. The staff was all friendly and helpful. A lot of people but they handled the crowd well.

Historical site you have to visit when in DC. We got a private underground tour that was amazing and we got to see a lot of the behind-the-scenes and learn more information about this building/city.

pretty cool place no matter from outside or inside! We will find another time with great weather to visit it again including the tour. Bought a capital hill in autumn bookmark from the gift shopand plan to have lunch there.

So, I've been coming to DC several times a year for work since 2019...minus a couple of years when all out meetings were moved to Zoom for some reason...and despite all these trips, I hadn't been able to work my schedule to be able to make a Capitol tour on a day that had tickets available until October 2024. Reserving an entry time was easy on the website and you then just present your voucher inside the visitor center. Security was fast and easy to navigate and staff were polite and friendly. Be sure to check the list of items you can't bring in; it includes any liquid including water bottles. The tour is excellent; the first part is a short film which was a brief history of the Capitol and US in general. From there the group is split into smaller tour groups each with their own guide. Our guide was amazing; he was extremely knowledgeable, engaging and entertaining. Our group was made up of mostly international visitors and so he adjusted his talk to include some information on the basics of US government, but still included plenty that was new to those of us who were US tourists in the group. And...having just come back from a trip to Rome, was really fascinated to learn that the rotunda was modeled after the Pantheon in Rome...and the ceiling of the Capitol dome was painted using the same technique Michelangelo used to paint the Sistine chapel. Even if you can't make it onto a tour, you can come in the visitor center to see the museum. I didn't know that and didn't allow enough time on this trip, and so need to do that next time! I also want to try to do some of the other tours that cover specific topics/themes; they have a good variety beyond the standard tour. Seeing the Capitol from the outside never gets old either. On all of my trips here, we stay nearby and going for a morning run past the Capitol or just seeing it down the street or out a window is something I'm still not tired of.

A great additional to anyone's D.C. tour. The U.S. Capitol is magnificent and awe-inspiring. It's mind-boggling to think about all the history that took place in the very spot you're standing in as your tour the capitol. Make sure to book your free tour of the US Capitol Building in advance. They do have some free tickets for the day of, but you don't want to risk it. The amount of information and history you'll learn is incredible. A great way to continue on after your tour of the U.S. Capitol Building is to get tickets to the Library of Congress right after. There's a walkway that connects the Capitol to the Library of Congress - it was empty when we were there, we went through security, and then were let inside within minutes while the line outside the Library of Congress was long and backed up. Highly recommend while visiting D.C.

It was a nasty rainy day in Washington DC. This was our last full day so what a surprise to us when were able to get in line for a tour. And not only that, we were the very last 3 to score tickets for the end of day! The building is spectacular! We were led into an auditorium and watched a 13 minute overview of our nation's capitol and how we got here. The whole process was pretty organized as we got into 1 of several different lines. We were then given headsets and kept together in our group. Our tour leader was very friendly and very educated about all of the capitol's history. The sculptures are magnificent. The paintings are remarkable. They talk about NE and SW cardinal directions of DC all relative to the Crypt. I learned so much information about Washington DC.

I had never been to the U.S. Capitol. My wife was able through our local congressman to obtain passes to tour the Capitol when we were in D.C. for Labor Day weekend. If you have never toured the Capitol, the experience is a special one as you make your way through the gorgeously designed structure, starting at the bottom floor and working your way to what is known as the "Center of DC." We viewed the old House of Representatives, Senate, and Supreme Court rooms as we made our through the cavernous hallways. Our tour guide was great as she has served as one for several years, possessing a lot of knowledge about the history of the Capitol building, the renovations it has had, and the purposes of the rooms we toured.

If you get a chance, take the tour. It's free and you don't need a reservation! What you want to do is go downstairs from the Capitol and visit the visitor's center. Someone there can help you if you are lost. Their staff usually wear red jackets if you are looking for someone to help you. After getting inside you can find an area to stand in line for a tour with no reservations. You first watch a video orientation about the Capitol and then a tour guide takes your group around the first and second floor.

Wow. It's been a long while since I've been here. Still looks the same. Lol As we were walking closer to it we were overcome by the thought of what transpired here years ago when people rushed up the steps to the Capitol.

We booked a tour online a few months prior, and there were more than enough available times during our trip. We arrived 10 minutes early for our tour. There was no line to get through security. The tour actually was going to leave 10min after our assigned start time, so we quickly went to the restroom. The restroom was marbled and in perfect condition. The tour starts off with a video in the lecture hall, going over US history and the role of Congress in representing their constituents. It definitely stirred my patriotism. I think all the congressman also need to watch the video, because they seem to have forgotten that they are supposed to represent the people in their district rather than their party. The rest of the tour was almost like a tour in an art museum, seeing the different statues and paintings. Overall, it was a highly educational and entertaining experience. I am not one for learning on a vacation (vacation is for eating in my opinion), but I am glad I came. We booked a Library of Congress tour directly after the Capitol tour, and the two buildings are connected via some underground passageway so that we didn't have to walk in the sweltering heat to get from one destination to the next.

Not as seen on TV and in movies. Loooooooooots of walking. Underwhelming. Go to a tropical beach instead; spend your money on a tropical drink instead.

The Capitol building must be one of the most fascinating buildings in DC. The inside is immaculate. The Capitol tours are always super packed. We only got to see two rooms (which were really stunning), and we had passes to see the house of reps gallery. Loved the tulips in front of the Capitol building during springtime.

I recently took a tour here with my kids, and we had a great time! You will need to reserve tickets in advance online. The tickets are free. Since I drove, I recommend prepaying for parking nearby. There are hardly any spaces for street parking available since the area is always busy. Checking in with security at the Visitor's Center was pretty quick. Once you're in, head down to one of the ticketing areas on either side of the room where you check-in. You will then get a sticker and will need to get in line for your tour. They will hand out headphones so you can hear the guide during your tour. We had a wonderful guide (I forgot her name, but she's originally from Greece), who was very knowledgeable, engaging, and had a pleasant/friendly demeanor. She took us to many of the spots and her pace was just right. At the time, we weren't able to stop by the Senate or House of Congress. Despite that, I definitely recommend this place as a must-see when you visit the area.

It's the United States Capitol the house of democracy and the voice of the people. Leaving current day politics aside the building is unbelievable and the tour amazing as well. You can reserve a free tour through your local congress person and you can get house and senate gallery passes as well from your representatives to experience the places where lawmakers do their jobs (occasionally) Security as obvious is very tight here but it all makes sense. The whole building is exceptional just beautiful through and through and there is so much to take it. This is truly a place anybody should visit if you have the opportunity. The inteiror and everything about it is just so cool and interesting and the tour we took was very informational and open to a lot of questions as well! We loved the experience it was so fun!

It's very cool to tour our Nation's Capital. The history and beauty are awe-inspiring I did not realize it was built over the course of many years starting in 1800, with the dome not being added until 1866. We took a guided tour but you can also explore on your own The rotunda with its beautiful dome, frescos and large paintings was my favorite part. We saw the old senate and original Supreme Cort. If you write to your senator or representative, you can ask for an invitation to visit the current senate and floor. I didn't know that ahead of time. The model of the "Statue of Freedom" in the entry area is pretty cool too. The current visitor center has only been open since 2008

We were fortunate to tour many great monuments, museums, etc. and this was the most underwhelming building we saw. The tour only allows you to see two rooms and we did not actually see where the House or Senate actually meet. At the last minute, we went to the U.S. Supreme Court and enjoyed that experience far more than the trip to the U.S. Capitol. I would not make this tout a high priority if you have limited time. We booked our tour in advance through our Representative.

Great tour! It's completely free when booked online and takes about an hour. The first part includes a 13 minute video about the capitol which is such a good representation of what this beautiful building means to this country. Then a tour is held inside the dome, and the guide explains what the various paintings and statues are. Highly recommend this tour when visiting!

It was a nice tour guide, very chill very cool, was just scared of another insurrection.

Touring the United States Capitol is a must while you are in DC. You will enter via the visitor center and head through security down to the ticket desks. There are two separate lines one if you have ticket reservations and the other if you don't have any. We were able to get tickets the day we went but we went on a weekday. The tour lasts anywhere from. 30-35 minutes and you will wear headphones to listen to your tour guide. The amount of history, art, and architecture that was taken into account building this magnificent building is truly remarkable. This is an absolute must if you have time in DC while visiting.

The Cqpitol Bldg tour is one if the main highlights of any trip to DC. Buy your tickets ahead of time and take a guided tour. Expect to spend about 2 or 2.5 hours on the tour plus photos of the grounds and waiting in line. No tripods inside, and security will be extremely tight (xray, metal detector, no food or drink). Most of the lighting inside is great, I used a 55-200, a 18-55 and 10-24 lens and didn't struggle for selection. There are so many great shots outside, be sure to walk around the whole building and visit in the morning light for the best shots of the front.

Amazing history here:) This reminds me of when I visited Vatican City in Rome:) The tour guide was super friendly:) Beautiful paintings here too:)

Very immaculate to see in person. Huge building, plenty of security everywhere. Definitely walking only area. Parking is very limited.

I didn't get to do a tour this time but just seeing the outside is amazing. It's also amazing in just the half an hour that we were there we saw so many different people from different walks of life.

We got a private tour through John Thune's office. This was especially cool as it started in the Dirksen Senate Office building and we got to take the underground tunnel into the Capitol, just like any Senator. Got to ride the small subway trolley that the Senators take into the underground entrance. Seats about 8 people. Basically moves you about 100 yards underground. Got to see actual musket holes in pillars from when the British stormed the Capitol in 1812. Looking down, you could see where the old Capitol floor is still in place and the new Capitol floor was added. (Made with tiles from the British - as an apology for burning down the building.) Walked the halls and got some great off the beaten path views. Viewed the old Supreme Court room before they moved across the street. Super dark and gloomy space. Can't believe they met in there. Learned the the House of Representatives used to meet in Statuary Hall before they moved down the way. Going through your local Senator or Rep is the way to go. Reach out to them and ask for a tour.

Months of vacation planning in Washington DC and my heart was set on a white chocolate Capitol building topped with whipped cream and fresh berries, straight from the Capitol food court. But oh, the plot twist! When I strolled in, they were fresh out of these iconic treats. Cue the hero of our story: a staff member who disappeared into the mysterious back realms, seeking counsel from the legendary pastry chef. ‍ Lo and behold, the magic of pastry creativity unfolded, and a brand-new Capitol masterpiece emerged! The cherry on top (pun intended)? The customer service here was so top-notch, it practically gave me a mini tour of the Capitol itself. So, even though I couldn't steal a bite of the actual Capitol, this little dessert adventure was impeccable and left me with a sweet memory and a sugar rush to tackle the rest of my DC vacation!

What an amazing experience to visit our Nation's Capitol! The grounds are beautiful and well maintained. On the day that we visited the tours were not operational, no thanks to the events on January 6th, 2021 security threats. Even though we couldn't tour, we did our own outside grounds tour and Capitol steps tour. They had the Capitol Police on site and in position with walking traffic routes blocked off...still. Loved the lush garden landscape and the nice historical buildings around the property. The statues were also a hit for us. The other Federal Buildings nearby all linked by the original cobblestone roads that are our Nation's Architectural Timestamps. We hope to visit again when they open back up for walking tours.

Went here for a evening congressional reception. It was not open to the public at this time and it was absolutely beautiful! I can only hope I have an opportunity like this again. I would definitely take a tour next time, plan ahead and learn more history of this gorgeous building

When in Washington DC be sure to plan ahead to visit the Capitol for a complimentary tour. Reserve your tour well in advance through your senator or congressperson. The visitor center is down a driveway on the east side of the Capitol and is below ground level. You will pass through security screening before entering the facility. Be sure to arrive 30-45 minutes before your tour start time to allow time for security and to stand in line inside to receive your actual tickets. The confirmation letter from your senator or congressperson is not the actual ticket. After receiving your ticket you can enter the orientation theater for a short video of the history of the nation. You will then meet your tour guide and receive a headset so you can hear their narration throughout the 45 minute tour. You visit various interesting areas of the Capitol including statuary hall. At the end of the tour you can visit the museum in the visitor center which contains a variety of interesting historic items including the table used at Lincoln's inauguration. This is a very cool experience and definitely should be on your list of things to do in DC!

Our experience was wonderful. My spouse was able to secure us tickets ahead of time which allowed us to skip the line and not have to wait for entry. Construction outside was a bit dicey to walk through and also workers were preparing for the July 4th festivities. Allow extra time to navigate through. Orange, silver, and blue Metro lines stop at Capitol South and it is about a 10 minute walk North to the Capitol.

A beautiful tour full of history. After what happened just 6 it was pretty emotional walking through there. Tour guide was good. We meet our congressman , which was interesting since It's just a regular office back there. We couldn't photograph Mitch's office, but we could the speakers office. Lots of our history is here and I definitely recommend visiting.

Forget Catch, forget the Improv and swat away the Laugh Factory. Hands down the best comedy club in the country right now is the United States Capitol where all the hottest clowns in politics ply their trade. Join the hilarity and hijinx as the shop till they drop Democrats tax and spend with impunity while the self-loathing Republicans laugh till they cry as they immolate themselves on the altar of perpetual sorrow and political malpractice. Two shows per night and if you join our premium K-Street Club you can have your mugshot taken with a former president and preside over the Senate wearing nothing but a hoodie in our John Fetterman Virtual Reality Room. For a $25 "honorarium" you can even vacate the current Speaker and throw the entire place into chaos. Drinks are on us but there's a $10,000 optionally mandatory "donation" requested to the PAC of our choice. Tell em Bob Menendez sent you and receive $1,000 off for good behavior and time served. Let your hair down and party like it's January 6th. Five easy yays and no nays.

This was my 4th visit to the DC area and my first time taking a tour here. When we booked a tour I thought it would be a small private group going through the building. I was shocked on how many big tour groups go through here but it is so synchronized that you don't feel overwhelmed with all the people around you.

To book a tour here, fill out a form online with the number of people in your party and some dates and times that work for you. If there are some slots, they'll email you with a date and time that works for them as well. It turns out that each member of Congress has their own scheduled slots for tours so everyone in our tour group was also from the greater Seattle area. I was confused by why we were meeting up at the Longworth Building before the tour but that was quickly answered when we walked through the underground tunnels to get to the Capitol. The underground passages also go to the Library of Congress so it's all connected together which was really cool to experience. We got to see a view of the statue on top of the building which we were told was built by an enslaved man. Our tour guide walked us through the old Supreme Court chambers, the old Senate and House chambers, and Emancipation Hall which was a huge rotunda with amazing architecture and portraits all around. There were tons of statues and lots of history in this building and it was a sight to be surrounded by it all. The tour took about 90 minutes total. This was my favorite thing we did in Washington D.C. and I highly recommend you do it as well!

Sadly, I wish I could give more stars considering the place. My husband and I signed up for a tour and were disappointed. Although the tour itself was very cool and interesting, the tour guide had a monotone voice and spoke very slowly. When a kid asked her if we could take photos while she was talking or if we must listen to her talk, she said that we could take photos while she was talking, but she had to continue doing so because it's her job. Needless to say, we all felt like we should stay and listen to her, missing out on a lot of photo opportunities. When my husband and I asked her if we would be returning to any of the rooms to be able to take pictures, she said no. Thank heavens the tour is free, but it won't be something we'd do again.

Amazing historical structure with an incredible past and great tours available. Went there once a while back and found it all to be very fascinating.

Very big and very pretty I am surprised on how they built it. I learned George washington was going to be buried in the middle but it wasn't finished till 25 years after he died. They made us wear headphones to hear the guy threw a mic which was smart since it's to loud

No trip to DC is complete without visiting the US State Capitol at least once. Something about seeing it in person just hits differently. Although it has seen its' fair share of unprecedented events (you know what I'm talking about), its' beauty is never overshadowed by them. Like many others, I didn't partake in the tour. Due to COVID, they haven't been running the tours. But even before COVID; it's extremely difficult to book a tour unless you schedule it way in advance. But just because you can't do a tour, doesn't mean that it's not worth a visit to explore the outside grounds. In fact, exploring the outside grounds is far more common and of course more popular than the inside. If you do make it inside, the visitor's center serves as a mini museum and has some beautiful statues as well as informational placards that tell of the history of the US state Capitol. You can also connect to the US Capitol visitor's center through the Emancipation Hall from the Library of Congress (this is what I did). What's nice is that the Capitol is located on the East side of the National Mall, right across from the Supreme Court. You can either start or end your outside tour of the National Mall from the US Capitol. Most of the landmark buildings are within walking distance of each other. I would definitely love to do a tour of the inside one day, whenever that may be. But for now, I'm happy that I was able to visit the grounds in person. It's quite a memorable experience.

First thing I recommend is to avoid paying a tour guide it's not worth it. The entrance to Capitol Hill is free and it includes a tour guide for this facility. You are only permitted at the visitor center and rotunda area only at 11am and 2pm no reservations required. Everyone that visits must watch a 13min history video of congress and you must be in the designated area for theater or else you will miss your tour. I give it 4 stars because it would of been a better experience if you could tour the permitted areas and take your time to admire the surroundings without feeling rush to get through the tour. Overall a positive experience except the tour guide I paid through Viator app that it's not recommended or required to access Capitol Hill.