Showing fellow Minnesotans around the hallowed halls of the U.S. Capitol is one of Rep. Phillips's favorite things to do, and now, he's bringing the tour to you! Enjoy the artwork, architecture, and history of the U.S. Capitol from the comfort of your home by watching the virtual tour above.
Plan a trip to D.C.:
We are so excited that you are planning a visit to Washington, D.C.! As a result of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, most public tours have been suspended at the Supreme Court, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and the FBI Headquarters in Washington DC. However, tours of the Capitol building, the White House and the Library of Congress have resumed on a limited basis. There are many historical and cultural resources for visitors, and countless museums, galleries, memorials, parks, and gardens provide something for everyone.
Most museums, monuments, and buildings are free to visit. Some attractions may charge a modest fee. Consult listings, internet links, and phone numbers for specific information.
Because the Metro (subway) is often the easiest method of transportation in the city, we've associated each of these major attractions with its nearest Metro line/stop. Click here to view a full map of the Metro system.
Tours Offered by Rep. Phillips (As Available):
To submit a tour or ticket request, please complete the tour request form.
All tickets are provided to constituents on a first-come, first-served basis. Due to the large number of visitors, please request them as early as possible in order to maximize your chances. For information on sightseeing and attractions, please visit the Washington, DC Tourism Information page.
U.S. Capitol
The Capitol Visitor Center has opened on a limited basis for both school groups and public tours from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Monday-Saturday. These tours can be requested here:
Our DC office is also offering tours as part of our Donuts with Dean meet-up events on in-session Fridays. Donuts with Dean is an opportunity for constituents to enjoy donuts, coffee and conversation with Congressman Phillips, and receive a tour of the U.S. Capitol Building afterwards. To learn more, please click here (hyperlink).
White House Tickets
Obtaining a White House tour can be very difficult. It is important to follow these guidelines for your application to be considered. Tours must be requested at least two months in advance and are available Tuesdays-Saturdays. Given the volume of requests for White House tours, we cannot guarantee that all requests will be successful. Upon your request, you will be contacted by the White House directly to obtain security information for all members of your group, including full names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and/or passport information. Please respond to this email from the White House within one week of receiving the request for information in order to confirm your request.
White House tour requests are determined using a lottery system. Tours may be requested up to three months in advance and no later than one month in advance. The White House stops accepting tour requests one month prior to the requested date. Tours require advanced reservation and security checks. Please be aware that White House tour schedules are dependent on the President and First Lady’s schedule. Therefore, your tour may be cancelled or rescheduled at any time.
FBI
The FBI Experience is a self-guided tour at the FBI Headquarters. Tours are offered Monday through Friday at 9:00 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 12:00 p.m., 1:30 p.m., and 3:00 p.m. and last 60 to 90 minutes. If you would like to request a tour of the FBI, please include this information on the tour request form. Visits to the FBI Experience must be scheduled no later than one month in advance. Upon your request, you will be contacted by a staff member from Representative Phillips’ office for security information for all members of your group, including full names, dates of birth, social security numbers, and/or passport information. Please have this information available when requesting an FBI tour.
United States Supreme Court
Please note that tours of the US Supreme Court are currently suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Trained volunteer docents lead 30-minute Courtroom lectures, which take place entirely within the Courtroom. Courtroom lectures are designed to introduce visitors of all ages to the judicial functions of the Supreme Court, the history of the building, and the architecture of the Courtroom. Lectures are available Monday through Friday on a first-come, first-served basis and are free of charge. A line forms in the Great Hall on the first floor before each lecture. It is advisable to join the line at least 15 minutes prior to the lecture start time. Please be on time for the lectures, as late entries will not be accommodated.
On days that the Court is not in session, lectures are generally scheduled every hour on the half-hour beginning at 9:30 a.m., with a final lecture at 3:30 p.m. A modified lecture schedule is offered in December and January. When the Court is in session, Courtroom lectures are available only after the Court adjourns for the day. https://www.supremecourt.gov/visiting/courtroomlectures.aspx. These tours do not need to be set up through our office.
Library of Congress
Public tours of the Thomas Jefferson Building are available on a first-come, first-served basis without reservations. Individuals and families with no more than 10 members may join a public tour. Inquire at the Jefferson Building, Ground Floor Information Desk for availability at least 30 minutes prior to a tour's start time. https://www.loc.gov/visit/tours/. These tours do not need to be set up through our office.
Bureau of Engraving and Printing
Please note that tours of the Bureau of Engraving and Printing are currently suspended due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
The BEP is open to the public Monday through Friday and closed on weekends and federal holidays. The free 40-minute experience includes an introductory film and gallery tour of the production process. Tickets are not required for the tour until March 4, 2019. The tour and visitor entrance are located at Roaul Wallenburg Place SW (formerly 15th Street). For information regarding the accessible entrance in advance of your tour, please call (202) 874-2330. Public tours are offered between 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. https://www.moneyfactory.gov/washingtondctours.html. These tours do not need to be set up through our office.
On and Around The Mall:
The Capitol
During the tour, you will see the underground Senators’ tunnel, the Brumidi Corridors, and the Capitol Rotunda, and you'll hear the history of Washington D.C. in relation to the U.S. Capitol. www.aoc.gov/plan-your-visit
The White House
The home and office for the President of the United States, the White House tour includes the historic first and second floors. 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW. https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house
Botanic Garden
For a fresh and colorful respite from monochromatic Minnesota winters, the Botanic Garden contains eight garden rooms. 100 Maryland Ave. SW. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Phone: 202-447-0193. https://www.usbg.gov/
Through a self-guided tour of the FBI headquarters, explore inside the organization’s investigative divisions, laboratory resources, professional occupations, and more. 935 Pennsylvania Ave. NW. Open Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/fbi-headquarters/the-fbi-experience
Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial
A landscape of four outdoor rooms with granite walls, statuary, inscriptions, waterfalls, and thousands of plants, shrubs, and trees along the famous cherry-tree walk on the Tidal Basin in West Potomac Park at 400 West Basin Drive SW. Open all day, all year. www.nps.gov/frde
Jefferson Memorial
South Bank of the Tidal Basin. Open 24 hours every day. At the Swan Boathouse, you can rent a paddle boat to cruise the Basin. www.nps.gov/thje
John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
Regular tours are conducted by Friends of the Kennedy Center volunteers daily from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. To visit, head to the Tour Lounge, Parking Level A. Phone: 202-426-6895. www.kennedy-center.org
Korean War Veterans Memorial
West end of National Mall. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 11:45 p.m. The garden memorial includes a black granite wall with murals, a reflecting pool, and statues. www.nps.gov/kowa
Lincoln Memorial
West Potomac Park at the foot of 23rd Street NW. Open 24 hours every day. Phone: 202-426-6895. www.nps.gov/linc
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
West Potomac Park at 1964 Independence Avenue SW, referencing the year the Civil Rights Act of 1964 became law. The area around the memorial is made of Minnesota-fabricated granite! Open all day, all year. Nearby, you can head to the Lincoln Memorial and stand in the spot where MLK, Jr. gave his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech. https://www.nps.gov/mlkm
Smithsonian Institutions
Free admission. Phone: 202-357-1300.Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except Christmas. www.si.edu
10th Street between E and F Streets NW. Open every day (except Christmas) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. When a matinee is scheduled or rehearsal is in progress, the theater is closed to tours. Phone: 202-426-6924. www.fords.org
National Archives
8th and Constitution Avenue NW. See the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. Open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the summer months. Phone: 202-501-5402. www.archives.gov
Library of Congress
Jefferson Building, First Street and Independence Avenue SE. Tours are conducted every hour on the hour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Library asks that groups of more than 10 people make reservations for a special tour. Phone: 202-287-5458. www.loc.gov
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
100 Raoul Wallenburg Place, SW (south of the Mall by the Washington Monument). Open every day from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available in advance through Ticketmaster, 1-800-551-7328. Same-day tickets are available in limited quantity on a first-come, first-served basis. The box office is on the 14th Street side of the Museum and opens at 9:00 a.m. www.ushmm.org
Vietnam Veterans War Memorial
Henry Bacon Drive and Constitution Avenue NW. Constructed of black granite to recognize all Americans who served in the Vietnam War. As a special tribute to those who did not return, the names of the 58,000-plus who gave their lives or who remain missing are inscribed in the Memorial's walls. Open all day, all year. www.nps.gov/vive
Washington Monument
This towering tribute to George Washington owns the D.C. skyline and rises from the middle of the National Mall. Open all day, all year. Tours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. www.nps.gov/wamo
Arlington/Across the Potomac
Arlington National Cemetery
Across the Memorial Bridge in Virginia. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. October through March, and from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. April through September. Includes the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, the Amphitheater, the Custis-Lee Mansion, and the graves of President John F. Kennedy, Robert F. Kennedy and President William H. Taft. You can watch the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier every hour on the hour and every half-hour during the summer months. www.arlingtoncemetery.mil
Pentagon
Across the 14th Street Bridge in Virginia. Open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. See the Corridor exhibits and Hall of Heroes. Phone: 703-695-1776. www.pentagontours.osd.mil/Tours
Beyond D.C.:
National Cathedral
Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues NW. Guided tours: Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Sunday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Gardens are open until dusk. Phone: 202-537-6207. www.cathedral.org
National Zoo
3000 Connecticut Avenue NW. November 1 through April 2: grounds open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., buildings open daily 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. April 3 through October 31: grounds open daily 6 a.m. to 8 p.m., buildings open daily 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Phone: 202-673-4800. www.nationalzoo.si.edu/visit
Mount Vernon
Home of George Washington. Open to the public daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from March through October and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through February. Admission - $7; Senior Citizens - $6; Children 6-11 years - $3; 6 and under free. Not accessible by metro. Phone: 703-780-2000. www.mountvernon.org
