between 1st and 3rd sts and Independence and Constitution Aves, SW
202 225 6827
www.aoc.gov/homepage.htm
Open 9am–4:30pm Mon–Sat
Free
Current tours cover the historic sections in the center of the building, including the Rotunda, the National Statuary Hall, and the crypt. The Senate gallery is open only when that body is in session. Guided tours are limited to 40 people per group, and leave every half hour from 9:30am to 3:30pm. Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Entrance for the tour is from the Visitor Center.
Timed tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, beginning at 9am at the Visitor Center on the East Front.
The Capitol is most inspiring when viewed rising up from the Mall.
Capitol Dome
The central dome defines the entire city to people worldwide. It was added, with the Statue of Freedom, by 1866.
Rotunda
America’s first president ascends into the heavens in this 4,664-sq ft (430-sq m) fresco The Apotheosis of Washington, lining the interior of the dome.
Senate Chamber
A semicircle of 100 desks faces the dais in this eminent assembly room. Democrats sit to the right, Republicans to the left.
House Chamber
The largest room in the Capitol is used for daily deliberations of the House of Representatives and for joint meetings of the House and Senate.
Old Senate Chamber
Used by the Senate from 1810 to 1859, this chamber witnessed debates on the core issues of the development of the United States.
National Statuary Hall
The monumental Liberty and the Eagle by Enrico Causici (c.1819) overlooks this hall – the original House Chamber.
Brumidi Corridors
Constantino Brumidi (1805–80) designed these ornate passageways on the lower floor of the Senate wing.
Hall of Columns
This striking corridor, more than 100 ft (30 m) long with lofty ceilings, is named after the 28 gracefully fluted white marble columns along its length. It houses additional items from the collection of the National Statuary Hall.
Columbus Doors
These imposing bronze doors, 17 ft (5 m) tall, consist of reliefs picturing Christopher Columbus’s life and his discovery of America. Designed by Randolph Rogers, the doors were cast in Munich in 1860.
West Front
The west front of the Capitol, facing the Mall, is the site of presidential inaugurations, concerts, and other ceremonial events. Its three-part Neo-Classical façade is an expression of bicameral legislature.
