Due to a special event, the Capitol Visitor Center will be closed Wednesday, February 28 through 1 p.m. Thursday, March 1. Public tours are cancelled. Visitors coming to pay their respects to Rev. Billy Graham will enter the Capitol Visitor Center Wednesday, February 28, from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday, June 22, 2018 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Through tours, trading cards, games, movies, and dance, celebrate the contributions George Washington and his contemporaries made to found a nation built on democratic principles.
Celebrate the contributions George Washington and his contemporaries made to found a nation built on democratic principles.
Challenge your knowledge about Congress and the separation of powers.
Learn how the Capitol grew over time.
See the kinds of tools used to survey the capital city.
Find out if George Washington’s ability to dance is fact or legend.
Friday, June 22, 2018 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Design an original gavel in recognition of the gavel George Washington used to lay the Capitol cornerstone. Exhibition Hall Entrance
July 7, 14, 21, 28 – 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
From the Declaration of Independence to the moon landing, important events in American history happen in July. Create a booklet highlighting some of these momentous occasions. Meet at the entrance of Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Saturdays, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – 10 a.m.
Learn about the stories told through the plants on the Capitol Grounds and create a collage inspired by the green landscape. Meet at the entrance of Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Friday, June 22, 2018 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Trade and collect cards that feature likenesses of George Washington found all around the Capitol. Can you collect a full set? Exhibition Hall Entrance
Friday, June 22, 2018 10 a.m.
Become a contestant and test your knowledge about George Washington and the Constitution. House Theater in Exhibition Hall
Tuesdays, April 3, 10, 17, 24 – 10:30 a.m.
Become a contestant for the game History Jargon Jeopardy and test your knowledge of Congress, the separation of powers, and the history of the Capitol. Meet in the House Theater in Exhibition Hall.
Tuesdays, May 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – 10:30 a.m.
Become a contestant for the game History Jargon Jeopardy and test your knowledge of Congress, the separation of powers, and the history of the Capitol. Meet in the House Theater in Exhibition Hall.
Tuesdays, July 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 – 10:30 a.m.
Become a contestant and test your knowledge of Congress, the separation of powers, and the history of the Capitol. Meet in the House Theater in Exhibition Hall.
Tuesdays, June 5, 12, 19, 26 – 10:30 a.m.
Become a contestant and test your knowledge of Congress, the separation of powers, and the history of the Capitol. Meet in the House Theater in Exhibition Hall.
Friday, June 22, 2018 10:30 a.m.
Watch a scene from the movie, “The Crossing,” and learn about Washington crossing the Delaware River. Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall
Fridays, March 9, 16, 23, 30 – 10:30 a.m.
Visit the Old Senate Chamber where senators debated legislation from 1810 – 1859. Listen to a story about events that took place in this historic room. Meet in the entrance of Exhibition Hall. 20 minutes.
Mondays, April 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – 10:30 a.m.
Visit the Old Senate Chamber where senators debated legislation from 1810 – 1859. Listen to a story about events that took place in this historic room. Meet in the entrance of Exhibition Hall. 20 minutes.
Mondays, May 7, 14, 21, 28 – 10:30 a.m.
Visit the Old Senate Chamber where senators debated legislation from 1810 – 1859. Listen to a story about events that took place in this historic room. Meet in the entrance of Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Mondays and Tuesdays, July 2, 3, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, 24, 30, 31 – 10:30 a.m.
Visit the historic chamber where senators debated legislation from 1810 – 1859. Learn about events that took place here. Meet in the entrance of Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Mondays, June 4, 11, 18, 25 – 10:30 a.m.
Visit the historic chamber where senators debated legislation from 1810 – 1859. Learn about events that took place here. Meet in the entrance of Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Thursdays, May 4, 11, 18, 25 – 11 a.m.
Listen to a story in the Old Senate Chamber and make a collage that recounts the legislation passed in this historic room. This 45-minute program visits part of the Capitol not on the Capitol Tour.
Meet at the entrance of Exhibition Hall. No passes needed.
Thursdays, January 4, 11, 18, 25 – 11 a.m.
Make a collage in honor of Montana Representative Jeanette Rankin, the first woman elected to serve in Congress. Meet at the entrance to Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Thursdays, February 1, 8, 15, 22 – 11 a.m.
Learn about the suffragist and abolitionist, Sojourner Truth and make a collage in honor of this important American freedom fighter. Meet at the entrance of Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Thursdays, March 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – 11 a.m.
Create an original mobile about the three branches of government. Meet at the entrance of Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Thursdays, June 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 – 11 a.m.
The history of Congress comes to life through this 45-minute, hands-on program. Discover how and why the Capitol grew over time, unpack the details of a law and take a moment to make a legislative decision.
Thursdays, August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 – 11 a.m.
Learn how women served the United States during World War II and create a journal honoring their courage and sacrifice. 30 minutes.
Thursdays, September 7, 14, 21, 28 – 11 a.m.
In honor of Constitution Week, make a journal about the Bill of Rights, an important charter of freedom. 30 minutes.
No passes needed. Meet at the entrance to Exhibition Hall.
Thursdays, May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 – 11 a.m.
Make a journal in honor of the Constitution, one of our proud Charters of Freedom. 30 minutes. Meet in the entrance of Exhibition Hall
July 5, 12, 19, 26 – 11 a.m.
Enjoy a 30-minute guided tour of Exhibition Hall and learn about how the country, Congress and the Capitol grew over time. Meet in the entrance to Exhibition Hall.
Thursdays, October 5, 12, 19, 26 – 11 a.m.
Through an interview with the “Bill of Rights,” learn about the freedoms our country’s founders wanted to guarantee. 30 minutes. Meet in the House Theater in Exhibition Hall.
Thursdays, November 2, 9, 16, 30 – 11 a.m.
Listen to letters written to and by those who served overseas during World War II and write a message to military personnel serving overseas today. Meet at the entrance to Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Thursdays, June 7, 14, 21, 28 – 11 a.m.
Enjoy a 30-minute guided tour of Exhibition Hall and learn about how the country, Congress and the Capitol grew over time. Meet in the entrance to Exhibition Hall.
Thursdays, December 7, 14, 21, 28 – 11 a.m.
Make a journal to honor the historic 1913 Parade in Washington, D.C., that paved the way for the passage of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote. Meet at the entrance to Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Monday through Friday – 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Discover the beautifully decorated Senate corridors of the Capitol in this intimate look at the work of Italian-born artist Constantino Brumidi. This 30-minute tour visits an area not included on the Capitol Tour.
Friday, June 22, 2018 11:15 a.m.
Was George Washington a good dancer? Join in a country dance created to honor Washington and find out. Exhibition Hall
Friday, June 22, 2018 11:30 a.m.
Watch a scene from the movie, “The Crossing,” and learn about Washington crossing the Delaware River. Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall
Monday through Friday – 1 p.m.
Meet four ordinary Americans whose extraordinary actions changed the course of our civil rights history. This 45-minute program includes a visit to the historic Old Senate Chamber, a room not included on the Capitol Tour.
Friday, June 22, 2018 1 p.m.
Through an interview with the “Bill of Rights,” learn about the freedoms our country’s founders wanted to guarantee for Americans. House Theater in Exhibition Hall
Monday through Saturday – 1 p.m.
Explore the beautiful Capitol Grounds on this 50-minute guided walking tour. Meet outside the north entrance to the Capitol Visitor Center. No passes needed.
Meet outside the north entrance to the Capitol Visitor Center. No passes needed.
Monday through Saturday – 1 p.m.
Explore the beautiful Capitol Grounds on this 50-minute guided walking tour. Meet outside the north entrance to the Capitol Visitor Center. No passes needed.
Meet outside the north entrance to the Capitol Visitor Center. No passes needed.
Monday through Saturday – 1 p.m.
Explore the beautiful Capitol Grounds on this 50-minute guided walking tour. Meet outside the north entrance to the Capitol Visitor Center. No passes needed.
Meet outside the north entrance to the Capitol Visitor Center. No passes needed.
Due to a special event taking place in the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, November 8, 2017, there will be no public tours of the U.S. Capitol after 11:40 a.m. The Capitol Visitor Center will close at 1:00pm except for individuals on official business and those going to the House and Senate Galleries. All public tours after 11:40am have been cancelled. If you would like to reschedule your reservation, please visit our website at www.visitthecapitol.gov, or contact our Reservations Office at (202) 226-8000.
July 6, 13, 20, 27 – 1:30 p.m.
Watch a 5-minute clip from a Hollywood movie and contrast and compare the clip to historic information. Meet in the Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall. 45 minutes.
Fridays, June 8 – 1:30 p.m.
The Constitution grants Congress the powers of impeachment. With a clip from All the President’s Men, Adam Berenbak, Archivist at the National Archives, discusses Congress’ role in the process and history of impeachment. Meet in the Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Fridays – 1:30 p.m.
Contrast and compare facts to a Hollywood film clip about an historic moment that led to the passage of the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote. Meet in the Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Fridays, May 4, 11, 18, 25 – 1:30 p.m.
Compare and contrast historic facts about how Congress and the president joined efforts to pass the 13th Amendment with a short clip from Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed film, “Lincoln.” Meet in the Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Meet in the Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Fridays, June 1, 29 – 1:30 p.m.
Compare and contrast historic facts about how Congress and the president joined efforts to pass the 13th Amendment with a short clip from Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed film, Lincoln. Meet in the Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Friday, March 9 – 1:30 p.m. “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington”
Is the filibuster staged in the 1939 movie classic “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” reality or myth? Join Kate Scott, Associate Historian for the United States Senate, as she contrasts and compares a clip from the movie to real life stories about the filibuster. Meet in the Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Fridays, March 2, 16, 23, 30 – 1:30 p.m. “The Powers of Congress”
In this classic educational film, average citizen Charles Bentley catapults into a dream world where the powers of Congress outlined in the Constitution no longer exist. Meet in the Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Fridays, April 6, 13, 20, 27 – 1:30 p.m.
Compare and contrast historic facts to a film clip from this classic educational film where average citizen Charles Bentley catapults into a dream world where the powers of Congress outlined in the Constitution no longer exist. Meet in the Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Fridays, February 2, 9, 16, 23 – 1:30 p.m.
Contrast and compare historic facts to a film clip from the 2002 television movie, “The Rosa Parks Story.” Learn about the documentation Rosa Parks left behind about a day of peaceful defiance that inspired a movement. Meet in the Senate Theater of Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Fridays – 1:30 p.m.
Presented in conjunction with Congress and the World Wars on display in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
“We’re in the Army Now” Friday, July 7
Discover how the U.S. Army used motion picture techniques to recruit women for the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps during World War II.
“Women in Defense” Fridays, July 14, 28
Created by the U.S. government in 1941, narrated by Katharine Hepburn and directed by John Ford, the short film “Women in Defense” explores the many roles women played in preparing for World War II.
“Japanese Relocation” Friday, July 21
See this historical record of the transfer of Japanese-American residents from the Pacific Coast to the American interior. Hosted by special guest Adam Berenbak of the National Archives.
Fridays – 1:30 p.m.
Presented in conjunction with Congress and the World Wars on display in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
“We’re in the Army Now” Fridays, August 4, 18, 25
Discover how the U.S. Army used motion picture techniques to recruit women for the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps during World War II.
“Winston Churchill’s Address to a Joint Session of Congress” Friday, August 11
Special guest Mary Jo Binker, editor of the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project, discusses this historical address, delivered December 26, 1941.
Presented in partnership with the United States Capitol Historical Society.
Friday, June 15 – 1:30 p.m.
1966 Senate hearings painted one picture of the Vietnam War; a year later, the U.S. Navy film, A Day in Vietnam, offered another. Archivist Judith Adkins discusses the role congressional investigation played at this time. Meet in the Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall. 45 minutes.
Fridays – 1:30 p.m.
The close ties between the United States and Great Britain defined World War II. Through archival film, explore those ties as they were seen by citizens, soldiers, and statesmen. Presented in conjunction with “Congress and the World Wars” on display in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
“Why We Fight: The Battle of Britain” Friday, June 2
This motion picture focuses on the British defense against German aerial warfare August-December, 1940.
“A Welcome to Britain” Friday, June 9
This 1943 film educated American servicemen and women, stationed in Britain, about what to expect and how to behave.
“Know Your Ally: Britain” Friday June 16
Created in 1943, this film taught the American public about the United States’ critical wartime partnership with Great Britain.
“Winston Churchill’s Address to a Joint Session of Congress” Friday, June 30
Mary Jo Binker, editor of the Eleanor Roosevelt Papers Project, discusses this historical address, delivered December 26, 1941. Presented in partnership with the United States Capitol Historical Society.
Fridays, September 8, 22, 29 – 1:30 p.m.
Learn what took place behind closed doors and locked windows at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. 30 minutes.
No passes needed. Meet at the entrance to Exhibition Hall.
Friday, January 26 – 1:30 p.m.
While the United Nations and the Cold War both were in their infancy, America’s role in each was defined by an unlikely alliance. Join historian Mary Jo Binker to see archival film footage and explore how Michigan Senator Arthur Vandenberg joined forces with former first lady Eleanor Roosevelt on the world stage. Meet in the Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes. Presented in partnership with the United States Capitol Historical Society.
Fridays, November 3, 10, 24 – 1:30 p.m.
Produced for the Army-Navy Screen Magazine for members of the armed forces, this film outlines opportunities offered by the G.I. Bill of Rights, unanimously passed by the House and Senate and signed into law by President Franklin D. Roosevelt June 22, 1944. Meet in the Senate Theater in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Friday, May 12 – 1:30 p.m.
View and discuss archival film in conjunction with the special exhibit, “Congress and the World Wars.” 30 minutes. Learn more about this national landmark.
Fridays, October 13, 20, 27 – 1:30 p.m.
Through the Marshall Plan, Congress supported dramatic amounts of economic aid for European nations devastated by World War II. This film looks at the details of this historic plan and how it laid the foundation for both the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the later unification of Europe. Presented in conjunction with Congress and the World Wars on display in Exhibition Hall. Meet in the House Theater in Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Friday, May 12 – 1:30 p.m.
View and discuss archival film in conjunction with the special exhibit, “Congress and the World Wars.” 30 minutes. This Oscar-winning, short documentary of the 1943 battle required the president’s approval for release to public theaters.
Fridays, September 1, 15 – 1:30 p.m.
In recognition of Constitution Week, listen to a story in the Old Senate Chamber about the freedom of the press and the power of the Senate. 30 minutes.
No passes needed. Meet at the entrance to Exhibition Hall
Friday, June 23 – 1:30 p.m.
Margaret Wagner, author of the new book, “American and the Great War,” talks about “Raising an Instant Army: The Great Mobilization 1917-1918.”
Meet at the entrance to Exhibition Hall. No passes needed.
Friday, October 6 – 1:30 p.m.
By the end of World War I, more than 120,000 U.S. military veterans became citizens as a direct consequence of their military service, beginning a tradition of service-based naturalization. Library of Congress Liaison Specialist Owen Rogers explores the intersection of immigration and World War I military service. Presented in conjunction with Congress and the World Wars on display in Exhibition Hall. Meet at the entrance to Exhibition Hall.
Friday, November 17 – 1:30 p.m.
Seeking to preserve the compelling stories and experiences of American war veterans, Congress passed the Veterans’ Oral History Project Act in 2000. Megan Harris, Senior Reference Specialist from the Veterans History Project (VHP) at the Library of Congress, talks about VHP’s mission and shares details about the collection of Robert Ware, a medical officer killed on D-Day. Meet at the entrance to Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Friday, December 8 – 1:30 p.m.
Candace Milburn of the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress shares stories from nurses in World War I. Meet at the entrance to Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Friday, May 19 – 1:30 p.m.
Mary Champagne and Megan Metcalf, Library of Congress reference librarians, talk about Rep. Edith Nourse Rogers, whose service to the nation influenced veterans’ affairs for generations.
Friday, May 5 – 1:30 p.m.
Susan Reyburn, co-author of the “World War II Companion,” tells the tale of how the Library of Congress saved treasured documents and assisted military intelligence during WWII.
Friday, June 22 – 2 p.m.
Through tours, trading cards, games, movies, and dance, celebrate the contributions George Washington and his contemporaries made to found a nation built on democratic principles.
July 7, 14, 21, 28 – 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
From the Declaration of Independence to the moon landing, important events in American history happen in July. Create a booklet highlighting some of these momentous occasions. Meet at the entrance of Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Saturdays, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 – 2 p.m.
Learn about the stories told through the plants on the Capitol Grounds and create a collage inspired by the green landscape. Meet at the entrance of Exhibition Hall. 30 minutes.
Monday through Friday – 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Discover the beautifully decorated Senate corridors of the Capitol in this intimate look at the work of Italian-born artist Constantino Brumidi. This 30-minute tour visits an area not included on the Capitol Tour.
Friday, June 22, 2018 2 p.m.
Join a historian from the U.S. Capitol Historical Society on a walking tour of the grounds for a scholarly examination of what George Washington had in mind when he picked this site for the most famous building in the world. Starts at North Entrance of the Capitol Visitor Center
Starts at North Entrance of the Capitol Visitor Center
