Visit D.C.

Our office can help you set up free tours at various Washington, D.C. locations. See more information about each of the locations below: the U.S. Capitol, Library of Congress, The Bureau of Engraving and Printing, The Pentagon, and The White House*. You may submit a request for tours using the form below. Please note that your request is not guaranteed until confirmed by a member of my staff. All tours will be confirmed by e-mail, and no physical tickets are required.

If you do not receive a response within two weeks of submitting your request or have trouble filling out the form, please contact my Washington office at (202) 225-5951. If you plan to visit Washington, DC in less than two weeks, please call my office to discuss your options.

Please note that tours can be limited, especially for the White House. Please submit your request to my office as far in advance as possible. During peak tourist season (March through September), six months advance notice is recommended.

Click Here for our Tour Request Form

U.S. Capitol Tour
(60-90 minutes)
9:00 – 4:00 Monday-Friday

The United States Capitol is the most widely recognized symbol of freedom in the world. Since 1800, the Capitol has housed both the Senate and the House of Representatives. It is where the laws of this country are written. It is also one of the most magnificent structures in the nation. The Capitol also serves as an art museum, displaying in paintings the early years of our country. If Congress is in session the tour includes a trip to the House Gallery to observe Congress at work.

Library of Congress
(45-60 minutes)
Public tour times (No reservation required):
10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30, 3:30 Monday-Friday
10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30 Saturday
Congressional Tours (Reserved Through my office):
8:30, 1:45, 3:45

The Library of Congress is not only the world’s largest library, but also the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution. Thomas Jefferson established the Library in 1800, at that time it was housed in the Capitol building. In 1897 the Jefferson Building opened, the building itself is a tribute to American culture.

Bureau of Engraving and Printing (BEP)
8:15, 8:45(September – March)
8:15, 8:45, 4:00, 4:15, 4:30, 4:45(April-August)

You'll see millions of dollars being printed during a tour of the BEP. The tour features the various steps of currency production, beginning with large, blank sheets of paper, and ending with wallet-ready bills! As the U.S. Government's security printer, the BEP is responsible for the design, engraving and printing of all U.S. paper currency.

The Pentagon
9:00 – 2:00 (Monday-Friday)

The Pentagon tour route consists of approximately 1 mile of walking. The Tour Highlights 20 items of interest and includes the mission of the Department of Defense and each of its branches of service, and numerous displays that highlight and depict significant moments in military history.

** WHITE HOUSE TOUR UPDATE**

I sincerely regret to inform you that the White House has decided to cancel all public White House tours, beginning on March 9^th, 2013.  The White House Visitors Office cited the sequestration budget cuts as the reason for the cancellation. 

Congressman Olson has no control over how the White House chooses to implement the sequestration cuts, though he does question whether the Obama Administration could find other ways to reduce their budget or even curtail, instead of cancelling altogether, the White House tours.  If you have questions, comments or complaints, please feel free to call the White House Visitors Office at 202-456-2322 or the White House switchboard at 202-456-1414.

I deeply regret any impacts this action will have on your visit to Washington, DC.  If there is anything our office can do to assist with your visit to our nation's capital, please do not hesitate to contact us.  Again, I’m sorry that the White House has chosen to implement needed budget cuts in a manner that cuts off access to the People's House.

Click Here to see a letter some of my colleagues and I wrote to President Obama, urging him to reconsider the decision to restrict public access to the People's House. Americans have a right to visit the White House they pay for.

White House
(40-60 minutes)
(Most difficult to obtain)

Requests for touring the White House must be submitted through one's Member of Congress and are accepted up to six months in advance, and no later than one month in advance. Public tours of the White House are scheduled Tuesday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and Saturday, from 7:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m (excluding federal holidays), and are scheduled on a first come, first served basis. Groups of 10 and under (or more) may submit a request to my office.  Tours will be confirmed one week in advance.  We encourage you to submit your request as early as possible, since a limited number of tours are available. All White House tours are free of charge. Please note that White House tours may be subject to last minute cancellation. Our office is happy to assist you in requesting these tours, but we cannot guarantee that a tour request will be approved, even if the request is submitted 6 months in advance.

More information on visiting Washington, DC