Few countries let ordinary visitors walk through their legislature, see the executive residence, and watch their highest court at work, all for free. Washington's seats of government are open to the public, but each has its own booking rules and security procedures, and planning ahead makes visits much easier.
This guide explains how to plan visits to the Capitol, the White House, and the Supreme Court.
Tours of the Capitol begin at the underground Capitol Visitor Center, opened in 2008 on the building's east side. Guided tours, usually offered Monday through Saturday, cover the Rotunda, the old Supreme Court Chamber, the Crypt, and National Statuary Hall. You can book free tickets online at visitthecapitol.gov or ask your representative's or senators' offices, some of which lead their own staff tours. The visitor center also has an exhibition hall with historical documents and a restaurant. The building and grounds are maintained by the Architect of the Capitol and protected by the Capitol Police.
To watch the House or Senate from the visitor galleries, get a free gallery pass from your representative's or senators' office, usually on the day you visit. International visitors can get passes at the House and Senate appointments desks in the visitor center. The galleries are open when the chambers are in session, which you can check on the chambers' websites or by the flags flying over each wing. Committee hearings are generally open to the public on a first-come basis, with lines for popular ones.
The Library of Congress's Thomas Jefferson Building, connected to the Capitol by a tunnel, displays a Gutenberg Bible and historic reading rooms. The National Archives on the National Mall shows the original Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights in its Rotunda. The White House Visitor Center, run by the National Park Service a short walk from the White House, has exhibits on the building and its history for those without tour tickets. The Smithsonian museums along the Mall are free.
The Supreme Court building, across the street from the Capitol, is open to visitors on weekdays when the Court is not holding special sessions. Visitors can see exhibits, a short film, and, when the Court is not sitting, attend courtroom lectures. Seats for oral arguments, held from October through April, are available first come, first served, and lines for major cases form a day or more in advance. Opinion announcement days are also open to the public. Live audio of arguments is available online for those who cannot attend.
Free self-guided public tours, generally offered Tuesday through Saturday, must be requested through your member of Congress at least 21 days and up to three months in advance, and spaces are limited. Foreign visitors request tours through their embassy. Every adult must provide identifying information for a Secret Service background check and bring a matching government photo ID. Tours were suspended in August 2025 to prepare for construction of a new ballroom and resumed on December 2, 2025 on an updated route after the East Wing, the traditional tour entrance, was demolished. Tours can be canceled at short notice, so check before you go.
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