My spouse and I
toured the US Capitol on a Monday morning in mid-February 2019. We reserved our
tour a few weeks ahead of time through our Senator’s office. However, you can
also create an online account and reserve your own tour (up to 90 days in
advance), or arrive as a walk-in. Tours are available Mondays through Saturdays
from 8:30 am until 4:30 pm. Be prepared to pass through extensive security
(metal detectors and body scanners) to enter the Capitol.
The Capitol Visitors Center (CVC), located on the basement level, offers a
coat check, restroom facilities, exhibition space, a restaurant, and a theatre.
Every tour begins with a short film shown in the theatre, then audience members
break up into smaller groups to continue their tour by following a guide who
speaks to you via headset.
The US Capitol
houses the Congress and serves as the seat of the legislative branch of
government. The iconic white neoclassical building was completed in 1800,
although has been expanded many times to include the famous dome and wings for
the House and Senate. Pennsylvania Avenue connects the Capitol to the White
House, with the National Mall beyond that leads to the Potomac River. The body
of Congress itself began in 1789 when the Constitution was ratified.
Philadelphia served as the nation’s temporary capital until its permanent
location in Washington, DC was ready.
The central dome (nearly 290 feet tall) above the rotunda is the building’s
most notable feature; inside, paintings adorn the curved walls, with sculptures
positioned on the floor. The bodies of twelve former presidents have lain in
state in the Capitol Rotunda for public viewing. Separate wings for the Senate
and House of Representatives flank the rotunda. The Capitol also houses
National Statuary Hall, which showcases two statues donated by each state that
honor its notable citizens. On the ground floor, a crypt was meant to be the
burial place for George Washington, but he chose to be interred at Mount Vernon
instead. A compass star inlaid in the floor marks the central point of DC, from
which the four quadrants (NE, NW, SE, SW) radiate.
We enjoyed our tour of the US Capitol; the rotunda is breathtaking!
