The US Capitol |
At least once in an American’s life, a visit to the very heart of the nation’s democracy should be experienced. No other way to learn about the government’s history could be more interesting than a trip to the US Capitol in Washington, D.C.. The walking tour would be a great way for kids and kids at heart to experience the distinctive pride and honor of being in government. The US Capitol is not only a place where the US legislature convenes, it also houses working offices and showcases an extensive collection of American art as well as other tourist facilities. The building itself has become an attraction with its stately dome and its magnificent architecture.
A tour of the US Capitol starts at the newly completed US Capitol Visitor Center. This 580,000 square feet complex is an underground facility at the east side of the Capitol that serves as a portal for visitors who wish to learn more about the US legislature and the Capitol itself. To start off the educational experience, you can visit the Exhibition Hall where you will learn about the Congress and the Capitol. There are also restaurants and gift shops in the Visitor Center. You might also want to check their website for lectures, events, or special activities that you might want to catch when you schedule your visit to the Capitol. These activities are changed every so often so that visitors can have something new to see every time they visit.
After taking your fill of the Visitor Center, you can take a tour of the historic Capitol competently led by a Congressional staff.
***** Previously, visits to the US Capitol had to be scheduled ahead of time through your senator or congressman - A visitor to this site sent me this information recently -
"Thank you for posting these tips. I wanted to let you know that you no longer need to contact your Congressman to get a tour of the capitol. The new visitors center is very nice, and you can show up at any time during regular hours for a tour. I think tours are conducted every hour, but if not, they happen several times a day."
If you visit during times when the Senate or the House is in session, you can actually sit in the galleries and while they are in session. You do need to get gallery passes from the offices your Senators or Representatives to be able to watch the sessions. Entry guidelines to the galleries are quite strict so you should check the list of prohibited items to make sure you do not have any on you if you want to watch the sessions. Or, you may leave your prohibited items at the gallery staging areas before you go inside the galleries.
While access to the US Capitol Visitor Center is free, you might want to check if you have pay for certain activities or events you wish to participate in. You can allot about an hour and half for your tour of the Visitor Center and the Capitol. Or longer if you wish to stick around. But, there are a lot more other activities you can take your kids to while in the area. Schedule a visit to the Library of Congress, the Smithsonian Institute, the US Botanical Garden, and the US Supreme Court along with your visit to the US Capitol.
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