The Three Major Houses of Government

The buildings housing the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the U.S. government remain among the most visited sites in Washington. All three -- the White House, the Capitol, and the Supreme Court -- are stunning to behold and experience, and offer fascinating lessons in American history and government. Although these landmarks are not as freely open to the public as they were before the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, all three do allow tours.

In Your Extra Time -- What to do when you've snagged a timed pass for a tour that's hours from now? A few suggestions on Capitol Hill: Visit your senator's or representative's office; wander around the Capitol Grounds and discover fine statuary, like the Garfield Monument, and private garden spots; tour the U.S. Botanic Garden or the National Museum of the American Indian; or get a bite to eat, either at the American Indian museum's eatery, which everyone seems to love, or up the hill at Le Bon Café (210 2nd St. SE; tel. 202/547-7200), a good little sandwich place. (If you listen up when you stand in line, you're bound to overhear some juicy Capitol Hill scuttlebutt.).

How to Arrange a White House Tour

The White House allows groups of 10 or more to tour the White House, Tuesday through Saturday, from 7:30am to 12:30pm. Tours are self-guided and most people take no more than an hour to go through. You must have a reservation to tour the White House. At least 2 months and as far as 6 months in advance of your trip, call your senator's or representative's office with the names of the people in your group and ask for a specific tour date. The tour coordinator consults with White House on availability and, if your date is available, contacts you to obtain the names, birth dates, Social Security numbers (for those 14 and older), and other information for each of the people in your party. The Secret Service reviews the information and clears you for the tour, putting the names of the people in your group on a confirmed reservation list; you'll receive a confirmation number and the date and time of your tour usually about 1 month in advance of your trip. On the day of your tour, call tel. 202/456-7041 to make sure that the White House is still open that day to the public. Then off you go, to the south side of East Executive Avenue, near the Southeast Gate of the White House, with photo IDs for everyone in your party who is 15 or older.

Do not bring the following prohibited items: backpacks, book bags, handbags, or purses; food and beverages; strollers; cameras; videorecorders or any type of recording device; tobacco products; personal grooming items, from cosmetics to hairbrushes; any pointed objects, whether a pen or a knitting needle; aerosol containers; guns; ammunition; fireworks; electric stun guns; maces; martial arts weapons/devices; or knives of any description. Cellphones are okay, but not the kind that are also cameras. The White House does not have a coat-check facility, so there is no place for you to leave your belongings while you go on the tour. There are no public restrooms or telephones in the White House, and picture taking and videotaping are prohibited. Best advice: Leave everything but your wallet back at the hotel.

If your party numbers fewer than 10 people, I'm afraid you're probably out of luck; though congressional offices used to try putting strangers together to make a group of 10, most congressional staff found the process unworkable. Your senator's or representative's office might be the exception, however, so go ahead and call.

The Opening of the Capitol Visitor Center

Under construction since mid-2002, a comprehensive, underground Capitol Visitor Center finally debuted in late 2008, years behind schedule. All visitors to the Capitol now queue up inside the visitor center, which offers exhibits, 26 restrooms (compared to the 5 public restrooms the Capitol has had until now), a dining facility that seats 600, and an orientation film shown in two theaters. To find the visitor center, go to the East Front of the Capitol (along 1st St., across from the Library of Congress) and look for the signs pointing you to the entrance. As before, you and everyone in your party must have a timed pass to tour the Capitol. Best of all, though, is the fact that you can now order advance tickets online. (At the time of this writing, staff were still nailing down the exact procedure; visit www.aoc.gov for the latest information.) Whether you stand in line at the visitor center for tickets or order them online, you will receive timed tickets. During peak spring and summer sessions, you should order tickets at least 2 weeks in advance. No matter what, call tel. 202/225-6827 in advance of your visit; that way you'll know for sure whether the Capitol is open to the public the day you wish to visit and whether touring procedures have changed.