Booked a tour of the US Capitol through my US Representative. We were there for the weekend so had tickets for Saturday. The tour lasted about 20 minutes! No viewing of either the House or Senate Chambers or the Old Chambers as they are not in session on weekends and the chambers are closed. Wouldn't this be the best time... more

We arrived for a tour of the Capitol directly after a white house tour so we had no camera with us to take pictures. Our tour was given by our senator's aide and it was really well done. There were no lines to wait in and we were given all sorts of info on the building of the dome and... more

The other reviews on this site set the bar very low. My congresswoman failed to secure me any special access. Therefore, I simply used the Capitol website to reserve a tour. We scheduled it first thing in the morning to avoid any possible crowds. For our late September visit, we had no significant lines to deal with. The starting video... more

We very much enjoyed our visit. Sure, we would have liked to see more than we were allowed to - but we felt very lucky to be walking the halls of this building - the history is overwhelming. We had a great guide who really brought the building to life with her stories about the people and happenings of the... more

My trip to the US Capitol yesterday was not my first, but my first in over a decade. Those who have visited before will find a very different experience. Not better or worse - just much different. The new visitor's center is beautiful. I really enjoyed Exhibition Hall, especially the artifacts on display. Seeing Jefferson's actual draft of the Declaration... more

The harsh reviews on this website just aren't deserved. We visited from Britian on the house's final day before summer break. Yes it was busy, but we had booked in advance on the web and the building's staff made everything very clear. we had an excellent guided tour and got to sit in Congress for as long as we wanted.... more

We had a private tour and it wasn't hectic or chaotic. It seems like there are two very different experiences at The Capitol depending on whether you prebook a tour or just show up. The tour itself was interesting but nothing spectacular. If you have run out of things to do, or you have a serious interest in American history... more

The US Capitol visitor's center is chaotic and loud. Lines forming everywhere with no explanation of what the lines are for. After finally finding our tour group, I was convinced our guide didn't realize he had a group following him. Rushed through first room without stopping. When he did finally turn around and speak to us, I couldn't hear a... more

In '05, you contacted Congressman/Senator and they set up a personal guided tour for a small group. You start in Russell, go underground to the whitehouse (hearing the history of those who walked there before you) and have a wonderful tour, including gallery. Now, they lump you in huge group with headphones that don't work, rush you through, and you... more