Washington DC: U.S. Capitol & Library of Congress Tour

Two Hours Inside the Capitol's Rotunda & the Gutenberg Bible

You enter the U.S. Capitol with an official guide and headsets, walk the Rotunda and Crypt, then move through a tunnel to the Library of Congress Jefferson Building to see the Gutenberg Bible and the iconic Main Reading Room from above. The walking tour includes photo stops at the Supreme Court, Grant Memorial, and Senate and House offices. Everything is timed and organized (no separate tickets to hunt down, no wondering where to go next), and you're done in two hours.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. United States Botanic Gardenpass by
2. U.S. Capitol1h 30m · entry included
3. Library of Congress20m · entry included
4. Supreme Court of the United States10m
5. Ulysses S. Grant Memorialpass by
6. Capitol Hillpass by

Capitol Hill guided tour and visits

• Meet across from Botanic Garden
• Pass by Senate and House offices
• Pass by Supreme Court building
• Pass by Ulysses S. Grant Memorial
• Pass by Peace Monument
• Enter U.S. Capitol security and orientation
• Join official guided Capitol tour
• Visit Crypt, Rotunda, and Statuary Hall
• Walk through tunnel to Library of Congress
• Self-guided tour of Jefferson Building
• See Gutenberg Bible and Great Hall
• View Main Reading Room from observation deck

The experience

You're standing across from the U.S. Botanic Garden at 100 Maryland Avenue SW, and the Capitol is right there: the dome filling the skyline. The 2-hour tour starts with security, a short orientation film, and then you're moving through the building with an official guide and headset. The Crypt comes first, the underground chamber originally meant to hold George Washington's remains but never used for that. Then the Rotunda, where the fresco "The Apotheosis of Washington" floats 180 feet above your head, and National Statuary Hall, where the acoustics are strange enough that a whisper at one end carries to the other. Depending on the day, you might also step into the Old Supreme Court or Old Senate Chamber: rooms that still feel like they're holding decisions.

After the Capitol, you walk through a tunnel to the Library of Congress Jefferson Building, which is the part people don't always expect to be the most striking. The Great Hall hits you first: Italian Renaissance-style, all marble columns and gold leaf and murals by artists whose names are carved into the walls. You're there to see the Gutenberg Bible, one of only three perfect vellum copies in existence, and then the Main Reading Room from the upper observation deck: that circular room you've seen in films, the one with the green lamps and the sense that something important is always being researched there. The building itself was the first public structure in DC designed for electric lighting, which sounds like a small detail until you realize you're standing in the architecture of that transition.

The walking portion threads through Capitol Hill itself: past the Supreme Court building, the Senate and House office buildings, the Ulysses S. Grant Memorial (one of the largest equestrian statues in the world, and it took the sculptor twenty years), and Peace Circle with its Civil War monument. Your guide talks through how Congress actually works, the history layered into the streets, the way the buildings are arranged. It's a lot of ground, and you're on your feet the whole time, so comfortable shoes matter. The tour runs either morning or afternoon depending on when you book, and if you go on a Monday or at 8am, you'll visit the Capitol Museum instead of the Library when it's closed.

What’s included

• Your tour includes admission to the U.S.
• Capitol building with an official guided tour, entry to the Rotunda, the Crypt, and National Statuary Hall (with potential access to the Old Supreme Court or Old Senate Chamber depending on the day), a 2-hour morning or afternoon guided walking tour through Capitol Hill, admission to the Library of Congress Jefferson Building with timed-entry passes, and photo stops at the Supreme Court, Ulysses S.
• Grant Memorial, Senate offices, House offices, and Peace Circle.
• You'll see the Gutenberg Bible and the Main Reading Room from the observation deck.
• An official headset is provided inside the Capitol, and you'll pass by Thomas Jefferson's original library collection.

Options for this experience

4 options

Guide in English08:00

Guide in EnglishAvailable from 1 Jan 2027

Guide in English11:30

Guide in English14:00

Options with the same name differ in details you'll see when you pick a date.

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesMonday to SaturdayDepartures at 08:00, 11:30 and 14:00

AgesAdult (13 to 65 years) · Child (2 to 12 years)

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Moderate physical levelWheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Signature Tours of DC

Is this one for you?Pick this if you want the main Capitol Hill landmarks and the two buildings most people travel to DC to see, all in one guided morning or afternoon without arranging separate tickets or timing yourself: the timed passes and official tour structure handle the logistics so you just show up and walk.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 12 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

What time does the tour start?

Morning or afternoon departures are available. The exact start time depends on which time slot you book. Tours depart from across the street from the U.S. Botanic Garden at 100 Maryland Avenue SW.

Do I need to book the Capitol and Library separately?

No. Both are included in this single tour with timed-entry passes to the Library, so you don't arrange them separately.

What if the Library of Congress is closed?

On Mondays and 8am tours, you visit the Capitol Museum instead of the Library of Congress.

Is this tour wheelchair accessible?

Yes. All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible, and transportation options are wheelchair accessible. However, the tour involves standing and walking outdoors, so you should be able to manage that level of activity.

How much walking is involved?

It's a 2-hour walking tour through Capitol Hill with multiple stops. You'll be on your feet most of the time, so wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather: DC summers are hot and winters are cold.

Will I see the Gutenberg Bible?

Yes. The Gutenberg Bible is one of the highlights at the Library of Congress Jefferson Building. It's one of only three perfect vellum copies in existence.

Can I bring my pet?

Service animals are allowed. Other pets are not permitted on the tour.

What's included in the tour price?

Admission to the U.S. Capitol, the 2-hour guided walking tour of Capitol Hill, admission to the Library of Congress (or Capitol Museum when the Library is closed), timed-entry passes, and an official headset inside the Capitol.

Is there a chance the Capitol tour will be cancelled?

The government has the right to close or cancel any tour inside the U.S. Capitol without advanced notice. This is rare but possible.