Staff Recommendations

Home / Staff Recommendations

National Archives

Guided tours of the National Archives are available for reservation Mondays through Fridays, starting at 9:30 a.m. You can reserve tickets for a timed visit entry throughout the day. Tickets can be reserved through the National Park Service, and there is a $1.50 per person processing fee

Visitors with advance reservations enter through the Special Events door at Constitution Avenue and 7th Street and must be in line at the entrance at least 10 minutes prior to the start time of their visit. It is also possible to wait in line the day of, if you do not wish to reserve tickets online. Further information and the link for reservations is available on the website for the National Archives.

Supreme Court

When the Supreme Court is in session, it is possible to sit in on the oral arguments. Seating is limited and on a first-come, first-seated basis. Before a session begins, two lines form on the plaza in front of the building. One is for those who wish to attend an entire argument. The other is a three-minute line for those who wish to observe the Court in session for a brief time. The locations for these lines is marked with signs and there is a police officer on duty who can assist in answering questions

There are also Supreme Court Lectures, which are 30-minute programs led by trained docents. They are designed to introduce visitors of all ages to the judicial functions of the Supreme Court, the history of the Building, and the architecture of the courtroom. These lectures usually occur Mondays through Fridays, every half hour, starting at 9:30 a.m., with the last lecture occurring at 3:30 p.m. The exception to these dates and times is if the Supreme Court is holding oral arguments. You can check the courtroom lecture schedule on the Supreme Court website.

Botanical Gardens

Open daily, including holidays from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Group tours are available daily from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Note: there are no reservations for guided tours, on a first come basis. For more information visit the Botanic Garden website.

Mount Vernon

Home of George Washington. Open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Admission: Adults: $15.00, Senior Citizens $14.00 (with ID), Children 6-11 years $7.00, Children 5 and under are free. For more information, visit the Mount Vernon Website.

John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

The Kennedy Center is open 10a.m. – 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. – 1p.m. on weekends, unless otherwise noted. Public tours of the Kennedy Center begin approximately every ten minutes. Walk-ins are welcome at the Tour Desk, located on the A Level of the Kennedy Center. The tour covers many aspects of the Kennedy Center, and concludes with a specatcular view of the nation’s capital from the terrance of the Kennedy Center

In addition, the Kennedy Centers typically has free daily concerts at 6 p.m. on the Millennium Stage. The performances are listed here. For more information, visit the Kennedy Center for Performing Arts.