U.S. Capitol Building, Washington

The Capitol Building is absolutely amazing. If you are planning a trip to DC, do not miss a Capitol tour. If you contact your state Senator or Congressman, they provide a free guided tour without the crowd or waiting in line. The architecture is beautiful and full of history, as are the statue and paintings. If you are as fortunate as we were, you will get a knowledgeable guide. Our guide just happened to be the Office Manager for our Congressman, and he was great. If you do not plan a tour through Congress or the Senate, be prepared to wait in extensive lines.

We toured the Capitol Building on Saturday November 28, 2009. My wife and I and our 7 year old daughter. It was an amazing experience! We hadn't planned on touring it until we went to the visitor center. Overall I would put this as a can't miss item on any trip to Washington. To see the seat of government and where our laws are shaped was truly a great experience. The tour guide was very informative and I learned a lot. For those thinking about visiting we did not have to make prior reservations to get the tour. We just walked up and were issued passes. Some have mentioned they contacted their congresssman to get the tour but we didn't have too. The tour takes a little over an hour and you can easily spend another hour in the visitor center. There is also a tunnel directly connected with the Library of Congress so take the time to see that as well.

We contacted our Senator and got a mini tour, which included the underground "subway" that the senators and reps use! The entire tour was wonderful!

10:00 am on 3/28 tickets! It is as magnificent as powerful. We loved our tour, and even roaming around after!

This would have to be my most favorite looking building in the world! It has the most amazing architecture and paintings! Before i ever saw it in real life i didnt think it was anything special but then i saw it in real life and it was awesome! Sitting a top capitol hill and the end of the national mall it is just great. It has statues of some of the most amazing people in our countries history and has the greatest roman paintings. You walk down the halls inside and you are just stunned about how beautiful it is. All the colors and beauty blow you away. Its also amazing to see all of our countries leaders at work in the building. So deffinately take a tour!

We had a very in depth tour of the Capitol Building. It was beautiful inside. I remember, at age 13, looking up at the rotunda, walking on the marble floors and hearing about the "listening holes" in the floors so that everyone could hear what was going on in such a large area. Sorry for being vague, but it was 20 years ago and I can't recall the correct names for some of the things we saw. I'm not sure if you can tour the inside of the Capitol anymore, but it was a memorable experience.

It's very interesting and i actually got a chance to sit in on a meeting in the chambers and got to see how it goes in person instead of always watching it on tv

The Capitol is awesome but it is a very crowded place. We connected with our senator's office and had a very nice tour with one of his interns (who was very knowledgeable and explained the history of what we were seeing).....however, the highlight was sitting in the Senate gallery and watching the Senators come for a vote! Timing is everything, and we happened to be there at a right time! Of all the places we visited on our trip, this ranked #1 with my husband, two sons and myself!

Walking into the Rotunda was absolutely breath taking. I had to take a deep breath and do my best to not show my emotions. Some may not be affected in this way, but a true American who loves their country and respects our history and our forefathers will find our U.S. Capitol extremely worth visiting. Having a guide is most important. You learn way more than you ever thought you knew.

All of the reviewers that said this tour was great must have contacted their congressperson and gotten the other tour. I did not and was very disappointed. My tour started under the rotunda with many other groups making it difficult to hear my tour guide. Then we went to the old senate chambers that are no longer in use. We finished our tour in Statuary Hall. I know that for security reasons much of the building is restricted, but I was left feeling I could have seen and learned more by visiting the website. When I return, I will contact my congressperson.