Information

This Victorian building, originally constructed to house the State, War and Navy departments, is an excellent example of the architectural and decorative taste of the late 1800s. It also provides a glimpse into government a century ago.

Free public tours of the restored interior spaces are available Saturday mornings with advance reservations only. The building is otherwise closed to the public. Each tour is guided and runs approximately 90 minutes. The first tour begins at 8:30 am and then in half-hour increments until 12 noon. Each tour accommodates 40 visitors.

Reservations should be made by calling at least two weeks in advance (reservations are accepted up to four months in advance) to the tour office at (202) 395-5895, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings only. You may also fax your request at (202) 395-1051. For security reasons, the name, birth date, social security number, and country of citizenship for each visitor must be provided when making the reservation.

Tours start inside the 17^th Street and G Street entrance, and picture identification (such as driver's license or passport) must be shown for adults. Please arrive about 10 minutes before the tour time. For more information, call (202) 395-5895