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United States Capitol

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🎡 Attractions

United States Capitol

Washington, DC · Capitol Hill

About

The white dome that crowns Capitol Hill is the working home of Congress, and you can walk right in. Free guided tours leave from the underground Capitol Visitor Center and lead you up into the Rotunda, where the soaring frescoed ceiling and the marble statues of National Statuary Hall reward a long look up. Book a timed pass ahead, save time for the east front steps, and you have a front-row seat to the building where the country's arguments get made.

Highlights

Free guided tours from the Capitol Visitor CenterThe Rotunda and its frescoed domeNational Statuary HallTimed-entry passes recommended

Getting there

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Washington D.C. Attractions23 places

Washington D.C. Attractions

No city packs more world-class attractions into a walk than Washington, and most of it is free. The Smithsonians line the National Mall like a museum mile, from the moon lander hanging in Air and Space to the Hope Diamond and the Wright Flyer. Between them stand the monuments and memorials: Lincoln gazing down the reflecting pool, the Washington Monument over the Tidal Basin cherry trees, the marble halls of the Capitol and the Library of Congress. Bring good shoes and a full day, and you still will not see it all.