How to Tour the White House
The White House, the six-story, 132-room, 55,000 square-foot structure Harry Truman famously called "the great white jail," is open for free self-guided tours for most of the year. Individuals must request a tour, and the tours are scheduled on a first come-first served basis. The tours start in the east lobby.
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Instructions
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Contact one of your Congressman to put in the tour request. The request must be submitted no less than 21 days before the tour date and no more than six months before the date. As of 2011, tour hours are 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 7:30 a.m. to noon Fridays and 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. There are no tours on federal holidays.
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Bring a government-issued photo identification card if you are 18 or older. Anyone from another nation must present a passport. The cards must be the original versions. No photocopies are accepted.
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The White House suggests tourists take public transportation to the building since there is no nearby on-street parking for visitors. As of 2011, the nearest Metrorail stations are the Federal Triangle, Metro Center and McPherson Square stations.
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Leave cameras, handbags, book bags, food, strollers, aerosol containers, and anything that can be labeled a weapon at home. All tour guests will be subject to searches, and the U.S. Secret Service can bar or confiscate any personal item, including cell phones.
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Visit the White House Visitor Center at 15th and E Streets. The center has a 30-minute video about the house and its own exhibits. The center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day.
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Tips & Warnings
Thanks to the climate of hysteria over security, it's not as easy to get a tour of the White House as it once was. Aspiring visitors have to get a ticket from a congressional representative, as well as a background check, from one to six months in advance, as part of a ten-person tour.
References
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images
