This will be my first time to DC. How do you go about getting tickets for tours and how do you go about getting them? What attraction requires a ticket? Thanks.

Fortunately, not too much ... given that you already paid admission to the Smithsonian system April 15. But, to name a few , Corcoran Art Gallery, Holocaust Museum and the White House. Call your Rep's office for the WH. Go on-line for Holocaust and find out about ordering. And at the Corcoran, just show up on 17th Street and pay admission. Normally no problem at alll. Ciao

Correct me if I'm wrong, but tickets are required for the Capitol Tour (don't know if they can be obtained in advance) and the Washington Monument (also unsure about advance ticketing). Also tickets to observe Capitol proceedings and Kennedy center tour.

Sure, that was just to name a few ... so, what I'd do is buy the DC Access book and read all about it. It will tell you all the places where you need tickets. Have a good trip. Ciao

It is recommended to get tickets for the Holocaust Museum because it's timed entry.

We're spoiled here in Washington because almost everything here has free admission! I hope you're not coming this week because it's HOT!!!!

Tickets are not required for the Capitol tour. However, you will need tickets to view the House and Senate galleries if Congress is in session. You can get these through your congressperson or senators. If you want tickets for the White House, contact your congressperson or senators at least 3 months in advance. If you can't get the tickets through them, you can get them at the White House Visitors Center.

Ilisa, I remember standing in some really heinous line at the Capitol to get tickets for the Capitol tour. Has that changed?

You are getting good advice here. Best advice I can give you: get up early, know when things open, get there at opening -- will be cooler, crowds will be thinner. And get your congressional representative's office's help with things. If you are going in the next few weeks, consider skipping the White House, because you won't want to sit around outside waiting.

If you want to use the tour mobile, you can get tickets for it at Union Station, where there is also information about other types of tours.

Cindy, are you talking about the heinous line that extends out of the building and down the steps? As far as I know, that heinous line still exists, but it is just for the tour (at least the last time I was on it). We just got on line and waited there and after an obscenely long time, were handed over to a docent for the tour. Personally, I don't think it is worth it to stand on that line. Visitors are more than welcome to walk through Statutory Hall and the Rotunda on their own. If you want a more personal tour of the Capitol, ask your congressperson or senators' offices if someone can give you a tour. We did that all the time for constituents when I worked on the Hill.

Yes, definitely contact your Rep's office (e-mail me if you don't know who it is - but you should!). They can provide an excellent Capitol Tour, usually at any time that fits in your schedule, and there is no need to wait in line at all. You can also ask them for White House tix, but as has been mentioned, you generally need to give them a month or two notice, depending on the time of year. Your Congressperson's office can also help w/ tours of the FBI, Supreme Court, Library of Congress, Bureau of Engraving and Printing, and the National Archives. All of these sites also have public tours, if your Rep. can't get tix, but you will generally have to wait in line. Esp. for the White House, tours are around 8am, and people begin standing in line by 6 or 7.

Actually, White House tours are from 10am to noon, Tuesday through Saturday. The congressional tours start about 7:45am.

Ford's Theater? Not to be missed, and I think there is a small fee. If not, all the better. Haven't been there in eons, hopefully it's not being renovated.