3-Day DC Journalism Tour

White House Area Walking Tour

This is a self-guided public tour is regularly scheduled each Tuesday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 11:30, and to 1:30 on Fridays and Saturdays. During this tour you may move from room to room at your own pace, the entire tour probably taking anywhere from 20-45 minutes, depending on how much time you want to spend exploring all the presidential details. The typical route of the tour sees visitors along the ground-floor of the home and through the doors of the Vermeil Room and Library, up to the stairs to the State Floor, and then through the East, Green, Blue, Red, and State Dining Rooms. See the North Portico Lobby, famously guarded by a U.S. Secret Service Tour Officer who can also double as a wonderful answer provider to any questions you may have about the home, security, or the president. This is the perfect intro to D.C., the upcoming inauguration, and all the seemingly endless iconic American photo ops.

National Public Radio (NPR) Studio Tour

Located within the NoMA neighborhood (north of Massachusetts Ave), this studio and NPR's official headquarters allows guests to 'get a glimpse of daily life inside NPR'. Learn about NPR's history, mission, and Member Stations through an interactive, museum-style display in the lobby, then take a tour of the studio, tours offered each weekday at 11 am and lasting about an hour. You will be able to see the 55,000 square foot newsroom, peek inside a production studio, and even look at the technology and distribution centers. This is an excellent way to immerse your students into the world of journalism and reporting!

National Museum of American History

From the original Star-Spangled Banner to a life vest from the RMS Titanic, the American History Museum has it all. See President Lincoln’s top hat, Dorothy Gale’s ruby slippers from the movie The Wizard of Oz, or view the Japanese American Internment Era Collection which examines possessions and personal accounts of the American internment camps during WWII. Temporary exhibits feature topics such as the evolution of transportation in America, the American presidency, first ladies, and FOOD: Transforming the American Table 1950-2000 which looks at how Americans have changed their views on meals over the course of 50 years.

Monuments and Memorials Tour

This monumental tour includes the following major attractions throughout DC:

The Washington Monument
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial
FDR Memorial
World War II Memorial
Jefferson Memorial
Lincoln Memorial
Korean War Memorial
US Marine Corps War Memorial
Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Library of Congress

There are 3 main buildings that make up the Library of Congress: The John Adams Building, James Madison Memorial Building, and the Thomas Jefferson Building. Within the Thomas Jefferson Building, you will find the exhibits, some popular ones including Exploring the Early Americas, Hope for America, and Mapping a Growing Nation: Independence to Statehood. You can take a free 1-hour guided tour of this building, or take topic-specific tours that range in subject from music and performing arts to history and culture. There are also special tours such as Shall Not be Denied: Women Fight for the Vote and Exploring the Early Americas.

Capitol Hill Tour

From the elegant stoicism of the Rotunda to the subtle glamour of the expertly manicured lawns, Capitol Hill has the creative aesthetics to match any world landmark. The neoclassical architecture resembles many of D.C.’s other sites such as the Jefferson Monument and the White House. Tours focusing on the art of the Brumidi Corridors at the Capitol Building are offered Monday through Friday. Tours of the Capitol Building are available Monday through Saturday and explore everything from the Crypt and Rotunda to the National Statuary Hall, beginning and ending at the Visitors Center which is in itself a masterpiece. Standing at three-quarters the size of the Capitol Building, the Visitors Center was built underground so as not to detract from the majestic, classic beauty of the Capitol. There you will find exhibits and galleries featuring collections of artifacts and art, two theaters showing orientation films, gift shops, and food service areas.

Supreme Court Visit

Though guided tours are not available, the Supreme Court is open for self-guided tours and educational programs are offered such as courtroom lectures, a 24-minute visitors’ film, and exhibitions which are changed periodically. Exhibits you may see include displays on Sandra Day O’Connor, the first female Justice, legal education in America, and more. Walkthrough the Supreme Court at your leisure and view the formidable John Marshall statue, the many busts and portraits of Justices lining the corridors as well as the two free-standing marble spiral staircases. Watch a court session in progress on a first come first serve basis to see the Justices and the judicial branch in action. To attend courtroom lectures and to watch a court session, check the schedules and arrive early to get a seat.

Voice of America Tour

The VOA affords guests a 'fascinating look at the largest United States international broadcast operation', giving you an insiders look at live news and information programming that is available to an international audience in 40 different languages on multiple platforms including radio, tv, and internet. There are public tours each Monday through Friday at 12 pm, lasting about 30 to 45 minutes each. The tours are recommended for ages 16 and up and guests must allot 10-15 minutes before the tour to go through a security screening, as is custom with most D.C. federal attractions. Be sure to view the historic murals here at VOA's headquarters, a series of murals depicting the Social Security Act and New Deal programs, the art done mostly by Ben Shahn in the 1940s.

Capitol Steps Political Comedy Show

This show features members of the Senate who 'set out to satirize the very people and places that employed them'. The skit began at the aforementioned Christmas Party in 1981, a small group performing song parodies and skits with a special brand of satirical humor that has certainly stuck. Today, the performers keep the show going in DC each Friday and Saturday at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center. Altogether, the performers in this group have worked in 18 different congressional offices and represent 62 years of collective House and Senate Staff. They have recorded over 35 albums and have been featured on CBS, ABC, NBC, PBC, and NPR, and their latest hit is titled 'Lirty Dies'.

Ford's Theatre

See the Deringer pistol Booth used to shoot the president, his diary, knife, and even pictures of his secret fiance, Lucy Hale, who was the daughter of a U.S. Senator. As a working theater, Ford continues to produce and perform plays throughout the year. For tour groups, entry into the theater includes a presentation by the National Park Service rangers, a one-act play, access to the Petersen House across the street where President Lincoln died, and the Center for Education and Leadership, a museum focusing on the president and his assassination. History on Foot is a walking tour led by a historic figure in costume through the streets and landmarks of Washington, D.C. The President's Box, the seating area where he was shot, is rarely open to the public though you may see it from the exterior.

National Geographic Museum

Inside this museum, your group will find a variety of rotating exhibits and programs year-round. The museum hosts various traveling exhibits so it is hard to say what exactly you will see during your visit, but we can give you a good idea by listing off a few very popular past exhibits, such as the Tomb of Christ (see video below), Titanic, Sharks, The Greeks, Pristine Seas, and Mars Up Close. If you are visiting in the spring or summer of 2019 you will see Queens of Egypt, an in-depth look at such influential leaders as Cleopatra VII and Nefertiti, as well as over 300 authentic artifacts. There is also the one permanent exhibit you will see here, National Geographic: Exploration Starts Here.

Holocaust Museum

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum covers a large range of topics from the start of WWII and the Nazi rise to power to genocidal wars in various countries and modern-day prejudices. Multi-media displays, personal stories, video, and photographic evidence, and more tell the narrative of prejudice, hatred, and murder across the globe in the hopes of enlightening new generations to build an international society of acceptance and peace. The Holocaust permanent exhibition covers three floors and follows the chronology of the Nazi genocide of the Jewish people during WWII. From the first Nazi assault to the liberation of concentration camps, the Nuremberg Trials, and personal accounts from survivors, The Holocaust exhibition is a poignant and effective interactive learning experience.