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Thursday 1 June 2017

Tips For Making Your US Capitol Tour A Memorable One

By Brian Morris


A trip to the nation's capital is exciting for people of all ages. No one misses touring the White House or stopping by to take a look at the famous memorial to Abraham Lincoln. Even though it is not possible to climb to the top of the Washington Monument at the moment, most go by and pay their respects to the Father of the County. All serious history buffs and political junkies plan to spend a day going on a US Capitol tour.

Rules have changed over the years, and today, it is not possible to just walk into a Congressional building and roam freely. You have to check at the visitor's center and go through security. If you haven't registered in advance for one of these tours, you will have to wait for an opening to become available. Guides will only handle so many people at a time, and the tours are popular. Contacting your Congressman's office to get registered ahead of your visit is a good idea.

One of the tours will take you into the first floor and the Crypt. This section of this building has forty Doric columns that originally helped support the Rotunda above it. You will be able to see a replica of England's Magna Carta here. There also thirteen statutes from the National Statuary Hall collection that represent the original thirteen colonies.

The Rotunda above the Crypt is an amazing architectural feat. The dome soars to almost two hundred feet. There are numerous historical works of art along the walls for visitors to admire and the elaborate friezes above depict additional historic events of national importance. It is in the Rotunda that more than a quarter million people walked through to view the coffin of the late President John F. Kennedy.

The National Statuary Hall is another area of this building included in most tours. You go through it on the way from the Rotunda to the House of Representatives wing. Currently there are thirty-five statues representing major figures from various states. In all, the building houses one hundred figures, two per state.

There are a number of other tours visitors are welcome to take. Some include Exhibition Hall where visitors can get an up close and personal history lesson on the country and how the government was formed and still works today. You can tour the grounds with its monuments, fountains, and Capitol's beautiful reflecting pool.

Visiting this historic building is a privilege and touring should be done respectfully. Dressing appropriately is expected and courtesy toward guides and staff is required. Cell phones will not be confiscated, but they must be muted or turned off altogether.

Even visitors who are not very familiar with the nation's history will be impressed with the grandeur of this congressional building. The attention to detail alone should give people a sense of the seriousness of this place. Along with the White House and the Supreme Court, the Capitol is where decisions are made that affect everyone.




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