United States Capitol and Capitol Visitor Center

Construction began on the new Visitor Center for the United States Capitol in 2000. The Visitor Center was opened to the public in December 2008 and provides a climate-controlled space for visitors waiting to tour the U.S. Capitol building. Previously, visitors queued in the open air (and summer heat or winter cold) on the East Front plaza, or, after 9/11, in a temporary wooden structure and under a canopy.

The new Visitor Center provides a vast hall and accompanying exhibit space and visitor amenities. In it, visitors can learn about the history of the Capitol and of Congress while waiting for their tour. (If time is limited, visitors can view the exhibits without taking the tour.)

Visitors first enter the vast Emancipation Hall. (Emancipation Hall is named to honor the slaves who built the Capitol.) The plaster cast of the bronze Statue of Freedom that sits atop the Capitol (designed by Thomas Crawford in 1855-1857) dominates the hall. (The hall gives me the feel of a train station or airport terminal. But, it will certainly hold a lot of visitors in spring and summer!)

Also in the hall are a few statues from National Statuary Hall Collection. (Two statues of notable citizens from each state are invited to be placed in the Capitol building.) The Capitol Visitor Center will hold overflow statues from the Capitol’s Statuary Hall collection itself. (I’m not sure what that says about the personages who have been removed to the Visitor Center, but it is supposed to be the more recently added statues that have been relocated.) When in the hall, be sure to look up through the two skylights for a view of the Capitol’s dome.

The exhibit space includes several contemporary touch-screen interactive exhibits. Six models of Capitol Hill, the Capitol building, and the surrounding structures show the development of the Capitol complex over time. Surrounding them are displays on the issues that have faced Congress in each period. (There is even a small display about the history of touring the U.S. Capitol building!)

Artifacts on display include the masonry trowel used by George Washington to lay the Capitol’s cornerstone in 1793 and the Lincoln catafalque (coffin platform) constructed in 1865. The catafalque is used when deceased former Presidents and other prominent Americans are given the honor of lying in state under the Capitol dome. (Most recently it was used for the lying in state of Rosa Parks in 2005 and President Gerald Ford in January 2007.)

Two theaters show a 13-minute orientation film about the Capitol and Congress. Tours of the Capitol building are free. Capitol tours can be booked online at the Visitor Center web site or same-day tickets may be obtained at the Information Desk.

The Visitor Center also has a cafeteria, two gift shops, and eight public restrooms!

A tunnel under First Street, Southeast, connects the Visitor Center with the Library of Congress' Thomas Jefferson Building.

My visit to US Capitol turned out to be a great experience! The capitol building looks magnificent from the outside but is equally magnificent inside!
There are free tours available to see it from inside but you need to reserve your passes in two ways -
1. Online - Where you need to give your details, date of visit etc and print the reservation confirmation letter
2. Same day passes are availabel at the visitor center ..but since they are in limited number, they get over pretty quickly

Only take care that you aren't carrying any prohibitive items while you visit the Capitol building which also includes any type of food and water(including empty bottles!)

Have a great time!
Cheers!