The Capitol Visitor Center

The Capitol Visitor Center is Washington, D.C.'s latest monument and a holding bunker for Congress and the Supreme Court in case of another terrorist attack. The photo below shows Emancipation Hall with the historic Capitol in the background.



That said, it is a beautiful 580,000 square foot underground addition to the Capitol. The cost ballooned from $265 million to $621 million, but who is surprised by that? It has a multimedia gallery, a 530 seat cafeteria [better than the Supreme Court's 50 seats], two gift shops, two orientation theaters and 26 restrooms. A third of the facility is set aside for Congress. The entrance is across First Street from the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress.

Reservations

The Capitol Visitor Center contains about 3/4 as much space as the historic Capitol and is open from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, except for Christmas Day, New Year's Day, Inauguration Day and Thanksgiving. Tours of the U.S. Capitol are conducted from 8:50 a.m. to 3:20 p.m., Monday through Saturday. (The Wall Street Journal 12/2/08)