Are you planning a visit to Washington, DC, and wondering about the costs and ticketing for top attractions? While most monuments and museums are free to explore, some require advance reservations or have limited availability. We’ll break down the costs and ticketing procedures for must-see landmarks like the Washington Monument, the US Capitol, the White House, and popular museums. Whether booking in advance or trying for same-day entry, Monumental Tours is here to help make your visit smooth and stress-free.

Washington Monument

Although 99% of the monuments and memorials are generally open to the public 24/7 without any need for reservations, the Washington Monument is one exception to this rule.  At 555 feet, this obelisk is known all around DC.  In fact, by law, no building in the city is allowed to surpass the height of the Washington Monument to ensure it remains the tallest structure in the capital! 

The monument is open to visitors to the top seven days a week (Closed for Federal Holidays) from 9am-5pm.  However, it is one of the most difficult tickets to get.  Tickets may be booked online 30 days in advance at $1 per ticket. They are also made available at 10am each day for the next day’s visit for $1.  There are also same-day walk-up timed entry tickets distributed for free each morning beginning at 8:45am on a first-come, first-serve basis. One person may obtain up to six tickets. They are distributed at the Washington Monument Lodge along 15th St. between Madison and Jefferson Drives.  Be aware that visitors form a line to wait long before the ticket window opens. 

Although Monumental Tours has no exclusive way of obtaining the tickets, we will always do our best to accommodate our clients. We will do our best to secure tickets for you for a convenience fee.   In fact, we can arrange a group day tour that includes a ticket if you would like, subject to availability.

US Capitol and the White House

The US Capitol Visitor Center is open Monday-Saturday 8:30am-4:30pm.  Tours begin every 10 minutes until 3:20pm.  Tours are led by a professional tour guide, leading you through the Crypt, Rotunda, and National Statuary Hall. The tour does not include the Senate and House Galleries. Reservations are recommended but not required, and same-day passes may be available. The most challenging time of the year to get in is from March – July.  Tickets become available 120 days in advance, and they tend to go very, very quickly. You may also write to your Congressman or Senator to obtain tickets.  Sometimes, they even arrange for one of their staff to lead the tour with special access!

White House tours are typically available from 9:30am to 12:30pm, Tuesday -Saturday, excluding Federal Holidays or otherwise noted.  All White House tours are free of charge.  You must request a tour through your Congressional Office, which may be submitted 21-90 days before the tour date.  This one ticket we unfortunately can not assist you to obtain.

Washington DC Museums

Air and Space Museum
The Air and Space Museum is one of the museums under the Smithsonian Institution, the world’s largest Museum, education, and research complex, encompassing 20 museums! All their museums are free, but currently, two of them require advance reservations at no charge.

Advance tickets are available online about a month out. Otherwise, limited same-day tickets are available online at 8:30am. The Museum is open every day except Christmas, from 10am-5:30pm. These tickets are not usually too difficult to get. Still, they can be more challenging during the high season, Spring Break, and June and July.

Holocaust Museum
One of the most challenging museums to get into, the Holocaust Memorial Museum makes tickets available for free 7 days a week.  Tickets are not required to enter the Memorial Museum but to enter the Museum’s Permanent Exhibition.  The Museum is open daily from 10am – 5:30pm, with the last entrance into the Permanent Exhibition at 4:30pm. 

Advance tickets are available 60 days in advance online with a service fee of $2 per ticket.  Same-day tickets are also available online but are very limited.  They become available each morning at 7am daily but go very quickly!  Here at Monumental Tours, we will always to our best to accommodate our clients’ needs for tickets to the Permanent Exhibition.  Of course, the more notice you can give us, the better the chance we can secure them for you.

African American History and Culture Museum
The Museum of African American History and Culture is the other Smithsonian Museum that requires an advanced reserved ticket.  Tickets may be reserved 30 days in advance online, and same-day tickets are available each day at 8:15am.  The Museum is open every day except Christmas, from 10am-5:30pm.  These tickets are not usually difficult to get. Still, they can be more challenging during the high season, Spring Break, and June and July.