The White House
Because of the events that occurred on September 11, 2001, White House accessibility for group tours has greatly diminished. However, if your student group has a desire to tour the White House, tours are available by advance arrangement only through your Member of Congress or Senator. Each Senator and Representative is given a limited number of White House appointments per year for constituents from their districts. It is essential to begin your request process at least six months up to one year in advance to ensure your tour will be approved.
Please click on the links below to access a complete list of both the Senate and House of Representatives and/or to locate your Congressional Representatives.
Senate
House of Representatives
Tours are arranged for groups of ten (10) or more and are available from 7:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Most tours are self-guided. Be prepared for strict security clearance upon arrival.
When calling or emailing your Congressional Senator or Representative, please request the URL link to the online White House Tour Request Form. We suggest not only filling out this form but making a follow up call to the congressional tour coordinator to notify him/her of your completed request. Furthermore, if you have a parent, friend, etc. who has any personal connection with one of your representatives, please have he/she make a personal call on your behalf. This may aid in securing your tour in a more expedient way. Lastly, you will need a list of participants and their social security numbers at the time you request your White House tour. Once submitted, you will not be able to add people or change names. However, if you do need to make name changes to your list, you will be required to cancel your original request/list and submit a new one. Unfortunately, you will lose your original submit date which may reduce your chances in securing a tour of the White House.
How to Book Other Important Washington DC Tours
Other popular museums, government buildings (Capitol Building, etc.) and student experiences, specifically The Holocaust Museum and student participation in the wreath-laying ceremony (not just observing) at Arlington Cemetery, are very difficult to schedule. Reservations are required as early as possible. We recommend booking six months to one year in advance. When planning your itinerary with your Kaleidoscope Adventures Travel Planner, be sure to mention if these experiences are a top priority for you and your students. Plan and act early!