I was in DC in late Feb. 2023. I visited many of the museums and historic places but on the day I was leaving I had not gone to the Capitol. I did not have on line reservations but I was let right in and was able to join a tour. It was a great experience and the tour only last a little less than an hour. I would image during spring break and the summer months the place is packed and you might not get in. Or you would have to wait for a while. A few things to note. The visitor center where you get on a tour is on the backside or east side of the building. You will see signs pointing you in that direction. I like the view of the capitol from this side better as the front side was under renovation when I was there. Also, don't bring a lot of items in as there is an extensive security check. Tour guides were very friendly. Cameras are allowed and they encourage you to take pictures.

We took the basic Capitol tour, which starts with a film and then takes you to the crypt, rotunda, and statuary hall. Our guide was good, and the building is beautiful and monumental, but the tour was pretty short and rather crowded. Our original tour reservation got cancelled, but thankfully we ended up finding an opening for the next day. We wanted to visit the House and Senate galleries, which involves getting passes from your Representative's office, but we ran out of time after our tour. As we learned, the galleries are managed directly by the House and Senate (not the Visitor Center), so their hours can be different than the Visitor Center and subject to sudden changes. Aside from the tour, the Visitor Center has some nice exhibits about the Capitol building and Congress. Overall, it was still a nice visit and worth the time.

Although booked online, you still have to go to the Visitor desk and obtain a ticket, with queues for both this and entry to the tour. Once it was time for our tour we took the elevator to the main building. It was fascinating to see the enormous dome with all the statues and paintings around it. The tour continued to the main Senate hall after which we were free to wander back into the main building. The restaurant was busy but well organised and fast moving with a good selection of food and drink. Overall quite an effort to book in advance, and to queue several times but worth doing to see such an historical venue.

A great visit to the Capitol, guided by Mary-Ellen from the visitor centre. Mary-Ellen was such knowledge and approachable guide and her enthusiasm and pride really shone through her 45min tour of the history of the Capitol. Before the tour started, we were shown a 15min film in the auditorium. Restroom, cafe and water fountain facilities available indoors.

The U.S. Capitol Visitor Center is where most people's tours of the Capitol Building begin. I found the staff to be helpful and courteous, despite the obvious need to maintain security (these days, perhaps more than ever!). There are a few displays to see while awaiting your tour and the Capitol Restaurant is just off the Visitor Center.

Amazing and well worth a visit. The tour is excellent and very well organised. Ann was brilliant as a guide. Also they don't allow any food or drink, but you can take an empty water bottle and fill it up inside. We took sandwiches and consumed them just before going into the visitor center. We also booked the tour to the Library of Congress just afterwards which can be accessed via the underground tunnel

We all arrived to take photos outside, then ended up in a tour for free. A beautiful building and so much history. The tours were so well organised and we got plenty of photos. Some people can get free tickets to the gallery of either the Senate or the House - which we did on Monday. There is a fantastic cafeteria as well, it was so good we came back another day to eat there.

In addition to the general overview of the Capitol, the visitor's center offers a variety of special topic tours. These include a tour of the murals in the old Senate hallways, the history of votes for women and others. I'd taken several of these offerings on prior visits, so was pleased to do the Heroes of Civil Rights on my recent return, my first since The Before Times. As luck would have it, I was the only participant so got a wonderful one on one. My guide included the old Supreme Court chamber, with the curious cornstalk topped columns nearby (I'd asked to see them, as I'm a dedicated Atlas Obscura fan) as well as the stunning tobacco blossom column rotunda nearby. Unfortunately, the old marble bathtubs in the basement are now an IT storage room, but my guide confirmed they did exist. We visited the old Senate chamber, where I learned about the scandalous goings on of long ago, and admired the beautiful design of the ornate setting. The tour also took me through the Capitol rotunda and into statuary hall, where I got a glimpse of the new Amelia Earhart statue. Tickets are free and available daily on a first come, first served basis. The visitor center website details the times and offerings. If you can stop by early in the day for tickets, then you can spend your day on the Hill seeing other sights with a spot assured. As a former educator, I love these tours. They really are great. And, they are free!