White House tours are a popular attraction for visitors to Washington, D.C. They provide an opportunity to see the
historic home of the President of the United States, as well as the artwork and furnishings that are on display.
Public tours of the White House are free of charge and can be scheduled through your congressional representative. Refer to the ticketing section below for details.
Visitors will see multiple rooms in the East Wing and Residence, including the State Dining Room, East Room, Blue Room, Red Room, Green Room, and the Family Theater.
Guests will enter the White House complex
from the south side of East Executive Avenue. After passing through the security screening area, visitors will enter the East Wing
of the White House and proceed down the East Colonnade following the route to the Residence depicted on the White House tour map above.
The White House lifted its longstanding camera and photo ban on public tours. Guests are now welcome to take photos throughout the White House tour route and are encouraged to share their photos using the hashtag #WhiteHouseTour. Phones and compact still cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches are allowed.
Click on the arrow to begin your virtual tour of the White House.
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Requests for the White House tour must be submitted through your Member of Congress in either the House or Senate.
You can also call the House switchboard at 202-225-3121 or the Senate switchboard at 202-224-3121 to reach your Member of Congress.
White House tours are scheduled on a first come, first served basis and they must be requested a minimum of 21 days in advance of your visit. Requests can be submitted up to 90 days in advance.
These self-guided tours are available from 8:00AM - 12:30PM on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Face masks will be available, but not required, when entering the White House complex.
Want to see the holiday decorations? Submit your Christmas tour requests in the Fall. All tours are free of charge.
While the standard public tour is interesting for architectural and historical reasons, nothing can beat the excitement of the West Wing Tour. These coveted tours are led by knowledgeable members of the White House staff and Secret Service. They take you into the working areas of the White House and allow you to witness our democracy in action.
"In 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt relocated his office from the second floor of the residence to this newly constructed building. The West Wing has expanded and undergone several renovations since then, but it has remained the official workplace of the President. In our country, the halls of government are not reserved for a privileged few, and the President’s workplace should be no exception."
At this time, the only way to experience a West Wing Tour is by invitation from the White House or through a personal connection to a White House staffer willing to lead you on an after-hours tour. Download the official West Wing Tour booklet from the White House.
You may be wondering just who gets to go on a West Wing tour. This information was first made available by the Obama Administration via the publication of the official White House Visitors Records. This practice was discontinued under the Trump Administration, but has been reestablished under the Biden White House.
View the current White House Visitor Logs
Guests are invited to stroll through the White House gardens during certain weekends in the Spring and Fall. For more information about upcoming tours, visit the White House Spring/Fall Garden Tour page.
If you have children, you can enter the Easter Egg Roll lottery for a chance to attend the Easter Egg Roll held every Spring on the South Lawn of the White House.
All guests 14 years of age or older are required by the United States Secret Service to submit their name, date of birth, social security number and country of citizenship. All guests 18 and older will be required to present photo identification with information exactly matching the name previously submitted for clearance.
Prohibited items include, but are not limited to, the following: handbags, book bags,
backpacks, purses, food and beverages of any kind, strollers, video cameras, selfie sticks, tobacco products, personal grooming items (make-up,
hair brush or comb, lip or hand lotions, etc.), any pointed objects (pens, knitting
needles, etc.), aerosol containers, guns, ammunition, fireworks, electric stun guns,
mace, martial arts weapons/devices, or knives of any size. The U.S. Secret Service reserves the right to prohibit any other personal items.
Umbrellas, wallets, compact cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches, cell
phones and car keys are permitted. Come prepared; there are no storage facilities on-site.
Refer to the Tours & Events page of the White House website for detailed security requirements.
The closest Metrorail stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (blue and orange lines), Metro Center (blue, orange, and red lines) and McPherson Square (blue and orange lines). On-street parking is not available near the White House, and use of public transportation is strongly encouraged.
The nearest public restrooms to the White House are in the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion (the park area south of the White House) and in the White House Visitor Center. Please take advantage of these public facilities prior to your tour.