Life… With The Boy

The DC Government Trip

The main reason that many people come to DC is to see the site of government. They want to walk the streets that Lincoln walked or stare at the place where Daniel Webster made his famous speech (he’s an old timey US Senator, folks, learn your history), or to see where Brown vs. Board of Education was argued. (For those who aren’t sure, that’s Pennsylvania Avenue, the US Capitol, and the US Supreme Court, respectively.) I’m going to touch on the biggies here but obviously, there may be places of personal interest to you specifically. Feel free to make suggestions or ask questions. Also note that I won’t particularly get into the history or exact locations. This is mostly an impression/link collection sort of guide.

The United States Capitol

We’ll start with the place in the picture at the top! The United States Capitol is one of the more recognizable buildings in the world. It houses the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. Once upon a time it even housed the United States Supreme Court but they’ve had their own building since 1935.

Just approaching the Capitol from the National Mall side (and that’s Mall as in the old fashioned version, a long open grassy area, not a place of shopping hell) is enough to give you shivers. There is a large pool in front (don’t put your fingers in that water as it is a favorite swimming place of various local avians) of the even larger staircase that is used in presidential inaugurations. You can climb up the steps but not get in the building. If you want to do that, you must walk around (and around and around, it’s a decent little hike) to the lesser known but more shaded area that is the actual “front” of the Capitol. This is where you stand in line for a security check and to gain entry via a tour group.

Once upon a time (ie, before September 11th), you could wander almost at will around the Capitol, exploring the public passages at your leisure and lingering where you were wont to linger. I even managed to walk the tunnel between the various office buildings and the Capitol building itself. Obviously, times have changed. I haven’t been back since 9/11 to witness for myself but there’s a fairly good visitors writeup on the US Senate Visitor’s guide that lays out the current procedure (my mom swears that you can still wander at will but I won’t vouch for that myself till I go again). With visiting hours from 9:30-4:30, there’s a decent amount of time in a day to take a peek.

The United States Supreme Court

Ah, yes. The Supreme Court. Frankly, a place I’ve never actually gone. But as it is located quite near the visitor’s side of the Capitol, it’s a lovely little building to stand outside and it can get rather lively, depending on what case is being described. As I’ve not actually visited, I shall merely provide an information guide to visiting the building–it’s open from 9 to 4:30.

The Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is located right next to the Supreme Court. I’ve never actually been inside (a fact which nearly sent my librarian mother into heart attack mode) so I’ll just leave that link up for you, my reading individual, to peruse yourself.

The White House
The White House is another one of those instantly recognizable Washington icons. It is a good hike away from the Capitol (and frankly would be better visited via Metro) but provides an interesting stroll if you’re feeling particularly athletic. Or adventurous. There’s a fun little virtual tour of the White House on the website which, frankly, may be the easiest way to actually see the building. It isn’t easy to get a real tour of the building–it never has been. Given that you’re required to have a group of at least ten and you have to ask through your Congressman, I suppose it would be difficult for a non-American to set up a tour themselves.

But there’s plenty to see in DC so why despair about missing out on that?

The National Archives

The National Archives used to be a more obscure spot to stop in DC. While it does house the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, the US Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and lots of other important documents, it didn’t have the “sexiness” of the various Smithsonian museums. But! Ever since the Hollywood movie National Treasure, it’s been a happening place. Which is fine by me. Get there early to avoid a long wait–it’s open from 9-5 some days and 9-9 others.

The J. Edgar Hoover FBI Building

All you can do is walk by it. It’s really that ugly. But….uh. I guess it’s impressive?

The Canadian Embassy

Given that the original people this is intended for are, in fact, Canadians, I thought it fitting to include the <a href=”http://geo.international.gc.ca/can-am/washington/menu-fr.asp?lang_update=1″>Ambassade du Canada a Washington</a> in this little link up. While, obviously, not an American government building, it IS in fact a government building. Oddly, it has a prime spot in DC, located right in the thick of everything, on Pennsylvania Avenue. Every time I pass it, I think “I should take a peek inside” but something about that maple leaf keeps me right on walking….

Actually, another fun governmental style thing to do in DC is to walk along Embassy Row. The link gets you the “virtual embassy resource” for the foreign government community of DC but there’s a few fun links to various walks or places to go along Massachusetts Ave (where the bulk of embassies are located, eh, Canada? ).

1 Comment so far
Leave a comment