Reviews of Library of Congress (Tourist Attraction)

mike ggg

The library is a wretched misnomer. You may not take out any books at all. There is also no public parking, so if you are trying to visit, you must contend with DC parking.

Rocío Burgos

It's an incredible place. I'm a architecture and art lover so buildings like this are the perfect place to visit. It's beautiful both inside and outside. There is plenty of expositions inside, today I saw one about baseball, another about the WWI and one about the origins of America from pre-Colummbus times to after them. Everything was pretty informative and full of pieces of art and objects from those historical periods.

Matthew Campuzano

The most gorgeous room in DC, and you too can visit it. Go on a tour, visit for a couple of hours, but it you really want to experience the majesty of the Library of Congress, make sure you get a reader's card so you can go in the reading rooms and peruse some of the Library's massive collection. Just do yourself a favor and spend as much time as you can in one of the most stunning buildings in the area.

karun's teaching

It is the biggest library of world and opened in 1880.It is called as 'library of Congress '.Many books, C.D's,ancient leaflets,maps and videos are here. 470 types of language books and 21reading rooms are here for readers. Braille books and recordings are here for visually challenged persons.

The King's Artisans

The Library of Congress is a wonder! *Whistle!* It is an art gallery, museum, research center, and a fascinating library that has over 61 million manuscripts, 32 million cataloged books, the USA's largest rare book collection, and items in well over 470 languages. It even features a reading lounge just for children on the lower level. There is not enough time in one day to thoroughly explore all this national landmark has to offer, but it sure is fun trying!

Aarti Bansal

A marvelous working library full of treasured books particularly the leather-bound collection of Thomas Jefferson. The ornate library is adorned from floor to ceiling with mosaics, marble columns, Italian statues, cherubs, and frescos with Italian Renaissance design. Can't believe it took Congress only 2 years to complete the world' largest library in 1897 with a budget of only $6.5 million! Although the grandiose Reading Room is impressive, Jefferson's library adorned with his original collection was my favorite part - giving birth to the Library of Congress. From the tour, I learned that Jefferson sold all the books from his personal collection - 6,487 across different subject areas to Congress for $23,950 after the original building was destroyed by the British in the War of 1812. He was a stiff negotiator and wouldn't accept payment for part of his collection - all or nothing. Jefferson's precious books are protected in a temperature-controlled glass display case. The green tabs mark the original collection from the early 1800's while the yellow are duplicates (about 500 books) that got burned from a fire. Don't miss the hidden gem Librarian Office of Congress tucked on the left side towards the back of the 1st floor. Definitely recommend the 1 hour long tour. Luckily, I caught the last one at 3:30pm and learned about the history of the library and that Congress paid $1.5 million for the Gutenberg Bible (there's a copy in Germany and France) and $5 million for a map! Interesting to know that the majority of the 169 million collection isn't all books. The bulk are manuscripts, recordings, photographs, sheet music, etc. The library gets upwards of 15,000 donated items by per day and keeps a handful of them! There are a couple of small temporary exhibits of baseball and Bob Hope worth checking out. You can easily spend a couple of hours admiring the marvelous architecture, collection of maps, artifacts, books, and walking through exhibits. Definitely worth checking out the world's largest library in the nation's capital (technically right across the street from it!)

David Borger Germann

Stunning art and architecture. The imitation Jefferson library is amazing.

Lauren Brown

The building is absolutely beautiful and you can spend a long time admiring it's artistic details. Make sure to look up. Multiple floors with multiple gallery exhibits to enjoy on a variety of topics. When I went, they had exhibits on baseball, WWII, Women Illustrators, the colonization of the New World, and entertainers and politics. People flock to see the Gutenberg Bible and line up to view the reading room from the balcony. They offer multiple daily tours, but get there early. There is a reading room open to the public for children in the back lower left corner. Go down the hall. It seems like you're not supposed to, but it's okay. The gift shop is of medium size featuring literary and USA themed knick knacks, but fewer books than you would expect. See just how much Thomas Jefferson liked to read in the display of his library and then buy a tote bag with his quote on it. No food and no drink allowed but there are water fountains, bathrooms, a phone charging station, and tables outside in the sun. Entrance facing the Congretional building.

George S.

If you are in DC you have to visit this building it's so beautiful. I suggest that when visiting to attend the tour. The tour is free, easy to follow and doesn't take long. You'll have a great time and you will learn about every thing inside the building and it's meaning. Oh and if you are in DC now you have a chance to see the Christmas tree inside the library. It's one of the best I ever seen!

Milky

so beautiful. can be finished within an hour

Eric Miller

Wow, surprisingly beautiful and saw much more here then I expected to see.

Zeshan Tariq

One of my favorite places to stop by when in D.C. Architecture is wonderful and there is often some cool exhibit going on. I got to see copies of the Gettysburg address when it came by. Also tip for those wanting to actually enter the main reader room: You can get a library card made at a specific office allowing you access.

Patrick Benitez

Great place to study. Be wary of the contracted security guards who give you attitude when you ask simple questions. Horrible customer service.

Eva Esteban

You can not enter with food or solids or liquids. The space is amazing, there are some tours that include it and it is worth it. Admission is free and is usually not crowded. It is well located. If you are going to visit Washington, I really recommend it.

Timothy Sox

This is amazing! Great amount of history. Restrooms are on the lower level. Make sure to go in all the different wings.

Daniel Ciuro

Beautiful facility with very educated representatives! A must see.

Abhi

A must visit spot in DC. It's an amazing place to checkout. loved the architecture work. There are many things to see and learn the history in the library and depending on when you come there will be some activity or another happenings. Best recommended to take a tour with the local

Kevin Toro

Calm place with positive atmosphere. The reading room was superb and the books here were well placed so that anyone can easy find the stuff they want which's a good point. Staff was also decent and take care of the needs of people. Everything was great!! Must recommended place

tripop noiwan

Only conducted research there before but finally visited as tourist. Astounding architecture and largest collection of Alexander Hamilton's Federalist Paper.

V AK

This was actually a really enjoyable place, but it got a tad bit boring throughout the whole thing. There wasn’t much for kids to do except stare at the walls maybe. But art in the place was absolutely amazing. The walls were painted beautifully and the ceiling had an amazing design to it. The main halls were incredible and the exhibits were informative with real historical artifacts from people, like Martin Luther. You could see the reading area where the members of Congress would sit and read, but it was a rather limited view.

Thien Vuong

Epic library - biggest one on the world. Never got a chance to see the whole building as it is massive, but Thomas Jefferson's library itself was impressive.

Mishka Liamkin

Beautiful place. Tours are informative and the library is also beautiful with a large variety of books.

Oliver Peckham

An essential stop for a government buff or a book nerd. Gorgeous architecture and design on the interior, but can be a little bit more difficult to tour or otherwise access compared to other stops, especially if you want to actually read something from the collection.

Hamoon Rasheed

Amazing library, it’s huge, makes you feel like your in a Harry Potter movie

Frank Campbell

A wonderful experience and a magnificent sight! About 12,000 new items are added DAILY! The staff are quite helpful and courteous. A must see for any visitor to WDC!

Alison Taylor

I think this is my favorite place in all of DC! The architecture is simply stunning, probably the most beautiful in the city. All over the place are little quotes about knowledge and reading, and the hallways are long and colorful, and cool statues are ubiquitous. It's free, and there are no additional tickets to buy for anything. It is not the most popular place for tourists, because not many people know about how spectacular it is, so it is totally not crowded. Even if you don't get a library card pass into the reading room, you can see it from a window up above, and there is a pleasant little reading room for kids that I would have loved to spend a few hours in. There are also a few exhibits, including Thomas Jefferson's personal library, a temporary showcase of the Gutenberg Bible, and some smaller ones down a sort of secret hallway that nobody knows about so they are totally empty. (These include a Gershwin exhibit, something about cartoons, and a Bob Hope room.) If you are in town, definitely pay it a visit. I would probably come to read in the kids' reading room every day if I lived in DC, but even if you are not a reading person, you will enjoy the magnificent building!

Jodi Hart

The say it is public but you cannot look at any books hands on unless you have authorization from someone in the Senate bldg in advance. Our tax dollars our paying for this. As long as there is security we should be able to browse freely.

Miss Peeved

Enjoyed the amazing library of Congress tour. The main reading room was just da bomb. Totally worth going in to get all the resources you need. have to register and check in bags/jackets before going in though. Bit of a pain.

Shalisa Marie

Beautiful building. You can leave your coat/bag while you explore the exhibits comfortably. There’s even yellow pages and pay phones in the bathroom (what are those? Lol) Toured this with no guide and had a blast!

William VanZee

Wow! What a place, they have over 186 million items and more arriving daily! The architecture alone is something to see, besides all the displays. If at all possible get a guided tour, they are free, first come first serve, as the guide will point out alot of things that just walking around you would never notice, and what all the different symbols in the architecture stand for. A very interesting place to visit.

madhu y n

Such a huge grand library that is so old!. Free entry. You can take pictures. Very very very old books. They have the copy of first book ever printed on the earth!. Great honor to many writers around the world by scribing their name on the wall. Except that I didn't find any ASEAN writers name.

Kwanini K.

It’s wonderful library. It looks different

osama manzar

Such an imposing building. I hope lots of people using the library. I am told in India the parliament library is hardly used by any of the elected members.

VlaD Dim

Great place and excursion! Very interesting. Gorgeous interiors! The main place in your trip.

Gardner Gloria

I often visits here read my favorite book because i like to read different kind of book and this library fulfill all my need. The infrastructure was awesome and the reading halls were well maintained. So according to me this is the best library .

Lisa W

Free admission to a historical library of congress, yes please! There's also AC in here. The structure itself is beautiful, it feels like a European museum in there. The oldest books in the US can be found here too. Lots of good US history and information. You definitely can get lost in here.

Anne Marije

This place is so beautiful! The building, the colors, everything is beautiful! If you're a bit of a library-nerd like me you should definitely go here and take a look. It's so impressive.

Elisa Day

What a beautiful building.. It's all so detailed, the ceiling, floor, pillars, paintings... Go there and fall in love with the most beautiful building of DC. I heard that the guided tours are very good too, so I mean to go back and attend one of those.

penguin rick

This building is beyond verbal description... imagine you wanted to build a public building that would rival royal palaces around the world. That's this building. Go there. See it. Walk through it. I could spend months studying the relief carvings, alone. If you like architecture, beauty, art, extravagance, elegance, and/or history, please go.

Akash Senjaliya

The US library of Congress is the world's largest library .it has 160 million items and is spread across 3 building.

Ellie Hawkins

My favourite building of all of D.C.! It's insanely beautiful! I'm going to drag all of my visitors here, no doubt. They have interesting exhibitions there too - e.g. Drawing Justice: The Art of Courtroom Illustrations

Simon Lindquist

Best quote of the day in the main reading room from the guide "this room used to be full of people before the handheld devices and internet"

Eric Salas

The Library of Congress is considered as the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. While its exterior architecture is stunning, the inside is just as grandeur and beautiful. The paintings on the ceiling are incredible and you have plenty of time to spare, read the quotes on the walls and ceilings.

Beth Jessup

If you need information, especially historically accurate information, this is THE place to go. I highly recommend it, and have visited the Library of Congress & the Smithsonian Museums all my life. A must see for anyone who loves history. Also a must see... The National Archives.

Smith Moore

The library is so beautiful, and a large collection of books is here. It's so impressive and worth visit.

Derk Horlacher

Absolutely magnificent. This was hands down my favorite place in DC. The exhibits were great, the art was incredible and the history that lives there is remarkable.

Sierra Manestar

An all around breathtaking building. A must if visiting D.C. Recommend a free tour if you are interested in facts, but can drag on. Easy and worth getting a library card downstairs as it allows you access into the main reading room, and they are valid for 2 years.

Rachel Stenta

Loved taking the tunnel from the capitol - so easy! Beautiful mosaics and fascinating exhibits. Sadly we missed the tour but overheard a bit - sounded very worthwhile.

SB Rome

The largest library in the world. Everybody ought to visit this. Absolutely everybody. I could get lost in this place for year.

Emily Sanborn

Absolutely beautiful and often overlooked/forgotten about. Worth a visit if you're nearby!

Anil Maddimsetti

Review from Spring 2013. Walking right across the tunnel from Capitol you end up in the library of congress, which is the best way to get here. Once you are in the library, the Capitol building feels to far away from within. The art on the walls and the high ceilings are just so amazing, there are tours available as well, however I could not get on one due to shortage of time.

Masentrox C

Beautiful place to go a lot of history

Shota Inoue

You can discover history of United States.

Ben Scandlen

The Library of Congress was quite neat. The building itself was impressive as was the history. A surprise for us was a small museum with a number of very interesting exhibits including Women's Voting and the history of Baseball which we really enjoyed. It is a multimedia display that highlights some of the most memorable events from baseball's history. You dont need to spend a ton of time here, but it is enjoyable.

G Aquino

We didn't use any of the library facilities. We were just regular tourists who wanted to see the inside of the building and the special exhibitions. And both did not disappoint. The building is magnificent and ornate, definitely an attraction in its own right. The special exhibition with old maps was really cool, as well as Jefferson's library housing the volumes of books that would become the LoC's first collection. We were here for two hours. Admission is free, photos are allowed (just no flash), and there is the usual security check. Stop by the gift shop before leaving and grab a book or souvenir.

Samantha deManbey

This is heaven for book lovers! Seeing Jefferson's personal collection of books is a unique experience. The art work on the ceilings is breathtaking and the quotes written on the walls are inspiring. Mosaic work in the walls, floors, and ceilings is superb. A must see!

Jack Dunn

HOURS are incorrect!!! Please fix!!! Amazing building, must see. TOURISTS 830 am - 430 pm. Researchers refer to loc.gov website.

Oren Kessler

My favorite building in DC.

Owen Burkard

Awesome experience. Recommend getting a reading card and checking out the reading rooms to get the full experience. This building is beautiful and it's inspiring to see the volumes of material stacked on every shelf. Must see if you're a book worm!

Justin Libby

Pros: Stunning architecture. Fascinating exhibits. Conveniently located near other attractions. Very helpful staff. Pro tip: look for the stairs to the basement and take the small tunnel to the Madison building. Take the elevator to the top floor to get to the cafeteria. Eat a nice lunch overlooking D.C., away from the tourist crowds. There is another tunnel that goes to the Capitol building, if you want to take a tour there.

Heshan Gunawardane

Secret treasure of D.C. People might not bother to check out the Library of Congress thinking it's just a library. Frankly they would be missing out in one of the best experiences D.C. has to offer. It's not crowded like many of the other museums. And you know what, the LoC is truly a museum, more than it is a library, for most of us who are not scholars or looking to do research. Be sure to set aside a few hours to come visit this hidden treasure! And it was the site of the filming of "National Treasure" probably one of Nicholas Cage's better endeavors!

Philip Roberts

It is a very interesting place. I would recommend that you arrive at the entrance right as it opens. The lines usually “backs up” about 30 minutes after it opens, so arriving there early may save time. It is right across from the United Sates Capitol, too. Just down the street is the United States Botanical Gardens as well. Overall, a very nice place with very informative exhibits.

Paul Polsinelli

So much more beautiful than I imagined. Plus a Gutenburg Bible!

Westonsam

Great place. The architecture is amazing.

Amanda Beil

A beautiful library! I was so awestruck on the tour. If you visit and want an experience beyond the tour...go to the lower levels and sign up for a reader’s ID, and read something in one of their various reading rooms.

Carlos Pinto

I don’t even have words to describe this place. It is AMAZING. You can go by yourself or take the guided tour. I’m definitely going back to actual read and live the experience. God Bless America

Ora Boudewyns

The place is magical.

Andy Kreul

Incredible place!

richard chu

Just wish I can stand in the center of the library grand hall.

Charlotte

Stunning building and free to walk around inside. There a few exhibits to see and make sure to queue to see the reading room

mary sharbatz

This stunning building is a must see for those visiting DC

Nope Nopety

Great staff, really helpful. Beautiful building. Interesting to see the names of famous Greeks and British engraved on the walls, yet no references to black Americans.

Leah Bertrand

Brilliant place to visit! If you're coming from the Capitol make sure you use the underground tunnel to avoid having to go through security again. Not just an ordinary library - amazing books, paintings, architecture. We joined a free guided group of one of the exhibitions and she was so knowledgeable and answered any questions we had.

Matthew Smith

This is such a beautiful building! The architecture is very ornate and awe-inspiring. From the fountain out front to the marbling inside, this building is amazing! It's free to visit and the museum is very informative. They have numerous artifacts from our nation's history and beyond. You will not be disappointed when you visit. Unfortunately, in order to enter the actual library you need to make an appointment. I completely understand that as it allows the library to be an actual library and not become a tourist trap. Please visit this beautiful place.

C H

This library is fascinating from floor to ceiling, from wall-to-wall, from window to window, from painting to painting, and from one of a kind architecture. This place is a treasure for the entire family and an absolute must see. To top it all off, everyone needs to visit the largest library in the world. Even though there are a ton of books here and periodicals to read while you sit in silence, the spectacular architecture that basically frameworks this entire building is beyond comprehension. Not only is this a library, it's an art gallery and a collection of American masterpieces inshrined on the walls. I'm kind of wondering if the Dewey Decimal system really works here. The people that work in the library are delightful and yes they all have library voices, that's amazing in itself.

Kevin Loeffler

Don't expect to see much of the famous reading room. Also beware that during peak times there can be long lines moving through the (excellent) exhibits.

Aq

Cool building

angrysoldier100

Beautiful. Reading room is magnificent but some guy walking around whispering ," I am the hamburglar". Got to keep bill Clinton out of here.

Diana Chaves

My favorite place in DC. Don’t miss it when visiting.

Victor Wilhelm

What an amazing place. The architecture is breathtaking. Make this one of your backlist places to visit. #travelformortals

Pither Temoteo

That's so beautiful building to visit. It is an amazing place to see, especially because the building is really amazing. So many details you can see on the wall and selling. Also there are some exhibition about maps and culture. You can also see the very first impressed bible. It is supposed to be a fast tour.

Sandy Asbacher

It's beautiful and very interesting. I wanted to grab a book to sit down with but I'd have had to apply and fill out paper work. Next time, when I have more time

Britt Bentson

We saw the Gutenberg bible and the atrium. We would have stayed longer but the guards were SO RUDE. They yelled, literally yelled, at our kids just for jumping in place! I'd say they don't really want kids here, and to just visit if you are adults or have older kids.

Mark Thornton

Absolutely stunning architecture. Security to get in the building, and tours offered. The building itself is just beautiful, and the interior was design to perfection. They hold the collection of George Washington’s 6000 books he initially donated to start the library, all of which look in mint condition. So awesome to experience. Must see if in the area.

Erich Meier

Great displays! The grandeur of the building, tile work, and stained glass windows are truly breathtaking. This is really a stunning building! Not to mention that it offers an amazing view of the United States Capitol.

BradJill Travels

We recently visited DC and spent a day seeing attractions at Capital Hill and the west end of The Mall. The Library of Congress (free to visit) was by far the best of the area attractions and one of most enjoyable places we ended up visiting during this trip to the city. The Library of Congress is open from 8.30-5pm, making it one of the earliest attractions to open in the city, ideal for those who like to get an early start. It is further linked to the U.S. Capital building via an underground tunnel. By visiting these two government buildings, back-to-back via the linked passageway, you can avoid having to clear long security queue twice, As for the visit, very much enjoyed our time at the Library of Congress, finding the permanent fixtures and temporary exhibitions well worth seeing when visiting Washington. Make sure not to pass up visiting the ground floor Bob Hope and Gershwin galleries, each well worth 10-15 minutes minimum. Then you can make your way to the first floor Great Hall, which is stunning, resembling the princely halls of European palaces. Here you can pass by the Bibles room and take glimpse of an extremely rare Gutenburg Bible. There is also a side room showing some lovely historic maps. Lastly, you can step up and enter an elevated viewing platform area, overlooking the famous Reading Room, another stunning room to see and take pictures of. You can spend 30 to 45 minutes on this floor and will be quite in awe of what you see here. Next, you proceed to the Second floor to see the impressive Thomas Jefferson book collection as well as temporary exhibitions that might be on display. We were luckily to catch the Magna Carta exhibition as well as the Explorers and Encounters exhibition, both of which were worth another 20-30 minutes of time each. Check the Library of Congress website to see what temporary exhibitions are being held during the time of your intended visit. In the end, we spent just over 2.5 hours at the Library of Congress and left very impressed with what was available to be seen there. This ended up being one of the very best attractions we visited during our visit to Washington D.C., a place we would gladly return to during future visits to the city.

JK Mickshaw

Stunning. Grand. Amazing!! The building is marvelous! Colors and architectural details are everywhere, it's overwhelming. When I visited, there was an awesome exhibit on sketches drawn by court reporters from noteworthy trials and cases. A must see. Go immediately!!!

Ijaz Bloach

The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the de facto national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. The Library is housed in three buildings on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.; it also maintains the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center in Culpeper, Virginia.

Matthew Transue

The awe of viewing this building from the outside alone kicks in the sense of wonder for what it contains. The architecture and artistry both inside and out is amazing, and I could have spent days admiring it. Even though security is tight, as with many locations in the capitol, the personnel were polite, professional, and provided both respect for your time as well as ensuring the safety of those inside.

Bai Lori

It’s been an exciting place to visit. We arrived quite late, bus still there wasn’t much time. I don’t know, maybe it was just today, or because we arrived so late. After getting inside, we got a free tour, even before getting our turn to buy tickets. Even though it was free, the tour guide gave us a really informative tour. Afterwards we had time to look around in our own. Overall, I think it was worth going and anyone could enjoy it.

Gordon Ford

I visited here 2 time and each i had great experience . I like their attractive infrastructure and the way they place all the stuff which is easily visible to all. The book were superb with lot's of knowledge. The seats were also comfortable. overall nice place for book lover.

Vision World

The Library of Congress is the largest library in the world, with millions of books, recordings, photographs, newspapers, maps and manuscripts in its collections. The Library is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. The Library preserves and provides access to a rich, diverse and enduring source of knowledge to inform, inspire and engage you in your intellectual and creative endeavors. Whether you are new to the Library of Congress or an experienced researcher, we have a world-class staff ready to assist you online and in person. I encourage you to visit the Library of Congress in person in Washington, D.C., explore the Library online from wherever you are and connect with us on social media.

Natalia Suska

Staff was extremely rude to me. I tried getting a Library of Congress card to study in the main room, had a terrible experience, and never ended up getting in.

Suji Mao

To me this is one of the most virtually appealing building in DC. It's actually 3 buildings connected through tunnels and there is an additional tunnel that runs underground to the Capitola Building. One of thier many center pieces is the Gutenberg Bible. The top floor has a view of the reading room that will blow you away.

Zoltán Somogyi

We did not really plan this visit, just passed through the tunnel after a Capitol visit and arrived in a perfect time to join a free tour with a wonderful, enthusiastic guide, Marylin. It was nice “enlightening” experience....

M J

Simply Amazing! This is, in my opinion, the most beautiful building in DC. It should not be overlooked. The Gutenberg Bible, the Jefferson Library, and the new baseball exhibit are definitely worth the trip.

Jiri Svoboda

Library of Congress is must to see. If you want to see library of congress from inside it is possible. The trick is to request the reader card (free of charge, only fill in security form). Whole process can be done in 5-10min and allow you walk in the library.

Troy Goracke

This was an amazing building. Easily the most ornate library I have ever visited. The reading room was one highlight. Amazing to see the room where old and one of a kind books can be read. Beautiful public areas. The amount of knowledge contained in its collection is hard to fathom. You can even get a Library of Congress library card. If you are in DC you should visit.

Rose Merree

Looking for answers start at the Library of Congress. If you can't go there in person you can send your question to the librarian who will answer you in a day or so. You can get everything from here except legal advice. Your question will be answered in just about every possible way and you will be pointed in direction or several where you can learn more on your own.

Toni

Much better than I expected! It's very beautiful on the inside.

Matt Calhoun

This was a super impressive building and it got more amazing when we went inside. Lots of interesting exhibits, Beautiful rooms and architecture. Highlight was getting my LIbrary card from the library of congress and getting access to the reading room which was jaw dropping amazing.

Rachel Mackson

Nice architecture. Thank managed to get a tour of the Asian section, but that is typically reserved for members. It’s a phenomenal place to visit while in DC, if just for the architecture inside alone. Would recommend (also—its always free!)

Eddie Rose

If you're going to the Capitol, don't miss the Library of Congress. The classical features of the building are even more ornate than most of the other structures in Washington, DC. The architecture alone is worth the visit. There are also special displays (there was one on graphic arts in early 2018). There's also a room that contains Thomas Jefferson's personal collection. The reading room is huge and although you can't access it, the glassed in overlook gives you a view of the space. Outside is a spectacular fountain with a sculpture of The Court of Neptune.

Murali S

This is supposedly the world's largest library. Although I haven't been to the reading room, I was able to see the reading room from the viewing area. There is a Guttenberg Bible on display in addition to other historical artifacts. A gift shop is on site as well. Visiting hours when I visited in Jul were from from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM.

S Renaudie

Lovely building on Capitol Hill. The entrance is free and you can enjoy the grand architecture inside and outside. Don't miss out in the impressive fountain just under the entrance stairs by the main road. On The ground floor you'll find one of the first bibles printed in Latin. Also the secretaries office. Take the stairs and go to level 2 to see the library hall from the balcony.

Elie Youssef

Interesting and free entrance. After visiting the Capitol, make sure to visit the Library of Congress. The biggest library in the United States. A copy of all publications and books must be available there. I didn't wait in any line. It was so easy, fast and worth it. Exhibitions and projections are launched there for various memories and topics. Take the stairs to have a look over the library. Beautiful place and highly recommended.

Matt Davis

A must-see monument in DC. The basic tour tells you about the building, the major history, and lets you see the main chamber under the dome. They had great exhibits on baseball and the outbreak of WWI. They also have a bag and coat check which is a great convenience.

Tiffany Morisue

Much more than a typical library- didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as we did! The architecture and art alone made it worth visiting. Jefferson Library exhibit was awesome - had no concept of how many books he had before seeing it. Definitely recommend taking a group tour - you’ll learn a lot. Great experience not only for adults but also school age children. We allotted only about two hours for our visit, could have easily spent 3 - 4 here.

George OBrien

Viewing one of the original copies of the Magna Carta, the Declaration of Independence,any of Alexander Hamilton’s library. We took the Tour arranged through the office of my Congress person, Nancy Pelosi. We booked 6 months in advance to assure getting a tour reservation. The congressional office bounced that request to a time to book according to Library of Congress reservation protocols. I think we rebooked just a few months prior. Capital tours required the longer advanced booking. The building itself was remarkable; seeing documents relating to the founding of the nation was remarkable. The Magna Carta viewing was stunning. Interesting to note that ‘antique’ documents is available to those making requests in advance. Some archived items require advance arrangement to be available. Now many resources are available in digital form online. I think loc.gov is the website. Several display editions were absent due to scheduled digitizing. A tremendous resource. Check it out.

bloodlust red

Currently the biggest library in the world in terms of volumes. Reminds me of library of Alexandria of ancient Mediterranean world.

Becky Riggle

This was our favorite part of a recent trip to DC. Highly recommend the guided tour, staff is well educated and you'll learn more about the architecture, building, and books on display than with a self guided tour. Don't miss the Gutenberg Bible and view of the reading room from the top floor. Highly recommend!

Grigore Stegarescu

Wow very beautiful place. This is one of the biggest library in the world. Free entrance actually.

Ron Funk

Tucked away on the lowest public level down the hallway just past the Bob Hope Exhibit, lies a labyrinth of corridors and offices. I would love to do some more exploring!

Mindy Gallina

If you haven’t been, you need to go. The building itself sends you back to time when European architecture, the arts, and education held sway over science and technology. It’s beautiful to see and makes you want to be back in college so you can just sit inside the reading room for a moment. The movie National Treasure put this landmark on the map again, and it doesn’t disappoint. Even the bathrooms are pretty! To see Thomas Jefferson’s library up close is definitely a highlight of my visit to DC.

Kaylie Phillips

This is a must see in Washington DC. We waited for the free tour hoping it would take us into the reading room. It doesn’t go anywhere that you can’t explore on your own and unless you have specific questions I would skip this tour. They only send about 15-20 people with each guide but there is no easy way to tell who was assigned so it would be easy to just tag along with a guide group. I would recommend getting your library card so you can go into the reading rooms. You have to go to a lower floor (just ask, everyone was super helpful) and provide photo id. Large bags are not allowed so plan to check them at coat check or leave them with a member of your group and take turns looking around. Your library card is valid for 2 years so you can look at their online books too.

David Fielding

The Library of Congress Jefferson Building represents 2 of the most stunning interior spaces in Washington, DC. The Great Hall is open to the public at all times. The Main Reading Room, directly adjacent to the Great Hall is available to anyone with a LOC library card, which you can get at the nearby James Madison building. General public access (and photography) of the Reading Room is only allowed on two days of the year; President's Day (Feb.) and Columbus Day (Oct.) for their Open House. There is a view of the Reading Room from the upper staircase in the Great Hall, where some of my pics were taken.

Caleb Persia

Having fun isn't hard if you have a library card. Its fun to watch the tourists looking in on you from behind the glass if you have access. Lovely place.

Marwan

beautiful From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the de facto national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. The Library is housed in three buildings on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.; it also maintains the National Audio-Visual Conservation Center in Culpeper, Virginia. The Library of Congress claims to be the largest library in the world. Its "collections are universal, not limited by subject, format, or national boundary, and include research materials from all parts of the world and in more than 450 languages.

Anthony on the Trail

Beautiful and amazing building

Jared Halphin

WOW! Just stunning. I do not think there are words to describe it. The architecture is absolutely amazing! I was geeking out about the architecture and history of this place. So fascinating and so much history here. Just...WOW! Definitely come here if you are in the DC area!

Maria Loera

Beautiful library. You can spend hours just looking over every little detail it has to offer. They do have security, so make sure that you do not bring any drinks or food with you.

M MMM

LoC is beautiful. Take time to enjoy this marvel.

The Best

This is not your typical library. This libary is full of government policy and business style documents. This is a great place for law students or congressional employees. They do have countless amounts of reading material in various topics. This libary is a great place for educator and genius people of the world.

Kerensta Graham

I visited the library of Congress on a recent field trip with my daughter class. It was a beautiful facility and worth the tour and visit .

Lanvin Ng

Beautiful location for the photoshoot in Washington D.C.

Garrett Jones

An amazing, beautiful building. Definitely worth the time to walk around and see it all.

Jared Knelsen

First off, I would suggest coming when it opens at 8:30. You get the whole tourist area to yourself and several other people. You won't have to wait in lines or dodge people. The building is beautiful. The architecture and building materials are top notch. The library has many interesting exhibits and artifacts. My personal favorite is the full Guttenberg Bible they have. It's one of the few last remaining full Guttenberg bibles left in the world. I would definitely recommend coming to the Library of Congress.

Bridget Paur

The Library of Congress is a really neat place to visit in D.C. However, to get into the actual library, you need a reader's card. They don't allow general visitors to just waltz into the library, so if that is something you want, make sure to get a readers card before you go. Otherwisely, you can look above the library from a balcony and observe from there.

Noah Valencia

One of the best decorated library in United States. One of must see in Washington, D.C! you can either see the museum or go to main reading room and try to grab a book from 1800's. Good place to study, too, only if you do not get distracted easily by its beauty!

Michael Ciurea

What a phenomenal place. The main lobby is stunning and you can spend a while just staring upwards. I recommend taking the tours that are offered several times daily. They’ll take you to places that are available to people just walking around, but you’ll get a lot of background info that’s useful. Be sure to see the Gutenberg Bible, the first map with the word America on it, and get your library card to access the main reading room!

Traeden Overly

So cool, this building houses so much knowledge. Amazing architecture. You can get a library card if you are over 18, (they do expire every 2 years) this will allow you to check out books to read. I personally spent 3 hours reading everything from Buddhism to effects of illegal immigration to modern jewelry. They have the largest collection of books in the world so there is at least something that will interest you.

Jonathan Caddy

As the Library is connected to the Capitol visitors centre, it makes sense to combine the two on your visit. The gallery is a must see looking down into the reading room. Some of the exhibitions are detailed and informative. The building itself is stunning, with marble floors, staircases and beautiful plasterwork ceilings

Ketki Modi

This is s really beautiful building. A must visit if youl ike to see good architecture. The reading room is accessible only if you used a library card. We made library card and then saw the great reading room. Overall one of the stunning underrated monuments in DC area.

Micah Covey

Beautiful, beautiful building both outside and inside!! Amazing how many manuscripts are on file here! Its the largest collection in the world! I plan to visit again!

Sandy Lee

a beautiful building

Jasmine H

I feel like they could have done more with some of the spaces. Looking at the baseball exhibit wasnt that appealing. Learning about womens suffrage was nice. Then when you leave they check your bag

Ayo K. Hogue

I want to take my first Vacation to the Most Prestigious type of Learning institute

Lou H

Amazing architecture! There is no public access to the reading room; yet had a glimpse of it through the glass. Enjoyed the exhibits on the collections of Aztec and Florida history. The self guided tour on the paintings was done very well.

madhurima ray

This has the biggest reading room in the world. It's a must visit if you are in DC and you are a book lover. You donot get to see much but it just a flavor of quality and taste that u can feel.

Vincent McDonald

Reminds me of the nice historic building back in England. Was located 5min away :))

Patrick Au-Yeung

A national treasure, and a must see when visiting DC. Great exhibits that really enrich your knowledge about the history of this country.

Awesome

This was not my favorite place to be personally, though it did have some merits and others would give it 5 stars. The architecture was hands-down the best and most beautiful of all the places I've seen in DC, and the history is interesting, but there wasn't actually that much history in the tour and seeing architecture isn't too meaningful to me personally. There were a lot of people there, so it was very crowded and noisy, and for the architecture, you see it and take your pictures and that's it. However, your experience really depends on your tour guide, because there's actually a lot to see and read about, yet my tour guide was hard to understand and didn't take us to nearly as many places as there were to see. I would like to share some important information too. 1. The entrance is on 1st St on the Jefferson building. The tours are of the Jefferson building. 2. You can take as many pictures as you want wherever you want, but some places you can't use flash. 3. I know lots of people who loved the tour; if you love touring historical European buildings and/or history, you'll love the LoC. It's not great for kids though. 4. You can easily spend a long time here. The tours are 45 minutes long, but you can break off and explore extra as much as you want, and there's an incredible amount to see. 5. You don't get to explore the actual library and read the books there; you only get to see it from a top view. You can only go into the actual library if you are 16 or older with a card, and you reserve books online and read them in the reading room. (They do have a kids' library that you don't need a card for). All in all, this is a place where you can do many things, and the most common thing to do here (tour) is not for everyone, but it's amazing for the people it is best suited for.

PC Hound

When you Google the hours, you'll see that it closes at 9:30. We traveled all to waste our time, all to realize that it remains open till 9:30.... for researchers only! The place really closes at 4:30 for the general public. They need to update this misinformation on their Google listing, so people like me don't waste their time later in the day. Disapointed!

Chrissy Mintz

Admissions is free. Take your time to look at all the beautiful architecture. It is amazing! Ask questions. If you are 16 years old or older, and you are doing research, you can use the Library. No food or drinks are permitted, however, they do allow bottle water. While we visited there was an America Baseball exhibit.

Dardan Abazi

An amazing and inspiring place to be. You get to learn so much about American history. You feel nostalgic about a time you never lived and that's quite special.

One hungry Man

The History of the place saves the experience. Not much you can actually access without being allowed into the library itself. Jefferson books are interesting.

Karissa Eckert

I had been to DC to visit a few times prior to this visit but had never visited the Library of Congress. I wish I had visited years ago. This is an amazing building with some spectacular exhibits. The architecture is just absolutely unique and gorgeous. If you have kids or teens make sure to venture into the basement to the kids nook. We spent an hour or so sitting in the comfy beanbag filled reading rooms here sampling some books. It was an amazingly comfy stop in a rather hectic day and the staff was very helpful and nice.

Hatairat Ketavanan

Inside the library is just like from the movie scene, and it's free!