Custom Tours

Private Group Tours for 10 or More

Schedule a custom tour of the best-kept secret in Washington!

Visit the National Building Museum, America's premier museum dedicated to the celebration and exploration of the built environment. Through our exhibitions, education programs, and publications, the Museum explores the world we build for ourselves. We also examine the history and trends in construction, architecture, urban planning, engineering, landscape architecture, and historic preservation.

The National Building Museum's extraordinary historic home is the former Pension Building, located just off the National Mall in Washington, DC's new cultural downtown. Our breathtaking Great Hall features 75-foot Corinthian Columns and has hosted Presidential inaugural balls.

Building Tours
Exhibition Tours
Discovery Carts
Ghost Tours
Scheduling and Payment Information

Building Tours

Custom building tours are for groups of 10 or more. Fees apply. Tours last approximately 45 minutes and are suggested for high school aged visitors and above.

The Great Hall measures 316 feet by 116 feet, and is 159 feet at its highest point. The fountain is 28 feet across and still has its original terra cotta trim.		Historic Building Tours Join Museum docents for a private custom tour of the Museum's historic home! An in-depth presentation of the structure's architectural elements and historical significance as well as a chronicle of the building's construction will be presented. Constructed of more than 15 million bricks, the Museum houses some of the largest Corinthian columns in the world and has been the site of seventeen Presidential Inaugural Balls, from Grover Cleveland's in 1885 to Barack Obama's in 2009. The tour includes a visit to the Museum's fourth floor, where you will find yourself face to face with the colossal capitals of our Corinthian columns! Tours last 45 minutes. Custom tours can be scheduled at any time Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Sunday from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. After-hours tours are available with limited dates and times.

Exhibition Tours

Custom exhibition tours are for groups of 10 or more. Fees apply. Tours last approximately 45 minutes and are suggested for high school-aged visitors and above.

The Washington Monument, Signal Corps., US Army, ca. 1931. Courtesy the Archives and Record Adminstration		Washington: Symbol & City First-time visitor or long-time resident? Discover the city created by the government and for the government through this groundbreaking exhibition. Over the course of two centuries, the nation's capital has grown to fulfill many of their hopes. Today, the revered Capitol and White House, the stately offices of government, the iconic monuments and museums, and the sweep of the Mall and the city's many public parks all evoke the ideals of democracy in the 21st century. This exhibition explores how residents experience the city and how Washington itself expresses the tension between the demands of a working seat of government and the desire for a national symbol, and the hopes and needs of an evolving city. Tours last 45 minutes. Custom tours can be scheduled at any time Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Sunday from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. After-hours tours are available with limited dates and times.
PMI Parking Garage, Washington, DC Anice Hoachlander, Historic American Buildings Survey		House of Cars: Innovation and the Parking Garage We have all spent time in parking garages, but we rarely stop to think about what they have meant for our cities and ourselves. Cars did more than change how we travel: they changed the layout of our cities. The National Building Museum's exhibition House of Cars:Innovation and the Parking Garage explores the unique relationship between parked cars and hte built enviroment and encourages visitors to see these familiar structures in a whole new way. Enjoy a docent led tour and explore the exciting world that we build for ourselves! Tours last 45 minutes. Custom tours can be scheduled at any time Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Sunday from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. After-hours tours are available with limited dates and time.
		Curator Led Tours Receive a special insider's look of the Museum's exhibitions with a curator led tour at the National Building Museum. This special offering provides insight into our exhibitions but also an understanding of the unique creative process behind creating an exhibition. The following tours are available: Cityscapes Revealed: Highlights from the Collection Through December 31, 2010 House of Cars: Innovation and the Parking Garage Through July 11, 2010 Storefront Churches: Photographs by Camilo Jose Vegara Through November 29, 2009 Washington: Symbol and City Through December 31, 2011 Curator led tours are limited to a maximum of 25 people. Tours are available Monday-Friday from 10:00 am-4:00 pm and are approximately 45 minutes in length. Reservation requests are required at least 4 weeeks in advance, and are subject to curator's availability. Fee: $300

Discovery Carts

Discover your inner engineer with private, hands-on Discovery Carts. Perfect for youth groups, elementary school classes, and scouts! Most appropriate for ages 5 and up. Fees apply.

The Museum's "Bridging the Gap" Discovery Cart. Photo by F.T. Eyre.		Bridging the Gap During this interactive demonstration, participants learn about five basic bridge types before solving a transportation problem by choosing which type of bridge to build. Carts last 30 minutes. Custom discovery carts can be scheduled at any time Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Sunday from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. After-hours carts are available with limited dates and times.
The Museum's "Arches and Trusses: The Tension Builds" Discovery Cart. Photo by F.T. Eyre.		Arches and Trusses: The Tension Builds Discover how building forces, materials, and structures affect strength and longevity. Participants test different building materials and work together to build an arch. Carts last 30 minutes. Custom discovery carts can be scheduled at any time Monday through Saturday from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm and Sunday from 11:00 am - 4:00 pm. After-hours carts are available with limited dates and times.

Ghost Tours

Everyone loves a good ghost story! See a different side of the Museum on this lantern-light tour led by the ghost of Mary Surratt. Who are the irritable rider on horseback and the footless figure? Why are there mysterious faces swirling in the 75 foot Corinthian columns? All will be revealed on this behind-the-scenes tour of the mysteries of the Museum. Schedule a Custom Ghost Tour for your own private group. Register before the tours disappear!

Custom Ghost Tours can be arranged for groups of 5-25 people. Recommended for ages 10 and up, 1 adult per every 10 children required. Tours are from 8:00-9:00 pm. Available Dates: Sunday, December 6, 2009; Saturday, January 9, 2010; Sunday, January 24, 2010; Sunday, February 14, 2010; Sunday, February 21, 2010; Saturday, March 6, 2010; Friday, March 19, 2010; Saturday, April 3, 2010; Friday, April 30, 2010; Friday, May 15, 2010;  Friday, June 11, 2010; and Saturday, June 12, 2010. Custom Ghost Tour Fees: Members: $300; Non-members: $375 Registration for Custom Ghost Tours: Before registering for a Custom Ghost Tour, please check the available dates. We are currently accepting reservations through June 2010. To schedule a Custom Ghost Tour, please complete the registration form below at least two months in advance. After you fill out the registration form, the availablity of your selected date will be reviewed by Museum staff. If the date and time you selected are available, you will recieve an email with payment instructions. Upon payment, your party will be confirmed.

Custom Tour Scheduling and Payment Information

To schedule a custom tour, please click on the form link below or contact the Tour and Volunteer Office at 202.272.2448. Custom tours/discovery carts must be scheduled at least three weeks in advance in order to secure a docent/cart facilitator.

Rates

Rates are based on the number of tour participants in a group:

*One docent/cart facilitator will be scheduled per 25 visitors. Due to the complexity of scheduling, please have accurate numbers when you book your tour/cart.

**Pricing excludes Curator Led and Ghost Tours.

Payment

Payment is due at time of booking. A confirmation email with a link to make the payment will be sent to the group facilitator shortly after booking. We accept Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. If you must send a check, please make it out to the National Building Museum and plan for its arrival at least one week before your scheduled tour.

Cancellations and Refunds

If you must cancel your custom tour or realize you will arrive early or late, please contact the Tour and Volunteer Office at 202.272.2448 immediately. If your tour is scheduled for a Saturday or Sunday and you must cancel on that day, please speak to the information desk so that your docent/cart facilitator may be notified, as special arrangements will have been made to provide you with a docent/cart facilitator at a specific time.

Please allow up to three weeks to process a refund. Any cancellation received less than two (2) weeks prior to the scheduled tour date will result in a forfeiture of the tour fee.

Please visit the Hours and Amenities page for information on our cafe, shop, and more. For parking and directions, please visit the Accessibility and Directions page.

The National Building Museum is a member of

The American Bus Association	DC Guild	DC Heritage Tourism Coalition

Questions? Contact the Tour and Volunteer Office at 202.272.2448 or email grouptours@nbm.org.