Exhibition Tours

Docent-led tours of the Museum's ground-breaking exhibitions

Section through the dome of the U.S. Capitol, Architect of the Capitol Thomas U. Walter, 1855.

Courtesy Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division

Washington: Symbol and City

First-time visitor to Washington, D.C.? Long-time resident? However familiar you are with Washington, D.C. you can discover it in a whole new way in this ground-breaking exhibition that explores the city created by the government for the government. 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 the 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. Washington: Symbol and City 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 offered Thursday - Sunday at 2:30 pm.

All tours subject to docent availability. Please call 202.272.2448 to make sure a docent is available for a scheduled tour.

House
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.

Tours are offered daily at 2:00pm

All tours are subject to docent availability. Please call 202.272.2448 to make sure a docent is available for a scheduled tour.

All tours are FREE and reservations are not required for individual or groups fewer than 10. For groups of 10 or more, please see Custom Tours for more information. All tours are subject to docent availability.