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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Visit The White House

The President and Dr. Biden are delighted to welcome members of the public to tour the White House. Public tour requests are scheduled through your Member of Congress and their Congressional Tour Coordinator. Constituents may reach your Member of Congress and Congressional Tour Coordinator through the U.S. House of Representatives Switchboard at 202-225-3121, the U.S. Senate Switchboard at 202-224-3121, or online at  www.congress.gov/members .

Consistent with prior practices, public White House tour requests must be submitted a minimum of 21 days in advance and no more than 90 days in advance of the requested tour date(s). Reservations cannot be accepted for tour dates outside this 21 – 90-day window.  

Public tours are typically available from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, excluding Federal holidays or unless otherwise noted. If your tour is confirmed, please note that you will be assigned a specific time.  All White House tours are free of charge. The White House tour schedule is subject to change, with little notice, based on inclement weather or official use.

If you are a citizen of a foreign country, please contact your embassy in Washington, D.C. for assistance in submitting a tour request.

Identification Requirements

All U.S. citizens ages 18 and older, and foreign nationals of all ages (including children), must present a valid, government-issued photo ID upon arrival for their tour. Acceptable forms of identification are below.

U.S. CITIZENS

• United States Driver’s License
• Valid United States Passport
• United States Military ID

FOREIGN NATIONALS

• Valid Passport
• Alien Registration Card
• Permanent Resident Card
• U.S. State Department Issued Diplomatic ID Card

A U.S. driver’s license is not an acceptable form of identification for foreign nationals. No foreign-issued state IDs, foreign-issued driver’s licenses, expired passports, photocopies, other transmissions of these documents, or other forms of identification will be accepted. Individuals without acceptable identification, or whose identification does not exactly match the information previously registered, may be denied entry.

Prohibited Items

• Bags of any kind (including fanny packs and clutches)
• Cameras with detachable lenses
• Electric stun guns
• E-cigarettes
• Knives of any kind
• Martial arts
• Tobacco Products
• Toy Weapons
• Video cameras
• Weapons/devices
• Any pointed object
• Any other item determined to be a potential safety hazard

Please note that storage facilities are not provided during your visit. Individuals who arrive with bags or prohibited items will not be permitted to enter the White House.

Permitted Items

• Baby carriers worn on the body
• Breast pumps
• Cell phones
• Compact cameras with lenses less than 3 inches
• Umbrellas without metal tips
• All items needed for medical purposes (i.e. wheelchairs, EpiPens, medication, etc.)

Getting Here

Use of public transportation is strongly encouraged, as there is no parking available on the White House complex and street parking is limited. The closest Metrorail stations to the White House are Federal Triangle (blue and orange lines), Metro Center (blue, orange, silver, and red lines), and McPherson Square (blue, orange, and silver lines).

The White House Tour entrance is located in Sherman Park at 15th Street NW and Alexander Hamilton Place NW. If arriving by rideshare, use the White House Visitor Center (WHVC) as the drop-off address. The WHVC is located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20230, which is one block from the White House.

Restrooms are located at the White House Visitors Center, located at 1450 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, D.C. 20230. There are no restrooms available once you arrive for your tour.

Accessibility

The White House tour route is wheelchair accessible. Visitors who wish to use a White House wheelchair should notify a U.S. Secret Service officer upon arrival.

Guide animals are permitted in the White House.

Health and Safety Guidance

Guests who receive a confirmed tour reservation will be issued a White House Tour Pass ahead of their tour date containing pertinent health and safety guidance.

Know Before You Go

• Tours are self-guided and last approximately 45 minutes
• Eat a snack and stay hydrated prior to arrival.
• Dress for the weather, knowing you will be outside before your tour.
• Arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled tour time.
• No late arrivals are accepted.
• All guests must be previously registered via the RSVP link provided by the White House.
• Please silence your cell phone and refrain from phone calls during the tour.
• No flash photography or video recording is permitted during your tour.
• Visitors may call the 24-hour Visitors Office information line at 202-456-7041 for latest updates and information relevant to White House tours.

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How Can I Tour the White House in Washington, DC?

Everything you need to know about planning a visit to the country’s most famous house., requesting a white house tour.

Touring the White House requires some advance planning. Public tour requests must be made through your member of Congress ( find your member of Congress and contact information ) and submitted up to three months in advance and no less than 21 days prior to your visit. If you're an international visitor and wish to schedule a tour, please contact your home country’s embassy in Washington, DC.

You are encouraged to submit your tour request as early as possible as tours fill up quickly and a limited number of spaces are available. Tours are filled on a first-come, first-served basis. All White House tours are free. Please note tours are subject to last-minute cancellations based on the official White House schedule.

Public, self-guided tours are 45 minutes and are run between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays unless otherwise noted. For complete details on White House tours, visit the White House tours and events page or call the White House Visitors Office 24-hour information line at (202) 456-7041. The White House is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW.

Touring the White House - Washington, DC

What to expect on a White House tour

If there is a tour slot available during your visit to DC, you will be given a specific date and time to arrive and be instructed on where to check in. All guests over 18 years old will be required to present a valid, government-issued photo ID upon check-in. Foreign nationals must present their passport. Please bring as little as possible (avoid backpacks, food, large handbags, bottled water, etc.). Note that smartphones and compact cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches are permitted on the public tour route, but video recording devices and flash photography are not allowed inside the White House. Visitors will go through security prior to entering the White House. There are no restrooms available at the White House. The closest restroom is located at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion nearby.

Public tours of the White House include the public rooms in the East Wing, which includes the Blue Room, Red Room and Green Room; the State Dining Room; the China Room; and a view of the White House Rose Garden. Secret Service members are stationed in each room and are available to answer questions about the history and architecture of each room.

You can also visit the White House Visitor Center   before or after your tour.

Stephen Melkisethian

How to get to the White House

The closest Metro 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). Please note there is NO PARKING near the White House. Public transportation is strongly encouraged.

@abroadwife

How to tour the White House Garden

Another opportunity to visit the White House is to attend either its fall or spring garden tour. Check whitehouse.gov in early October and April. The announcement of the garden tours is usually made within a week or two of when they take place. Garden tours generally run for two consecutive days. They may be canceled due to poor weather. A ticket is required for all attendees (including small children). Usually, tickets are distributed by the National Park Service at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion on 15th and E streets NW on each tour day beginning at 9 a.m. Review the announcement for specific details.

Will I still be able to see the White House without going on a tour?

While visitors are not allowed entry to the White House without requesting a tour through your congressional representative, you will still be able to see the White House from Pennsylvania Avenue NW at Lafayette Square and view the White House and the South Lawn from the Ellipse. Please note that a new fence is currently under construction at the White House, as the current 6-foot fence is being replaced by a stronger, wider fence that will be 13 feet.

Where can I store my belongings during the tour?

It is important to note that security at the White House is extremely high. If your hotel is nearby, we suggest leaving your belongings in your room during the tour. If this is not possible, there are a few other options. You can designate one member of your tour group to hold everyone’s belongings. That person can take the self-guided tour once his or her group has finished the tour.

If you're a ticketed Amtrak customer, you may be able to check luggage in advance at  Union Station . These are located near Gate A. Lockers are available from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. A photo ID is required and lockers must be paid for via cash or credit in advance. Rates are $3-$6 per hour per bag depending on the size of your bag. For questions on bag storage, please call 202-906-3000.

Catch up on White House history with the free podcas t The 1600 Sessions and enhance your trip with the  White House Experience app  from the White House Historical Association. The app offers three tour experiences, including a virtual tour of the White House (with rooms you normally don't see on the tour), a neighborhood walking tour and a room-by-room guide for visitors on an in-person tour of the White House.

Now that you have read up on the White House, explore DC’s other awesome  monuments and memorials .

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White House tours are back: Here's what you need to know

I remember visiting the White House for the first time during former President George H.W. Bush's time in office.

A friend with a friend who worked in the Washington, D.C., landmark at the time — if that isn't a quintessential D.C. thing to say, I don't know what is — was couch surfing at my place and wanted to "pay" me with a tour of the presidential mansion.

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I happily accepted the offer and, not long after, found myself exploring the iconic building. In addition to checking out the usual rooms included in the tour, my friend scored us a peek inside the Oval Office, an experience I'll never forget.

Like many sites in D.C., the White House paused tours of its interior due to the COVID-19 pandemic. But after 14 months, the Biden Administration announced that tours will resume on Friday and Saturday mornings starting April 15.

As was the case before the pandemic, you can't just show up and ask for tickets. Instead, you'll need to plan your visit weeks in advance.

Before you finalize your itinerary, here's everything you need to know about White House tours, plus suggestions for where to stay nearby.

Although the White House is managed by the National Park Service, you can't reach out to the agency to get tickets. Instead, you'll need to request them from your member of Congress (or your embassy, if you're not a U.S. resident). You can do this between three months and 21 days in advance.

Tours are limited to Friday and Saturday mornings (excluding federal holidays or unless otherwise noted) from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis, so you'll want to request your tickets as early as possible.

When you submit your request, be sure to include three potential dates for your tour, as well as the number of individuals in your party. Try to avoid the Martin Luther King Jr. Day, President's Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Veterans Day and Christmas holidays, as tickets are a lot harder to come by during these busy times.

While you'll have a set tour time when you receive your tickets, know that unexpected events may occasionally cause your tour to be canceled at the last minute. If this happens, you'll need to submit a new request for a tour.

On the day of your tour, all members of your group who are 18 and older will need to present a valid government-issued photo ID, such as a driver's license or military ID (or a passport, if they're from another country). Each person's name, date of birth, city and state given for the reserved tickets must exactly match the government-issued photo ID presented.

While face masks are not required during the tour, they will be available on site should you want to wear one. Items you're welcome to bring on the tour include:

• Compact cameras with lenses shorter than 3 inches long.
• Umbrellas without metal tips.
• Small personal items like wallets and cellphones.
• Items needed for medical purposes, such as wheelchairs (which you also can request at the Visitors Entrance), medications and mobility aids.

Keep in mind, though, that the White House's strict security protocols mean certain items are not permitted inside. These include:

• Video cameras, cameras with detachable lenses, tablets, iPads, tripods, monopods and cameras sticks.
• Bags of any kind (handbags, purses, book bags, backpacks, diaper bags and camera bags).
• Any pointed object, including pocket knives.
• Food, liquids, aerosols, tobacco products and personal grooming items (makeup, lotion, etc.).
• Guns, ammunition, fireworks, electric stun guns, mace, martial arts weapons and devices, toy weapons and knives of any kind.

There is no storage available at the White House or the White House Visitor Center, so plan on keeping any prohibited items in your hotel safe or leaving them with a companion who isn't taking the tour.

What you'll see

After you've made your way through security, you'll embark on an hourlong tour that includes stops at several well-known spots in the building, including the family theater, the East Room (which you may recognize from press conferences and special events), the State Dining Room (a banquet hall and ceremonial chamber for official events) and the Blue Room (a reception room famous for its decorations during the holiday season).

Depending on what's going on during your visit (or who you know), you may also have the chance to see other spaces like the Oval Office and the South Lawn, where Marine One (the presidential helicopter) lands and departs.

To supplement your White House tour, check out the adjacent White House Visitor Center . Open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the center is home to roughly 100 historical artifacts and offers an interactive touchscreen tour of the White House.

There's also the nearby White House Historical Association retail store , which sells a great selection of souvenirs, including history books, jewelry, cherry blossom items and the official White House Christmas ornament.

Where to stay

Washington, D.C. is home to many chain, independent and boutique hotels, and luckily, some of the best ones happen to be within walking distance of the White House. Here are some of my personal favorites — and their current room rates for October 2022.

Related: Best hotel credit cards

The Hay-Adams

This historic hotel located between the White House and Lafayette Park regularly shows up on lists of the best hotels in D.C., and for good reason. If you play your cards right, you can snag a room with White House and Washington Monument views.

Speaking of views, the property's top-floor Top of the Hay has French doors that open onto a wraparound balcony with panoramic White House and city skyline vistas. It has a full-service rooftop kitchen, making it a terrific space for meetings and special occasions.

Since The Hay-Adams is a boutique hotel, it does not participate in any major brand's loyalty program. As a result, you'll need to pay cash for your stay. Standard superior rooms start at $439 a night.

Hotel Washington

For a while, this 105-year-old hotel was known as the W Washington DC, but it reverted back to its original name in August 2021.

The chic property is known for the Vue, an open-air space regularly touted as one of the city's best rooftop bars. You'll also find a mix of rooms and suites, including some with jaw-dropping city views.

Cash rates for a standard queen room at this independently operated hotel start at $337 per night, but if you're looking for a show-stopping view, consider upgrading to one of the Monument suites. You'll enjoy sweet views of the Washington Monument for a minimum of $580 a night.

JW Marriott Washington, DC

One of Marriott's flagship hotels just happens to sit right on Pennsylvania Avenue, less than two blocks away from the White House and next door to the National Theatre.

Like other hotels on this list, the JW Marriott Washington, DC boasts rooms with incredible views of downtown and the city's popular monuments. You'll also find a moody bar and an American-inspired restaurant on site, should you crave a cocktail or bite to eat after sightseeing.

While standard rooms do not come with a Washington Monument view, for a slight price increase, you can reserve a king bedroom that overlooks the monument starting at $359 a night. If you have a stash of Marriott Bonvoy points, you can apply 50,000 to 60,000 points per night to cover a stay here.

Willard InterContinental Washington DC

The history of this hotel, which opened in 1818, almost goes back to the start of the republic. As such, it was the place to see and be seen for centuries.

When I moved to D.C. in 1978, the iconic Willard had been closed for 10 years and was just a decaying building on Pennsylvania Avenue. That same year, a team was chosen to redevelop the hotel into the stunning property it is today.

Ever since reopening in 1986, the IHG-affiliated hotel has drawn visitors with its ornate lobby and classically-styled rooms.

To book a king room with a premium view, expect to spend at least $517 per night or apply a minimum of 53,000 to 94,000 IHG Rewards points per night.

Kimpton Banneker Hotel

Located on a tree-lined avenue with a view down 16th Street Northwest to the White House, this Kimpton outpost is slightly off the beaten path ... in a good way.

The property's Lady Bird rooftop bar features a bird's-eye view of D.C., including an unobstructed look at the White House, and a centerpiece U-shaped bar. Rooms and suites feature modern, eye-catching designs with colorful local art and bold accent walls.

Because this property participates in the IHG Rewards program, you can use either cash or points to pay for a room here. A standard room with two queen beds starts at $315 or 53,000 points per night.

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Our place in Washington: the inside story of the British embassy

I t is the place where an obsessed fan used nail scissors to cut off Ringo Starr's hair; where John F Kennedy's children were schooled; and it has played host to countless fireside chats between presidents and prime ministers, witnessing the ebb and flow of Britain's treasured "special relationship".

The British ambassador's residence, at 3100 Massachusetts Ave, NW , is one the most storied diplomatic addresses in Washington, DC, if not the world. It has been the backdrop to lavish royal parties in the English garden; strained meetings between president Lyndon B Johnson and Harold Wilson; and even more awkward encounters between Barack Obama and Gordon Brown.

A new book, The Architecture of Diplomacy, casts a revealing light on the building, and the Anglo-American relationship it has nurtured over the years. Over tea in the drawing room, the book's author – historian and biographer Dr Anthony Seldon – lavishes praise on the building before a gathering of mostly American guests, arguing that it is "simply the greatest ambassadorial residence of any country, in any capital city".

Not everyone would agree – not even, it seems, the current occupant, ambassador Sir Peter Westmacott . Showing little of the diplomatic skill for which he is renowned, Westmacott displays more enthusiasm for his previous residence in France. "Paris has the history, you know," he says, recounting his posting at the palatial Hotel de Charost in the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. "Seventeen-twenties. Mucked about a bit after that. But its real claim to fame was because it was the Duke of Wellington who bought it from Napoleon's sister with all the stuff that was in it."

His wife, Lady Susie Westmacott, the driving force behind the book, concurs but adds, diplomatically, that unlike the Washington building, the French residence was "architecturally not a gem".

Britain's outpost in Washington opened in 1930 and was designed by the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens , who was also responsible for the Cenotaph in London and planned much of New Delhi. Seldon, who co-authored the book with Daniel Collings, hails Lutyens' only building in the US as a "tremendous piece of three-dimensional art" and a seamless blending of grand English country home and the American colonial period.

Seldon, often referred to as Downing Street's official historian, has written three prime ministerial biographies – of John Major, Tony Blair and Gordon Brown – and is currently working on a fourth, of David Cameron. It is perhaps no surprise that The Architecture of Diplomacy, a heavily illustrated coffee-table book sponsored by a global private equity firm, does more to promote than analyse Britain's relationship with the US. It is a gift, the kind that Westmacott will hand out to senators and congressmen, a gentle reminder of the link the ambassador works to foster.

Lutyens designed the building in the late 1920s, during what was, ironically, a low point in Anglo-American relations, when the two nations were engaged in such economic competition that one British official suggested that war between the two countries was "not unthinkable". Both, at that time, were great powers, and Britain needed a suitably impressive embassy in the US, one heralded by the Washington Post in 1929 as "the finest in the world".

It is questionable whether it remains the most impressive in Washington – or even the most important. It is well known in diplomatic circles that the Obama administration has limited enthusiasm for Britain, the one-time colonial power in Kenya, a place central to the president's personal story. On a practical level, Obama is seeking to recalibrate foreign policy toward Asia and away from Europe. The latter remains a hugely important ally, but is increasingly treated as a single block represented by German chancellor Angela Merkel.

Neither is the British residence the most suited for providing Washington powerbrokers with the Ferrero Rocher treatment. A chancery built next door to Lutyens' building looks – everyone admits – like a 1960s high school, detracting from the glamour of the residence, which is now solely occupied by the ambassador's family.

And there are plenty of diplomatic missions in town that have become important to the social scene – often wielding influence disproportionate to the country's economic or military clout. "Used well, a residence can be a huge help to advancing a country's interests," says Garrett Graff, editor of the Washingtonian Magazine .

Rima Al-Sabah, wife of the Kuwaiti ambassador, is famed for hosting parties for key figures in the city. "It's very difficult to say no to Rima," a former chief of staff to first lady Laura Bush once said, "and it's unwise if you do." Similarly, Yemeni ambassador Abdulwahab Abdulla Al-Hajjri , Washington's playboy diplomat, was for a long time known for holding dance parties in a red-walled basement.

The Finns, too, punch above their weight, gaining access to some of Washington's most influential players through invitations to exclusive sauna parties in the basement of their embassy. The Turkish embassy hosts frequent jazz concerts in honour of Nesuhi and Ahmet Ertegün, the sons of a former Turkish ambassador, who grew up to found Atlantic Records and cultivate the careers of John Coltrane, Ray Charles, Roberta Flack and Led Zeppelin, among many others.

The French ambassador's residence is traditionally the venue of Vanity Fair's annual afterparty for the White House Correspondents' Dinner – the pinnacle of Washington's social calendar. (Renovations meant this year's event had to be moved to the Italian residence, which was considered a huge coup for Rome.)

But it is Japan, which in 1912 had the foresight to donate thousands of cherry trees to the US, that wields the greatest cultural influence in Washington through its embassy. Each spring, the arrival of the cherry blossom brings in hundreds of thousands of tourists, and the Japanese are careful not to let America's capital forget where the trees came from, with lantern-lighting ceremonies and an exquisite reception at the ambassador's residence.

Seldon insists that Britain and the US's shared history, along with their cultural and linguistic ties, preserve a unique relationship. "I cannot see the president suddenly forming a very close buddy-bond with the head of, you know, a 'Bric' country," he says, referring to the rising powers of Brazil, Russia, India and China.

In 1939, the residence hosted the first visit to the US by a British head of state, King George VI. The book hints at a sense of British superiority over its former colony. After a furore over the guestlist, the then-ambassador, Sir Ronald Lindsay , was forced to call a press conference at which he was asked why more "average Americans" were not invited. "There's such an awful lot of them," he replied. During the garden party, most guests curtsied and bowed, although one Texan congressman apparently shouted at the monarch: "Hi-ya, Cousin George!"

Relations improved significantly with the US entry into the second world war and the prime ministership of Sir Winston Churchill – a figure lionised in America, then as now. Churchill visited the residence 13 times, developing his famously close rapport with Franklin D Roosevelt. The cold war also forced Britain and the US together – although there were bumps along the road, most notably the 1956 Suez crisis which, Seldon writes, left much of Washington "virtually not speaking to their British contacts".

The healing process was aided by what must surely rate as one of the most astute foreign postings in diplomatic history: Harold Macmillan's appointment of Sir David Ormsby-Gore as his man in Washington. Ormsby-Gore was an obvious choice, principally because President Kennedy had been pleading for his appointment.

The two men were already close friends, and their relationship flourished when Ormsby-Gore moved to Washington. Their families socialised together at the White House, the British residence or on boating trips in Chesapeake Bay. The residence hosted private dance parties and book club evenings, events the Kennedy clan often attended.

Ormsby-Gore became an éminence grise to Kennedy, closer to him even than some White House advisors. When the president was assassinated in 1963, Ormsby-Gore lost not just a friend, but also his unrivalled access to the administration. Not even a masked ball in honour of a visit from the Beatles the following year – the event at which Ringo lost his hair – could rekindle the closeness Ormsby-Gore enjoyed under Kennedy's brief tenure.

Other highwater marks in the special relationship have followed, although those have flowed not from ambassadorships but the close relations fostered between presidents and prime ministers: Thatcher and Reagan in the 1980s, Tony Blair's friendships with both Bill Clinton and George W Bush.

Yet no British politician or diplomat, before or since, can boast the access of Ormsby-Gore during Kennedy's administration. A fact omitted from the book is that after the president's assassination, Kennedy's children, who could no longer be schooled at the White House, were taken under the wing of the residence's in-house tutors.

"There has probably never been an ambassador or head of ligation of any country that has come so close to any of the 44 presidents," says Seldon.

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Tour the White House in Washington

The white house has been the home of democracy since 1800, in countries around the world. everyone recognises it from films, tv shows and the background of countless television news reports. in this article, we’ll tell you what you need to know to be able to tour the white house..

For security reasons, touring the White House requires plenty of advance planning and a little bit of luck. Requests to tour the White House are handled on a first come, first served basis, and need to be submitted in advance.

How To Get In

The White House Tours page of the US National Parks service has some information about how the process works. Applications are taken between three months and 21 days before the tour.

Non-US residents need to submit their application via the United States embassy in their country.

Submitting an application as a UK citizen can be a slow and relatively cumbersome process. Understandably, processing tours of the White House for visiting tourists is not the priority of most US Embassy staff. However, if you are persistent, who knows – you might just be in with a chance!

Some Tips To Increase Your Chances

If you definitely have your heart set on a tour, it can be worth making enquiries before the three-month point passes. This means you will know how to submit the application before the window opens.

What To Do When You Arrive

When you arrive at the White House on the day of your tour (with a ticket in hand we hope!), you’ll be required to present your passport and go through an airport-style security check.

As a general rule, the fewer items you take with you, the easier your trip will be, so leave any bags behind in your hotel or find a luggage storage facility. The same goes for video cameras or any other large electronics such as iPads.

Do a bit of planning and follow these rules, and you’ll be able to make the most of your visit to this famous building.

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British Embassy Washington

About british embassy washington.

3100 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington DC 20008 USA

Telephone: +1 202 588 6500 or +44 207 008 5000 from the UK

Use our contact form for consular enquiries: www.gov.uk/contact-consulate-washington

Visit our profile page for more about the work we do.

Opening hours

Due to security considerations, public access is by appointment only.

Telephone: 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays)

Emergency consular assistance following the death, hospitalisation, arrest, or other serious incident involving a British national is available 24 hours by calling +1 202 588 6500

Visa enquiries, service not offered at this location..

Check if you need a visa or send an enquiry to UK Visas and Immigration.

Find out how to apply for a British passport or send an enquiry to His Majesty’s Passport Office.

Services available by appointment in Washington

Make an appointment on-line for the following services, or contact us by telephone for further help.

Make an appointment for an Emergency Travel Document

Make an appointment for a notarial or documentary service

Disabled access

Our offices are fully equipped with facilities for disabled visitors. If you need special assistance, please contact us before you arrange an appointment.

Press enquiries

Our press team answers media enquiries about the work of the UK government and the British Embassy in Washington. To contact the press team, please email us.

Department for Business and Trade (DBT)

DBT helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy. We also help overseas companies bring their high-quality investment to the UK’s dynamic economy, acknowledged as Europe’s best place from which to succeed in global business.

Public holidays

On the following public holidays, our office will be closed for normal business. Emergency consular assistance for British nationals is available by telephone.

Embassy tours

Due to the functional nature of the embassy we are unable to provide tours of our facilities.

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Touring the White House as a tourist

Let me guess that when you’re planning a trip to Washington DC , the first thing you want to book is a tour of the White House! It’s arguably the most famous building in the world, having had 45 presidents sitting in office since the White House was established in 1789. It’s the home of the President of the United States and the First Family but… can tourists tour the White House or do you need to be a U.S Citizen?

How to tour the White House as a tourist

The answer to whether you can tour the White House as a tourist depends on your home country as you have to get in touch directly with your embassy or consulate in Washington DC.

If you are a UK citizen, unfortunately at this point in time, you will not be able to arrange a tour of the White House. The reason being that the US Department of State requires foreigners visiting the White House to be accompanied by a senior diplomat. The British Embassy , understandably, doesn’t have the time or resource to provide a senior diplomat to accompany British tourists to the White House.

How to book a tour as a U.S Citizen

If you are a U.S Citizen you can tour the White House, however you need to plan it well in advance. Requests need to be made through your member of Congress at least three months in advance and no less than three weeks before your visit.

Tours are free and on a first-come, first-served basis and as they are so popular you are advised to submit your request at least two to three months prior to your visit to ensure availability. For more details on the times of the tours and what to expect on your visit, visit the National Park Service website .

Touring the White House Garden

If you happen to be visiting Washington DC during spring (early April) or autumn (early October), you may be able to get tickets to their garden tour. Keep an eye on the White House website for the announcement of the garden tours, which take place over two consecutive days.

The dates and details are usually announced within a week or two of when they take place. You can get tickets by the National Park Service at the Ellipse Visitor Pavilion on 15th and E streets NW on each tour day beginning at 9 a.m.

How to get to the White House

Washington DC is a very walkable city. We walked to the White House from our hotel in Georgetown in about 45 minutes. If you’re coming by Metro then the closest stations to the White House are:

• Federal Triangle (Blue and Orange lines)
• Metro Center (Blue, Orange and Red lines)
• McPherson Square (Blue and Orange lines)

Best views of the White House

There are two different ways to view the White House. The worst view (in my opinion) is from The Ellipse. From this view the White House and the South Lawn is quite far back and there are barricades making it impossible to get to the fence for a better photo. This photo is zoomed in and it’s pretty awful!

The best view is just around the corner. Pennsylvania Avenue NW and Lafayette Square is where you can see the White House in all its glory! You can also see the nearby Washington Monument.

The grounds will of course look different depending on what time of the year you visit. We visited over New Year so the trees were all bare and there were no flowers. The grass looked beautiful though!

Visiting the White House at Christmas

If you’re visiting Washing DC in December, you can see the decorated National Christmas tree , which sits in the Ellipse. Since 1923 the tree has been decorated for Christmas and traditionally in late November or early December it is lit by the President and the First Lady.

It’s really beautiful and well worth a visit but note that the decorations come down on January 1st. Surrounding the National Christmas Tree is the Pathway of Peace which you can walk around to see the 58 smaller, decorated Christmas trees that represent each of the states and territories.

Alternative option to touring the White House

Whilst, as a tourist, you may not be able to tour inside the White House there is one building you can visit that is definitely worth seeing – The US Capitol .

Tourists simply need to book tickets online (which are free) and bring ID when collecting your tickets at the Capitol Visitor Center . They also have a limited number of ‘walk ins’ available too if you don’t book online. The guided tours last around an hour and are a really great way to learn about the history of US politics.

There are also beautiful works of art in the Capitol Building and the dome is absolutely stunning. Definitely not to be missed!

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Kirsty Marrins

Reader, writer, occasional runner, travel lover.

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Reserve Your Spot with Confidence! Full Refunds with 24 Hrs Notice. Reschedule at any point, even after tour, if space allows!

White House Public Tour Tickets

This post is an article on how to get White House tour tickets, plus tips for planning your visit, such as tips for dealing with security.

How to apply for tickets is a common question from visitors on our walking tours.

However, if you are asking one of our tour guides after arriving in Washington, DC, you are definitely too late.

So, we've created this post to help you secure tickets plus plan your visit, both before and after your tour.

The White House is open to public tours usually from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm Tuesday-Saturday, except for Federal Holidays.

Reservations must be arranged in advance.

It is hard to get a White House tour but the further in advance you request and the more flexibility you offer in dates, the better your chances.

These are to tour the main building, West Wing tours are a different experience and even harder to get tickets. I was lucky enough to get a West Wing tour if you want to see photos!

There is no cost to tour the White House, but you will need to apply for free tickets. Both U.S. nationals and foreign visitors can tour the White House.

To visit the White House, it's important to know that you must  reserve your tickets in advance ,   MONTHS in advance. 

You can submit a request for White House tours up to 3 months in advance and must do so no later than 3 weeks.

Don’t apply early or late or you risk having your request automatically denied.

You can increase your odds of getting a White House tour by requesting a reservation as soon as you possibly can.

For U.S. citizens and residents, requests must go through the office of the Member of Congress for your district ( find your Member here ).

If you are coming during the peak tourism seasons of March-April or June-August, we recommend closer to the 3-month mark.

The White House only accepts requests between 21-90 days before your requested dates.

If you are from a foreign country, you are advised to go through your embassy in Washington D.C. Not all embassies will be interested or helpful in the request.

However, nothing stops you from requesting a tour through any Member of Congress.

There is no real requirement that you be a resident of their district or state to do so. Therefore, it's worth a try.  

Most will ask you for contact information at home and during your stay in DC, dates available for tours, and the total number of persons in your group.

You'll also be required to provide information for security clearance, including:

• Date of Birth
• Social Security Number (only U.S. residents 18 and older)
• Citizenship
• City, State of Residence

How long before I hear back about my White House request?

Typically, once you have submitted your visitor info, you will receive an email two weeks before your requested dates informing you if you were selected for a tour.

If you do NOT get approved, the communication varies and depends. Some people have gotten rejection letters and some have just never heard back.

Assume if you haven't heard back a few days prior to your trip that you were not approved.

You can also visit the White House Visitor Center . It's actually a few blocks from the White House, but it's a great alternative to interior tours.

You can always see the White House from the street, as well.

There are a number of great views of the White House that we talk about - but the closest is from Pennsylvania Avenue NW by Lafayette Square.

But, if you are accepted, then read on for tips on planning your trip.

• Plan Your Visit
• Virtual Tour
• Visitor Center
• Things to Do in DC
• Free Tours by Foot

PLAN YOUR VISIT

In this section, we go over where to enter the White House grounds, how to get there, as well as security and prohibited items . 

WHITE HOUSE TOUR ENTRANCE

We strongly recommend using our Google Maps for directions to the tour entry point . 

There is no White House Metro Station.

The closest metro stop to the tour entrance is Metro Center ( red , orange , blue, and silver lines ) (take the 13 th Street exit), which is just a 7-minute walk.

When you come up the escalators, you will be facing 13th Street.

Take 13th Street southbound (downhill) and make a right turn on E Street and proceed straight until you reach 15th Street.  

McPherson Square Metro station ( orange , blue, and silver lines)  is also close to the White House.

Public transportation is recommended for reaching the White House.

If you must drive, you can find a parking spot at a nearby garage through a service called SpotHero .

This website allows you to reserve guaranteed parking spots ahead of time, often for a cheaper price than the garage itself would charge.

If you've been granted a tour, you need to arrive before your meeting time at the visitors' entrance.

Note: This is NOT at the Visitor Center.

Click here for a 360-degree view .

The tour lines up along 15th Street NW on the west side of the street by the William Tecumseh Sherman Statue.

It's across the street from where Pennsylvania Avenue NW dead-ends at 15th St NW.

You'll check in with the National Park Service Park Ranger standing guard outside the temporary fence.

There is no specific street address or sign - you just have to know you're in the right place, but since there is often a line it should be easy to spot.

You can click on the 360-degree view to familiarize yourself with the surrounding area. 

SECURITY AND PROHIBITED ITEMS

Security is a concern everywhere in Washington, but nowhere more than in the White House.

You will need a valid government-issued photo ID or passport to gain entry into the White House for every member of your group. Foreign nationals must use their passport.

You will have to stand in line for security, so make sure to arrive at least half an hour before your tour time. (longer in peak seasons, or with a group).  

WHITE HOUSE DRESS CODE

There is no dress code to tour the White House, but due to the importance of the building, you should want to dress neatly.

The list of what you can’t bring into the White House is extensive:

• no video devices; video cameras including any action camcorders, cameras with detachable lenses, tablets, tripods, monopods, and camera sticks are not permitted. Video recording is not permitted.
• no strollers.
• no food, beverages, tobacco products, liquids, gels, or lotions.
• no guns, firearms, knives, other sharp objects, martial arts equipment, etc.
• no purses, backpacks, handbags, etc.   * If you need a place to store these kinds of items, some nearby hotel concierges may be willing to store the bags for a small fee.

The list of things you can bring to the White House is not extensive:

• umbrellas 

Cameras are now permitted on tour!

Smartphones and compact cameras with a lens no longer than 3 inches (stills only) are permitted on the public tour route as long as their use does not interfere with other guests’ enjoyment of the tour. 

Flash photography or live streaming as well as talking or texting on cellular phones is not permitted while on the tour.

Where can I leave the rest of my belongings while I tour the White House?

If you can't leave your belongings at your hotel, then consider storage facilities.

For $6/bag for up to 24 hours, you can store your bags in nearby stores, souvenir shops, and even other hotels.

Once you are inside, the tour is self-guided and will take about half an hour.

NOTE: There are no restrooms on the White House tour.

Though the White House has 132 rooms in total, you are only shown through several rooms that they use for entertaining. 

You will NOT see the family living quarters, the Oval Office, or the West Wing ( read about my experience of the West Wing tour! ) So, don't expect to meet President Joe Biden on your White House Tour.

Small tip: there are secret service agents in every room, you can interact with them and ask them questions, they are usually really nice and very informative.

After you line up along 15th Street, you'll have your reservation checked and then line up again for an ID check.

You'll cross a street and then have your ID checked again.

All of these checks are outdoors so keep that in mind when preparing for your visit - you're outside for around 30 minutes before your tour.

You then go through security to enter the East Wing of the White House.

What Will I See on a Public Tour of the White House?

The tour is self-guided though there are occasionally guards who can answer some questions.

Each room has a placard or two explaining what you're seeing with some information.

The tour is self-paced and you can go back if needed to previous rooms, but you will not be able to exit the building and reenter.

You will see the East Garden from the hallway, the movie theatre, the China Room, the Vermeil Room, the East Room, the Green Room, the Blue Room, the Red Room, and the State Dining Room.

Throughout you'll also see a number of presidential portraits.

There is a gift shop inside the White House that sells the famous White House Christmas ornament and many other items from the White House Historical Association.

You'll exit the White House from what used to be the primary entrance facing the North Lawn and exit out the gates by the Lafayette Statue.

Will I See the President on a White House Tour?

You are unlikely to meet the President or First Lady on the White House tour, but you never know who you might see at the White House complex, including cabinet members or prominent visitors.

VIRTUAL TOURS OF THE WHITE HOUSE

These videos offer virtual tours inside various parts of the White House that you do not get to see on White House public tours.

Inside the Residence

Tour of the West Wing

Video Tour of the Situation Room

Learn About the West Wing Marines

Watch Marine One Land on South Lawn

You will see many helicopters during your visit to Washington, D.C. and they usually won't be transporting the President.

Most of the helicopters fly along the National Mall - over the Tidal Basin and Potomac River.

When you see three helicopters fly across the National Mall, right past the Washington Monument (that is why there are the red flashing lights on the top), one of those is Marine One.

So how do you watch Marine One take off/land?

For advance planning, you can keep an eye on the President's Schedule. It will give an approximate time when the president departs the South Lawn.

Keep in mind, it sometimes is early or late and they don't give any warning!

Marine One is often used to transport the President to Joint Base Andrews to board Air Force One.

If you're already in the area, you might notice some of the ways they prepare for Marine One:

• Snipers are always on the roof of the White House, but when the President is leaving the White House, you'll also see them on the corners of area buildings.
• Two decoy/escort helicopters will accompany Marine One but not land. You will always see a group of three helicopters.
• The walkway to the South Lawn fence is closed. While you're normally can walk right up to the South Lawn fence, they won't let you get that close when Marine One is landing.

Where to stand to watch Marine One land?

The best place to watch Marine One land if you want to be as close as possible is on the south side of the White House, an area called The Ellipse.

Normally, the circular sidewalk that forms the ellipse is open to the public but when the President is leaving - the side closest to the White House is closed.

You can, however, walk directly on the grass to the center of the Ellipse.

If you line yourself up with the Washington Monument behind you and the White House South Lawn Fountain in front of you, the helicopter will fly right over your head!

If you want to watch Marine One with some DC landmarks in the frame, stand at the WWII Memorial, facing the Washington Monument.

The three helicopters will fly in front of the Washington Monument lining up for a great photo op.

What kind of helicopter is Marine One?

Officially, any helicopter that the President is on is Marine One.

That is the call sign for any USMC aircraft that has the President on board, just like Air Force one denotes whatever plane is carrying the President.

It is usually operated by Marine Helicopter Squadron One (HMX-1 "Nighthawks"), only four pilots have this honor every year.

The type of helicopter is often a VH-3D Sea King:

or the VH-60N "WhiteHawk"

Marine One helicopters have standard military anti-missile countermeasures, and ballistic armor and can continue to fly even if it loses one of the three engines.

It can fit 14 passengers but is quiet enough that the President can use a normal tone of voice on his secure line to the White House.

NOTE: A few times a year when the President is out of the country, you will see a helicopter take off and land on the South Lawn on repeat for about half an hour - this is training!

The President isn't actually on the helicopter - but your Instagram followers won't know that!

THE WHITE HOUSE VISITOR CENTER:

After an extensive revamping, the White House Visitor Center is now open again to the public.  

Read our overview of the museum and visitor center for more information.

The restoration work took over 2 years and cost $12.5 million, much of which came from private donations through the White House Historical Association.

There are over 90 new artifacts on display, many of which have never before been on display.

Some of our favorites are the desk that Franklin Delano Roosevelt sat at when he delivered his famous fireside chats and a scaled model of the White House.

Within the White House Visitor Center, you can watch a 14-minute film that takes you inside the White House and the lives of the First Families. 

Allow anywhere from 30 minutes to 1 hour for your visit here.

VISITOR TIP : The White House Visitor Center has a great gift shop. There is also a gift shop at 701 15th St NW called White House Gifts. Here can take a photo of yourself sitting behind a replica of the Presidential desk in the Oval Office!

Related Content:

• How to Get Tickets to the Washington Monument
• How to Tour the U.S. Capitol Building
• Can I tour the FBI Building?
• Watch Marine One Land on the White House Lawn
• White House Garden Tours
• White House Christmas Tours
• Easter Egg Roll

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How to Request a White House Tour as a Foreign Visitor - Washington DC Forum

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How to Request a White House Tour as a Foreign Visitor

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The Top Question which used to address this issue has been removed, so here is how you do it:

1. Go to the White House Tours website and read all the requirements for requesting a tour and the restrictions placed on you when you take the tour if your request is granted. See: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/tours-events/

2. Ignore what the website says about contacting your Embassy for assistance in requesting a tour. No embassy has done this for years, so I don't know why it's still on the WH website.

3. Apply for a White House tour just as a U.S. citizen would do by contacting the office of a Member of Congress. As a resident of a foreign country, you of course have no U.S. Member of Congress which represents you. You can apply through the office of any Senator or Representative who accepts requests from non U.S. citizens, but not all of them do. One office which has been responsive to such requests in the past is the office of Eleanor Holmes Norton who represents the District of Columbia. See: https://norton.house.gov/

... and if you are accepted, be sure to read, note and scrupulously follow all of the instructions and rules.

And, if you are successful and get a tour, make sure you get to the spot where the line to go in forms in plenty of time--while we were waiting in line there was a lady who had missed her time (the admission before ours) and was not allowed to proceed or to join the group at our time.

I didn't understand some rules. Is it possible to bring your phone as a camera to take pictures? Because I saw it is prohibited to enter with professional cameras with removal lenses and go pro type of camera.

Can I take pictures there or film?

Photos yes; video no. And no communication with outsiders via phone- not by call or whatsapp or skype or anything else.

Are there any guidelines (officially or from members) on how far in advance you should request this? I’m just starting to plan for a 2021 trip so on a fact finding mission.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/tours-events/

However, as you do not plan to travel until 2021, you will need to re-check that the requirements have not changed before your visit.

Thank you so much, I have sent a request for our upcoming June 2020 trip. Fingers crossed 🤞

Requests can be made no earlier than 3 months before your visit (and no later than 21 days before your visit), so if you applied now for June 2020, you have applied too soon. If you will be here in June of next year, you can apply sometime in March. Good luck!

See: https://www.whitehouse.gov/about-the-white-house/tours-events/

Can I ask how long it normally takes to hear back?

I submitted my request on the 23rd July, for a tour on either the 8th or 9th November. I'm now thinking that was too early.. I did get a request back to say it was received, but is that just an automated email, and they actually have not counted it, and I need to do it again?

Or, will they still have it, and will send me an email closer to the time requesting the further information that the first email suggests.

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White House Tours 'On Hold' for British Nationals?

The country's embassy cited a state department advisory., arturo garcia, published march 9, 2017.

On  8 March 2017, following a brief interruption following President Donald Trump's inauguration, the White House announced that tours are once again open to the general public.  However, the British embassy in Washington D.C. said that it cannot arrange tours with them for its citizens for unknown reasons, citing an advisory by the U.S. State Department.

The British embassy announced the freeze on tours in a statement on its web site:

The White House website states that foreign nationals interested in touring the White House should contact their Embassy to arrange a tour. However, the Embassy has been advised by the US Department of State that this is on hold. We are therefore unable to process any applications at this time.

While the White House website does direct foreign nationals to arrange White House tours through their country's embassy, it does not include any advisories from the State Department.

A department official told us via e-mail:

On March 7, the White House announced the official reopening of public tours. Foreign nationals interested in a public tour of the White House should submit a request through their embassy. We’d refer you to the British embassy for information listed on their website.

British embassy officials did not return a request for comment, but officials with both the Irish and Mexican embassies told us they had not received a similar advisory from the State Department. (We also contacted the Indian and Canadian embassies, but they have not responded.)

While foreign nationals are required to contact their national embassies to arrange a White House tour, United States residents must request a tour through their local congressional representatives. The White House web site urges prospective visitors to schedule their tours at least 21 days in advance.

Gov.UK. "British embassy Washington." https://www.gov.uk.

The White House. "Tours & Events." www.whitehouse.gov.

Andersen Brower, Kate. "Trump's White House not yet open for tours." CNN. 2 February 2017.

By Arturo Garcia

Arturo Garcia is a former writer for Snopes.

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Special notice regarding white house tours.

The Embassy of Canada is unable to arrange tours of the White House for Canadian citizens. Previously, embassies arranged White House tours for foreign nationals in conjunction with the U.S. Department of State, however that program was cancelled in 2011. Although the White House and National Park Service web sites direct foreign citizens to contact their embassy, we cannot accommodate requests for White House tours for the general public. We will post an update to the website immediately if conditions change.

As an alternative, we recommend that you add the White House Visitor Center to your travel plans. It is open to the general public without a reservation from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm daily.

Visitors may also consider free guided tours of other iconic American institutions including: the Capitol Building , Library of Congress , National Archives , and the Washington Monument .

The Embassy of Canada has an art gallery which is also open to the public, Monday to Friday from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm

Enjoy your visit to Washington D.C.

White House Tours and Visiting Washington DC

White house tours.

*** The Embassy is unable to facilitate or arrange tours of the White House for the Australian public.

Although the White House website states that tours can be arranged by the Embassy, we are unable to facilitate tours for members of the Australian public due to excessive demand for limited availability and White House requirements.

Tours parties must be escorted by a very senior diplomat; be coordinated and cleared far in advance by the Embassy, the US Department of State and the White House; are limited to a maximum of 5 visitors per tour; and are subject to cancellation at short notice.

This advice is reviewed regularly and remains current. ***  

You may wish to explore alternative White House experiences, including a visit to The White House Visitor Center . You can also take a White House 360 Virtual Tour .

Further details can be found on The White House website.

Other attractions in Washington DC include the iconic  US Capitol Building and National Mall , the city’s many famous  monuments and memorials , the world-class Smithsonian Institution museums, galleries and National Zoo , the National Archives  and Arlington National Cemetery . 

The National Park Service (NPS) arranges tours of many of these sites, as well as others in and around the city. 

For further information and ideas, visit https://washington.org/ .  

Visiting Washington DC

Whatever you decide to see and do while you're here, plan ahead. Washington DC is one of the most visited cities in the United States. Long lines and large crowds are common, particularly on holiday weekends (e.g. Memorial Day weekend and 4 July) and during peak tourist season (March to August). 

Below are some other things to keep in mind when visiting Washington DC: 

• As in most major cities, tourists are often targets for thieves. This can happen anywhere but is particularly prevalent in crowded areas and on public transport. Pay close attention to your personal belongings and carry with you only what you need.
• Stay vigilant and take particular care when moving through unfamiliar and/or potentially unsafe areas, particularly at night. (Visit Smartraveller to read our full Travel Advice for the United States .)
• While admission to many attractions is free, some require you to apply ahead of time for tickets or timed-entry passes. Demand often means that these tickets or passes need to be booked months in advance. Check the websites of attractions that you plan to visit for further information. 
• Many public buildings and US government facilities allow entry to US citizens only (e.g. the Pentagon ); 
• Public buildings and many other venues require you to present government-issued photo ID upon entry. Carry your passport with you, as other forms of Australian government-issued ID (eg. driver’s licences) may not be accepted.  
• Expect airport-style security screening when entering public buildings and other venues. This may include x-ray inspections and bag searches. Arrive early and allow extra time for screening. 
• Many venues prohibit entry with certain everyday items, including backpacks, handbags and umbrellas. If you plan to carry anything more than a wallet, cell phone and car keys, check the websites of venues that you plan on attending.

Enjoy your visit!  

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The early arrivals at a party thrown by the Hollywood powerhouse Creative Artists Agency on Friday night seemed to be weighing the same question: Just how much could they expect to let loose during this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner weekend?

Their game of chicken did not go on long. By 8 p.m., guests at the talent agency’s event, held at La Grande Boucherie in Washington, were applying temporary tattoos to one another’s necks and trying to prevent their drinks from sloshing onto a baby grand piano.

The weekend’s main event, known as “nerd prom,” is a Saturday night banquet at the Washington Hilton Hotel. There, Colin Jost of “Saturday Night Live” plans to gently roast President Biden, who is expected to take the dais and attempt some zingers of his own.

In addition to the annual dinner, the intertwined media and political classes celebrate themselves at a succession of receptions and parties that have made April a bustling month for the D.C. social set.

Despite wars, campus unrest and the criminal trial of former President Donald J. Trump, plenty of journalists and power brokers appeared determined to make the most of this year’s schmoozefest.

“It’s really exciting to be able to just put politics aside, for one beautiful weekend,” said Desi Lydic, a senior correspondent for “The Daily Show.” “As well as our ethics.”

The CAA party was held in honor of Mr. Jost, who made the rounds with his wife, Scarlett Johansson. Mr. Jost’s boss, the “Saturday Night Live” creator Lorne Michaels , marched straight to the food table upon his arrival. When he was asked what looked good, he replied, “The vegetables.”

Other guests included the second gentleman Doug Emhoff, the White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and the newscaster Andrea Mitchell. Hollywood was represented by the actors Rosario Dawson, Chris Pine and Kyle MacLachlan, whose political résumé includes his role as a fictional mayor in “Portlandia.” The CAA contingent was led by the company’s chief executive, Bryan Lourd, and the agents Rachel Adler and Joe Machota.

Located in a former bank on 14th Street, La Grand Boucherie is a stately two-story restaurant trimmed with stained glass and a gilded ceiling. Unlike those married couples who split up at parties to work the room separately, Mr. Jost and Ms. Johansson, both CAA clients, went around in tandem. At one point, as they maneuvered around a demiclad statue, Mr. Jost did his best to fend off questions about his role as the host of this year’s dinner.

“I’m too nervous right now,” he said.

Upstairs, Naomi Biden , the eldest of the president’s grandchildren, said that no celebrity sighting would excite her as much as her run-in with Ariana Madix of “Vanderpump Rules” during last April’s festivities. “I was like, ‘I feel like I’m the only one who appreciates that you’re here,’” Ms. Biden recalled.

But only so many cheese boards could stave off conversations about the media industry’s challenges: layoffs in newsrooms, the threat of artificial intelligence and the jailing of the Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich in Russia more than a year ago.

“The underlying tone of this weekend is, What do we do about Evan Gershkovich?” said Sara Fischer, the senior media reporter at Axios. “Behind every glass of champagne is an editor talking about him right now.”

The social agenda had begun on Thursday evening, when Politico hosted a kickoff reception at the British ambassador’s residence on Embassy Row.

The 17,000-square-foot manse, designed in the 1920s by the architect Sir Edward Lutyens , is an ever so slightly scaled down version of an English country estate. A sign bearing the royal coat of arms shooed certain guests away from a room full of chairs upholstered in white fabric: “No red wine in our drawing room please.”

Attorney General Merrick B. Garland held court in the garden, where fragrant peonies were in springtime bloom. Nearby, standing close to a tower of whoopie pies , Goli Sheikholeslami , the chief executive of Politico, was deep in conversation with David Risher, the chief executive of Lyft.

It is rare these days for a marquee fete to go without a sponsorship or some sort of brand presence, and the party at the embassy was no exception. An amiable server, cigar clipper in hand, offered an assortment of Diamond Crown Cigars. One guest was observed having a contemplative smoke on a bench in the garden.

“This weekend has become the highlight of the Washington social calendar,” Ms. Sheikholeslami told the crowd. “What started out as the ‘nerd prom’ has become somewhat of D.C.-palooza.”

But even amid the merriment and peacocking, outside events could not help but crash the party. Dame Karen Pierce, Britain’s ambassador to the United States, who hosted the event with Ms. Sheikholeslami, said she had attended a memorial that morning for seven aid workers killed in Gaza while delivering food for World Central Kitchen.

“A very difficult time in the world,” she said.

Some of the most coveted invitations came from the new class of digital news start-ups . John Boehner, the former speaker of the House, was among the guests who rode elevators to the top floor of Riggs Washington D.C., a luxury hotel in the Penn Quarter where Puck was hosting a party with the talent agency William Morris Endeavor .

The screenwriter and playwright Aaron Sorkin sat for an interview with the Puck writers Matthew Belloni and Peter Hamby that was recorded for Mr. Belloni’s podcast, “The Town.” Mr. Sorkin offered his takes on TikTok and artificial intelligence before the presidential campaign came up.

“Can I get an Aaron Sorkin anxiety check on Joe Biden and his re-election chances?” Mr. Hamby asked.

“I’m as worried as can be,” Mr. Sorkin responded.

As Mr. Sorkin delivered a monologue about Meta’s handling of misinformation during the 2020 election, guests who were not in the mood for wonky conversation posed for selfies at kiosks provided by Snap, formerly Snapchat, in the other room.

Joanna Coles, the onetime Hearst Magazines executive who was recently named the content chief of The Daily Beast, navigated podcasters sipping espresso martinis. Areas of interest for The Beast under her leadership? “Money, ambition, power, revenge and betrayal,” she said. “And, of course, we’re captivated by Lauren Sanchez.”

Nearby, Jon Favreau, the Obama speechwriter turned “Pod Save America” host, observed that the weekend’s social scene seemed to have rallied since its Covid-era lull. “It’s a lot of people like, ‘We’re out, we’re back, we’re partying,’” he said. “It’s like a high school reunion with grown-ups.”

The next night the social whirl moved to the Kalorama neighborhood, where a party for the digital news outlet Semafor took place under the watch of Secret Service agents in a private home not far from the Obamas’ residence.

The house belonged to Justin Smith, the former chief executive of Bloomberg Media who, in 2022, joined forces with Ben Smith, the former top editor of BuzzFeed News, to start Semafor.

Standing in his kitchen, Justin Smith said that his teenage son was upstairs playing video games and his Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, Teddy, was in the basement. He lamented that the dog did not have a more distinctive name; a mistake he did not repeat when naming Semafor.

Ben Smith, who put in a roughly two-year stint as the media columnist for The New York Times, was seen joking around with the White House communications director Ben LaBolt. Other guests included Jim Bankoff, the chief executive of Vox Media, and Kasie Hunt, the CNN This Morning host.

Although he seemed bullish about his own operation, Justin Smith said he was stressed about how the news media would handle the upcoming presidential election. “It’s sort of unprecedented, the amount of misinformation, the amount of polarization, the amount of bias,” he said.

He continued: “Can everyone appeal to their better angels and somehow rise above a lot of this stuff and really look at things objectively and factually and independently?”

In a backyard lit by magenta floodlights, a photo backdrop with Semafor branding was set up next to a basketball hoop. The D.J. Lance Reynolds played relaxed music from the patio, where guests sipped rum punch with their backs to the pool. Everyone appeared a little wary of dancing — it seemed all too easy to fall in.

Callie Holtermann reports on style and pop culture for The Times. More about Callie Holtermann

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2 replies to this topic

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g28970-i40-k12316682-How_to_Request_a_White_House_Tour_as_a_Foreign_Visitor-Washington_DC_District_of_Columbia.html

Older thread but read and see what people tried.

If it's any consolation many US citizens who apply don't get a tour either. Capacity limited.

You can see it from outside, go to Visitors Center.

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